Sonoma United Methodist Church
October 19th
“Diversity Matters”
Would you pray with me…?
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and the members of the body, though many,
are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one spirit we are all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks,
slaves or free – and we are all made to drink of one spirit.”
Imagine that it is the year 1903 and you are standing in a forest somewhere in the Southeastern
United States. You look around and see all kinds of plants, animals and insects. You feel the humid air fill
your lungs and smell an odor that is a mix of soil and possibly a skunk. You are in a balanced eco system.
This forest in 1903 is about to change dramatically though, we are on the cusp of an industrial
revolution….You notice the forest around you being burned to the ground, you see animals fleeing, men
with saws and tools cutting and pulling down giant trees that have been there for centuries. This keeps
happening until nothing is left but empty fields. These fields though will not be empty for long – you look
and see that men are working now to plant neat rows of trees – neat rows of one kind of tree called “Yellow
Pine”. The same thing that has happened to this forest has happened to 100s of thousands of acres of forests
across the Southeast. Forest and fields were decimated so that forests of Yellow Pine could be planted.
Trees were harvested and forests removed in order to provide raw material. In an effort to replenish
these resources, forests were replanted with one type of tree: southern yellow pine. Yellow pine covered
vast treks of land. The trees were planted in neat rows and columns, and little other types of life (flora and
fauna) are able to survive in these forests. The lack of variety among the Yellow Pines resulted in the tree’s
immune systems becoming weak. In turn, entire forests would become diseased in a matter of days and
eventually die because they had not been exposed to enough biological variety to develop adequate
immunity. Similarly insects, namely the southern pine beetle, are able to freely ingest huge portions of the
population as no predator dwells in these forests. If everything is the same then death and disease become
for greater threats.
Our first reading today is from I Corinthians and talks about the importance and necessity of
diversity within the Body of Christ. Each unit of the body has a purpose and each unit of the body supports
the wellbeing of the whole. Often this text is used to validate the variety of gifts and ministries within a
local congregation – but I want us to zoom out. Zoom way out. Consider the Church Universal – that’s
church with a big “C”.
And consider the various body parts to be different ideologies, different
understanding of God, and different ways of being in the world.
I identify as a progressive pacifist
Methodist. Now imagine that every person in the Church Universal identified as a progressive pacifist
Methodist – I am not saying that it wouldn’t be exciting for a while. But where would we go from there? If
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everyone’s understanding of God and Life were the exact same than how would we ever be challenged to
expand that understanding.
In recent weeks I have had some very uncomfortable conversations with people who have very different
viewpoints than my own about faith. As much as I want to say to them “Stop Talking and just believe what
I believe.” I know that words do not have the power to change a person, only experience does. I am also
humbled to think that my own view point is not perfect, is not absolute, and is not done growing. As much
as I wish people would agree with me all the time– it would limit diversity.
Christianity is a big spectrum. Not a neat linear one though. For any theological issue there are a
host of understandings that agree with some and disagree with others. Each unit of this spectrum though
is also continually changing as interacts with other units. For me to say “Stop talking and believe what I
believe” not only discredits every other person’s theology, but takes there voice out of the conversation
completely. So why I am saying this? Even with all of our differences we are one in Christ.
The text from Philippians is a letter that Paul is writing while he is in prison. I have a weird
relationship with Paul sometimes I shake my head at him and say “stop being arrogant” – other times I am
impressed by his sincere faith and commitment to the Gospel. This text marks one of Paul’s more humble
moments he says “Some proclaim Christ out of Envy, Some out of rivalry, some out of good will , some out
of love”.. He goes on to say “What does it matter? As long as Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out
of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice” What does it matter, as long as Christ is being proclaimed. I
don’t know your motive in proclaiming Christ, I do not know the motive of the church down the road, or
the church on the other side of the globe. Can I be humble enough to put my own motive alongside yours
rather than against it? Can I be humble enough to celebrate your ministry even if I don’t always agree with
your tactics? Can I be humble enough to proclaim Unity in Christ despite our differences? Some days are
easier than others.
Sisters and Brothers, diversity matters. Look around this room, look around this valley – we are
very different from one another. But how could this community, or any community be what it is today
without diversity. New thoughts can be scary and old dogmas can be off putting – but we need them all. If
we are authentically ministering with each other – note that I said ministering with, not ministering to or
for – if we are ministering with each other than that means ministering with the parts of the body we
disagree with as well. Divisions are something that we have created – but what do these divisions matter
as long as Christ is being proclaimed.
So what am I saying in all of this? I am saying we are one diverse Body and we need each other –
and God loves each part of this body. I am saying that if you are liberal engage with conservative folks; if
you are old engage with young folks; if you are rich engage with poor folks; if you are one thing engage with
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folks who are another thing. The goal in all of this is not to make others like you, but for all to benefit and
grow in the Grace of God. The goal is not to be right, but to be with. The goal is not find an answer, but to
help one another on the journey. I would much rather live in a forest that is noisy, smelly and even
dangerous – than one that has only one kind of tree and could die at any moment. Let us care for this one
body, Let us be humble enough to love without the agenda of conversion, Let us honor the God light that is
in each person, Let us celebrate diversity, and Let us celebrate life. Amen.
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