Discovering Our Gifts in Community

"In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t. [Romans 11:4-6, The Message]

Paul reminds us in Romans 11 that we're connected to one another and discover our gifts only when we're in community with each other. I chose The Message's translation of this text because it breathes new life into this well-known text and clarifies its meaning. [Read the NRSV for a comparison].

What I get from Paul's wisdom is that each of us has gifts [See vs. 7-8] but we truly only discover those gifts when we are living out our faith in a community of believers. I think this is true whether you're gay, straight or somewhere in-between. The community of faith, when it is healthy, is there to love us, encourage us and help us to discover what we do best. There is nothing more wonderful than a church who lifts up and develops the talents of all its members including the LGBT ones. This is the reason why I think it is imperative for LGBT Christians to find a church that loves them unconditionally and welcomes them as full participating members. These prophetic churches are out there, and the number is growing! [Check out the links to "gaychurch.org" and "Welcoming Churches" on the bar to the right.]

I am so grateful to find a church that not only values my gifts but also trusts me to be their pastor. As we live, work and serve together, they have been my greatest teachers and encouragers. I hope and pray I do the same for them. Take the time to discover your God-given gifts and find a church that will let you use them. It will be one of the most rewarding and life-affirming things you can do as a queer person of faith.