Cultural Hot Button Issues

The following material was borrowed, with permission, from its author who chooses to remain anonymous at this time. These are actual cases that have come up in a church or churches. I would like to put them out for your consideration and comment.

The question before us is, "How do we deal with cultural hot-button issues in our churches?" How can we navigate the controversies of our increasingly complex times? There are biblical principles--timeless truths--that provide guidelines so we can:

• show absolute love to post-moderns-who claim there are no absolutes.
• hold firmly to our convictions-yet do it with compassion.
• be caring and understanding-without compromising our values
• demonstrate forgiveness, grace and acceptance- while maintaining righteous standards.

Here is the first of a number of case studies I will be posting. Depending on the level and amount of dialogue, I will post one per week.

Case Number 1: Your church owns a parsonage, but since it is not needed for staff housing, the church board decides to rent it out. An ideal young couple fills out an application to rent-but lets it slip out that they are not married. As landloard, your church cannot discrimiate against them for their private behavior. But many church members assume you are condoning cohabitation if you permit them to live in a church-owned housing. What do you do?

Remember, these are actual cases churches have had to deal with.