D.a. Thompson continues to reach out to conservative religious leaders to engage in a relevant dialog about accepting gay partnership under the same considerations that the church embraces other unchangeable human conditions.

Thompson’s most recent attempt to converse surrounds Joel Osteen’s statement of “Homosexuality is a sin” on the Piers Morgan Tonight show.

I encourage readers to follow the thread of requests in order to witness our efforts to engage with Pastor Osteen and his media team. Thus far, to no avail.

Below are the three open letters within which Thompson calls Pastor Joel Osteen to respond.

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THIRD OPEN LETTER

Dear Pastor Osteen:

This is my third open letter. The first and second having gone without significant reply.

Thursday morning we received a brief email from Cassie Malone, Media Relations on your behalf.

To re-iterate, here is Ms. Malone’s response to my publicist, Jenée Arthur, (who has been graciously working tirelessly):

Dear Jenee,

Cassie
Lakewood Church
Media Relations

D.a. Thompson’s response back:

Dear Cassie,

Thank you for acknowledging, on behalf of Pastor Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church, after two weeks, that our attempts for communication are being received by your team. It is disheartening that Pastor Osteen has chosen to provide no reply, thought, or reflections, in any form, to the tremendous amount of work (by many concerned persons) that has been put into offering opportunity to converse, in any form.

I continue to offer my prayers and sincere requests for conversation, as a fellow person of conservative faith. We look forward to continuing our attempts for open conversation in hopes of Pastor Osteen’s timely reply.

Again, as you represent a significant voice for our faith, it is my hope to assist you in clarifying your recent swing in position. Unfortunately your lack of response thus far continues to position you as a substantial representative of Christ who makes blanket, national statements singling out gay persons in our churches and your congregation as uniquely sinful. I’m sure you would agree, these statements ostracize gay persons as somehow unique in their particular human context, while not holding the same standard for all other persons in your congregation whose context is equally complicated. Additionally, I hope you would agree that Christ’s Church-doors have no gay-detectors, and that the message of grace is available, without condition or cost to all persons.

We continue to offer opportunities for open conversation by way of an Over Coffee Conversation event with Pastor Joel Osteen.

Your Brother in Faith,

D.a. Thompson

You may be aware that this last week, Shirley Phelps-Roper, an adamant nationally recognized anti-gay protester from Westboro Baptist Church, daughter of the founder Fred Phelps, has agreed to an open dialogue concerning an Over Coffee Conversation. I am excited for our conversation and am so grateful for her openness and willingness to converse. As such I must confess it disappointing that a minister such as yourself is not willing to converse at all, and hope that you will open up a dialogue to clarify your unique isolation of gay persons in our churches and your congregation.

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SECOND OPEN LETTER

Dear Pastor Osteen:

Thank you for the opportunity to communicate with you once again concerning your recent statement and swing in position on the Piers Morgan Show Tonight: “Homosexuality is a sin.”

It has been a week since my initial open letter was provided to your team. Regrettably, we have received no communication from you or your team, in any form.

Whereas a lack of conversation may seem initially favorable in this context, holding to a message that alienates people based upon their unchangeable sexual orientation (again, even after reparative therapy) will for many, serve only as a proclamation of targeted discrimination. As such, your message and conversation thus far continue to further position you away from the message of welcoming-love and unconditional grace to which our faith and your message have held so strongly.

Again, I urge you to contact me so that we might discuss a fresh perspective of definitions, message, and our conservative faith where this volatile issue and these often-alienated persons are concerned.

Time is of the essence. This window of opportunity is a chance provided you sovereignly. It is a chance to distinguish yourself as a conservative faith leader who is open to conversation, within a conservative and biblical context, concerning persons of faith in your congregation whose sexual orientation is unchangeable. Rather than viewing this as an attack from the liberal media, I encourage you to view this as an opportunity to provide uniqueness to your message and ministry.

I look forward to your response to my Over Coffee Conversations invitation. Please know that I am available for your call should you desire to become more familiar with my message, position, and intent.

Your Brother in Faith,

D.a. Thompson

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FIRST OPEN LETTER

Dear Pastor Osteen:

Recently a friend passed me a hyperlink to your media spot on the Piers Morgan Tonight show, where you made a very clear statement that “homosexuality is a sin.” The link was passed to me from a conservative Christian friend who noted, “I had a lot of respect for him, until I saw that.” I hope you will permit me to express my concern for this swing in your position, and moreover, invite you to discuss this crucial issue in person.

Whereas it is not unusual for people to hear conservatives specifically delineating homosexuality as sin, what was unusual in this instance was the person making the statement. As you represent a significant voice for conservative faith, your position is important. Up till this point your position has appeared fairly moderate and your non-alignment has allowed for a number of conservative individuals to feel a relative safety and welcome-ness in your message and congregation where gay persons are concerned.

Regrettably, your statement on the Piers Morgan Tonight show effectively moved your position, in many eyes, from one of welcoming and love, to one of dismissal and inconsideration for Christian believers whose sexuality is unchangeable (in many cases even after reparative therapy) and who are not able, or gifted to live a celibate life.

Additionally, many will see your statement as a gross example of double standard. For example, many will now point to your welcoming of divorced and remarried people in your congregation as being discriminatory of God’s grace, when you specifically no not allow gay individuals to also be enabled to live in less-than-perfect human contexts and still be members.

I would urge you to clarify your position and provide your listeners and congregation members with the opportunity to discuss this very important issue in a safe and welcoming event. I would like to invite you to participate with me in an “Over Coffee Conversation.” This is a stage-based event we have created to provide an atmosphere of safety and conversation on this issue, where we all agree to the following Rules of Engagement:

1. We will agree to make no conclusions
2. We will remain within a conservative faith context: accepting the Scriptures to be inspired and inerrant
3. We will agree not to discuss any current political, economic, or legal issues

Thank you for your consideration on this matter. I am grateful for your unending commitment to, as the author Jude compelled us, “to contend for the faith…”

Your Brother in Faith,

D.a. Thompson

D.a. Thompson’s book OVER COFFEE: A CONVERSATION FOR GAY PARTNERSHIP & CONSERVATIVE FAITH is being discussed in select cities around the country. View the trailer here. Feel free to weigh in on this oft divisive topic, as Thompson recognizes gay partnership as another human circumstance for which the church can make room within their faith communities.

OVER COFFEE CONVERSATIONS – National Book Tour Trailer

Over Coffee Conversations Promo from D.a. Thompson on Vimeo.