Earlier, I praised the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches for publishing critical comments on its story in the MB Herald Digest about the censoring of On Holy Ground.
Good on them, I said for allowing people to post criticism about the decision—not censoring comments about censorship.
Time now to praise the Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference for hosting a meeting of pastors and others on Sept. 13 to talk about LGBTQ+.
It was not, the Conference said, to be a meeting where theology would be debated. Instead, it would be “an intentional time to hear from each other. The stories of how God is leading you and your church at this time is what we want to mine into.”
It was to be a safe space to talk and ask questions, in other words. And that should be commended.
Did the meeting fulfill that promise? I don’t know. Conference leadership isn’t able to talk to me about it yet. But I hope that happened. And I hope they will tell me at some point.
The fact of the matter is this: The topic is being talked about in Mennonite Brethren churches across the country, whether leadership in provincial conferences or the national conference condone it or not.
Church basements, Zoom meetings, home fellowships, friendship groups—it’s on people’s minds.
Some want to explore it out of interest. But others do so because they have a gay child, sibling, relative or friend who loves Jesus as much as they do.
They need safe places to talk about it—the very thing some leaders are unwilling or afraid to do.
The only question is: Do conference leaders want to be part of the conversation, or not? Because it is happening, with or without their participation.
So again, good on the Ontario MB Conference. Maybe the next meeting, or set of meetings, they hold will be for all members, not just leaders.
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