Wright is correct in saying that Christian leadership is a “grace gift”. Unmerrited, undeserved. So far so good.

“Ordination” is the recognition of that grace gift by those with authority to affirm it. In doing so, they must take into account the effect of grace not only on the person's abilities but also upon their life, chararacter and doctrine. This is why the apostle Paul urged Timothy to not be “hasty in the laying on hands” when appointing elders in local churches and why he insisted that such elders must be “above reproach”.

Affirming a moral standard for leaders is not in any way to undermine the fact that leadershp is a grace gift. Rather, such a perspective magnifies God's grace by requiring us to focus on the fullness of its operation. When we see the grace of God enabling a sinner to overcome their sinful past and live a godly life, and when we see that moral character combined with pastoral, teaching or prophetic gifting, then the church can have confidence to affirm that here is a shepherd who has been given to the church by God's mercy and grace.

Of course, all those who are “in Chrst” are part of the body of Christ and able to minster to God and to one another. But, as James puts it in his characterisically blunt style, “Let not many of you become teachers … knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

Wright is correct in saying that Christian leadership is a “grace gift”. Unmerrited, undeserved. So far so good.

“Ordination” is the recognition of that grace gift by those with authority to affirm it. In doing so, they must take into account the effect of grace not only on the person's abilities but also upon their life, chararacter and doctrine. This is why the apostle Paul urged Timothy to not be “hasty in the laying on hands” when appointing elders in local churches and why he insisted that such elders must be “above reproach”.

Affirming a moral standard for leaders is not in any way to undermine the fact that leadershp is a grace gift. Rather, such a perspective magnifies God's grace by requiring us to focus on the fullness of its operation. When we see the grace of God enabling a sinner to overcome their sinful past and live a godly life, and when we see that moral character combined with pastoral, teaching or prophetic gifting, then the church can have confidence to affirm that here is a shepherd who has been given to the church by God's mercy and grace.

Of course, all those who are “in Chrst” are part of the body of Christ and able to minster to God and to one another. But, as James puts it in his characterisically blunt style, “Let not many of you become teachers … knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

And what if that person has not changed during the process like we want them to, to our specifications. Are we willing to empower them with the Great Commission and call them to go and do the same for others.

My point was not to validate someone flaunting a lifestyle but to call out the broken structure of our ordination process and the structure that precedes it.

And what if that person has not changed during the process like we want them to, to our specifications. Are we willing to empower them with the Great Commission and call them to go and do the same for others.

My point was not to validate someone flaunting a lifestyle but to call out the broken structure of our ordination process and the structure that precedes it.

Grace and Peace,
Raffi

Grace and Peace,
Raffi

And I would ask if you are assuming that those who are heterosexual aren't openly, or even secretively, practicing sin? Homosexuality is testing that threshold of what is acceptable. That was the point I was making.