I Have Failed

I wish I had been a more effective teacher in my church. I suppose I may have not been focused enough or I should have studied more or maybe I'm just a lousy teacher. It's probably the last one. Obviously it's that last one. I just wish somebody had told me before now. It makes everything else just that much harder.

I would like to thank my church for the opportunity to teach. I wish it could have been better. I would also like to thank you all for helping Jesus set me free from my last secret. The months since November 29 have been some of the best. 

I spent the last quarter attempting to teach the book, Messy Grace. I do not think it generated much enthusiasm. I apologize for that. I wish we could have all caught the spirit of that book, but it does not seem to have worked.

If any of you have taken offense to my recent writing, both in private and publicly, I'm sure we will both get over it one way or another.

Whatever you think now, know this. I love all of you. I would not have raised the current issue as I have been doing if I did not love our church. My concern is that a grave error is about to be made that will forever label us before sinners as a place to avoid at all cost. I cannot abide that.

I cannot abide the use of this legacy, our church, as a pawn in legal battles. For three generations, my family on both sides has worshiped with you. It tears me up that anyone would think so little of that and willingly use a church nearly as old as the state of Iowa in a legal test.

There has to be a better way. I hope you find it and so avoid the course of the law.

There is no courage or concern in legal courses of action. There is no love. There is no grace or mercy. It says to all in witness, "I defy you."  The day may come when we have to do that. That time is not now and this issue is not worth it.  

Courage is when you stand at the door and say "come in" to people that are different from you. Legal action says you're not so friendly, maybe a bit touchy and maybe a bit unwelcoming.

It's been a good run since 1997. It's been good to be home. Home is not always where you think it is though. Sometimes there just isn't one.