By “Conservative,” I mean Christians who read the Bible as though it is inerrant. They see it as accurate cover-to-cover.

But this way of reading the Bible can make people less loving, and less moral.

For example, Deut. 21:18 says that parents with a son who refuses to obey them should haul the kid before the elders at the city gate and have him stoned to death.

You won’t find that in modern parenting manuals.

It’s a horrendous idea.

It is ancient ignorance.

And it’s no way to treat your kid.

But Biblical inerrantists must defend that passage. And since this is part of the Old Testament law, they must even say that killing the child was God’s idea.

If you are in a conservative church, ask your pastor about this. He will defend this passage and say killing the child was God’s will.

Of course, we should all know better. The passage is not Christian.

It does not reflect the teachings of Jesus or even common decency.

But the conservative pastor feels he must defend the passage and must blame it on God.

Because it is in the Bible.

It is important for us to know that there is a Bible within the Bible.

The heart of scripture is Jesus and his teachings.

Anything in the Bible that does not reflect his love cannot be right.

Jesus—IS—the Word!

Biblical inerrancy causes many Christians to be morally indecisive. It is why so many who claim Christ can support “the orange guy.”

They have been taught immorality all their lives sitting in pews on Sundays.

Biblical inerrancy can lead to political evil.

(Worship at 11:00.)

Someone asked me, “If you lived in a small town and the only church in town was conservative, would you go to church?”

Well—perhaps.

But I would not be quiet. So, I might cause a bit of a fuss. Because the Gospel is not “conservative.” And when someone tells me they are conservative, I am tempted to ask them, “Who are you leaving out?”

“Who do you think is beneath you, not worthy of your love?”

For white people when I was growing up, it was often people of color.

It still is for some.

But add to the list: immigrants, gay people, Muslims, Jews, anyone different.

“Conservatives” tend to be exclusive.

The Gospel is inclusive.

The Gospel proclaimed by Jesus declares God’s love for all people, equally.

No one is excluded.

The love Jesus teaches is unconditional, unmerited.

Jesus specifically tells us to love people who do not love us. He says only this kind of love gets a reward.

And God does not play favorites. Muslims are loved just as much as Christians.

Immigrants have the same value as the native-born.

Everyone is made in the image of God. Everyone belongs to God. And everyone will be treated with the same love by God.

This is controversial talk in many churches—“conservative” churches.

You may be in such a church—and that’s fine.

But don’t be quiet.

When you hear others demean gay people or immigrants or people of other faiths—speak up!

It may cause a little fuss.

But it’s worth it.

Evil triumphs when love is silent.

Pam Reynolds had a brain aneurism that could not be removed by usual methods.

So, the doctors did the unusual, a procedure called “Standstill.” They lowered her body temperature to 60 degrees and stopped her heart and breathing.

Her brainwaves flattened and the blood drained from her head.

She was clinically dead.

She left her body and hovered above it for a while. (She watched the surgery and later described it all to the doctors—to their amazement.)

Then a tunnel opened up and she was pulled into it.

“It reminded me of the tornado vortex from The Wizard of Oz,” she said.

She was headed for an incredible light. It got brighter and brighter.

But she also heard her grandmother calling her.

And she exited the tunnel to a family reunion with her deceased loved ones.

They all looked great.

“Uncle Gene was there,” she said, “and great- great Aunt Maggie, and my grandmother.”

Pam was delighted to see them, but she wanted to go on to the light.

They would not let her.

They told her if she went to the light, she could not go back to her body.

And her family was somehow nourishing her with light. It made her feel really strong.

When the surgery was over, her uncle escorted her back. When she saw her dead body, she resisted going into it.

Her uncle “pushed” her. “And it was like diving into ice water.”

“It hurt!” Pam said.

The surgery was a great success. The doctors had done their job. But so had heaven.

Life is a joint venture, heaven and earth working together. So–let God work with you in your life.