Gay policies pose test of Episcopalian loyalties. Church's confirmation of a gay bishop this week stirs controversy among faithful. [Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories]

I think I need to comment on the election of a gay bishop. My path to Christ is a direct result of my frustration with the Episcopal church. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with the Episcopal church. I grew up in the Episcopal church. My parents still go to an Episcopal church in Virginia. My wife's uncle is active in a local church in Cincinnati. Everything points to the Episcopal church as the logical way for me to be more religous except that it didn't work for me.  My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and wife picked the Vineyard as a “modern” church we all could go to. I was sceptical but I quickly changed my mind. I enjoyed the music but I relished the fact that I had begun to enjoy the Bible. When the pastors spoke, they picked Bible verses that spoke to me! Most of all I enjoyed going to church!

So here is where I get back into the love/hate relationship. A couple of years ago the Vineyard sponsored an introduction to Christianity program called Alpha. The program originated with the Anglican(i.e. Episcopal) church. It is through this program I accepted that I had a personal relationship with Christ and he is my savior. I could not of gotten to this point without the Vineyard. Despite my frustrations with the Episcopal church I could not have gotten here without them.

Tonight I was at an Alpha Alumni dinner at the Vineyard. Almost 1000 people have gone through the program at the Vineyard and the program leaders talked about several fascinating extensions to the Alpha program. Then they brought the regional director for Alpha, an Episcopalian minister and doctoral student at Asbury Seminary.  He made a few jokes about how stodgy Episcopalians are. We laughed. He talked about evangelism and Alpha but I got the impression that Episcopalians are divided on the worth of evangelism and Alpha. Obviously the Episcopalians are divided on gay policies, too. Some ministers say the church will get over it quickly. They point out that the church members fussed when they ordained women ministers but quickly got over it. Homsexuality is a sin. The Bible is pretty clear on this subject. I disagree with homosexual activists on how many people are homosexual. From the homosexuals I have met, I believe that very few were wired from birth to be homosexual. It appears to me that most are making a lifestyle choice. They could go either way. I believe the gay bishop falls into this category. He has made a lifestyle choice. Some may view his election as reaching out to the gay community. I think he is a terrible role model and it is tough for me to take him seriously. I don't think it unreasonable to expect a higher moral standard for a bishop.

You don't have to be perfect to be a good role model and people shouldn't expect perfection. We all don't choose to be role models, we are chosen. Our only choice is to be a good role model or a bad one.

Charles Barkley