Emerging Conservative

So I’m traveling right now and thought I’d take a sec and give a brief update (though I will go more in depth later).

My first stop was day in Nashville, my favorite city so far in my travels over my life. I stopped there to spend an evening with a Christian buddy of mine named David. Like others I will discuss on this trip, we had not met before but have known each other for the last couple years on an on-line discussion board of a wide range of people. There you find Christians and Non-Christians, Straight and Gay folks, grace giving and, well, let’s just say, not so grace giving folks. It’s an interest on-line community that I have come to love. I have had the privilege to meet some of the friends from there (my buddies Kevin and Pat) and on this trip, I got to meet two more.

Anyways, back to David. David is a Christian man who has pastored in the past. He is also a Side A homosexual man who is in a long term relationship. David and I got to have dinner and I met his partner Curtis as well. I had a great evening visiting with this two men and David was every ounce I pictured him to be.

The next day, I enjoyed a great lunch with my niece, Anna who lives in Nashville before heading out for another hour and a half drive to Fayetteville to visit Pastor Jim, another long term friend from the on-line board. Again, I was not disappointed. I had the honor of being given the full tour of his community, the church in which he serves, and even a home cooked meal. I have a ton of respect for this Christian man who is also a Side B homosexual man.

I don’t know what all is going to happen with it but both men sat and talked with me on video about their beliefs on homosexuality, why they believe it has a sinful element or not, and how it has effected their lives from their very different perspectives. Sooner or later, a full or edited version of those tapes will make it here……

I left Fayetteville and just got into Townsend, Tennessee…..my wife and my’s favorite place period in the whole world! =) I am hear for a couple days of R&R before having a 3 day retreat with 6 other pastors in Pigeon Forge. I will be spending time here with my buddy, Pastor Darren and folks from his church while here. (Just for the record, Darren is heterosexual with a large family. Just keeping in theme=) He has a great ministry here in the Smokies and it’s always a pleasure (which we try to do a couple times a year).

That catches you up to date. More soon. Blessings!