A different kind of coming out

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A different kind of coming out

After Steve Chalke and Rob Bell affirmed same-sex relationships earlier this year, Justin Brierley meets three evangelical church leaders who have decided to respond by going public about their sexuality.

In a basement under a church in London I’m meeting with three men who are in a support group. An unusual support group. ‘We were tempted to say that we meet in a nuclear bunker in an undisclosed location,’ says one of them with a wry smile.

They have been talking in private for a while, but believe now is the time for their voices and unique experience to be heard more widely. All three are evangelical church leaders who experience same-sex attraction, but all three describe themselves as either celibate or ‘post-gay’.

Earlier this year, Steve Chalke revealed a new (and much publicised) gay-affirming stance in February’s Christianity. Since then another well-known Christian figure, Rob Bell, has spoken out in favour of gay relationships. A recent poll by the Public Religious Research Institute in the USA showed that nearly half of young evangelicals there are in favour of gay marriage. If the headlines are to be believed, the Church is increasingly following society’s lead in affirming gay relationships.

None of the three men I’m speaking to claim to have the influence of Chalke or Bell, but they are hoping to redress the perceived liberalisation within the Church on this issue by speaking from their own countercultural experience. For two of them, same-sex attraction has been met with a commitment to remain celibate, while one of them experienced a change in his feelings that led to marriage with a woman. All three see the Bible’s prohibitions on same-sex relationships as nonnegotiable.

Homosexual feelings

The core of this group are Sam Allberry, a church leader in Maidenhead, Sean Doherty, a tutor at St Mellitus College, and Ed Shaw, who helps to lead Emmanuel Church in Bristol. They meet regularly on an informal basis to support and encourage each other, and as we chat, it’s evident that they deeply value this time. Allberry and Shaw share a dry sense of humour, while Doherty is more gregarious. In-jokes about Anglicanism abound as all three are involved with CofE churches. Their most pressing task is the forthcoming launch of a website called Living Out, aimed at helping others think through the realities of being same-sex attracted while remaining committed to a traditional view of Christian sexuality.

‘I keep hearing comments about how evangelicals are very anti-gay, and at the same time I keep meeting evangelical friends of mine who are beginning to drift on this issue,’ says Allberry. ‘But we can talk from a personal perspective about what it’s like dealing with this issue. From my own experience, I want to say that God is good and his word is good. It’s not always easy, but it’s a good word.’

Allberry describes to me how as a teenager his homosexual feelings conflicted with his new-found Christian faith. ‘I just felt that I was very dirty and that therefore other Christians might want to keep a distance.’ It was on hearing a liberating sermon that things began to change. ‘The pastor made a really big effort to say, “All of us are sexual sinners. There will be some who experience unwanted homosexual feelings. If that’s you, then you are not alone.” That was a key turning point for me.’

Last year Vaughan Roberts, a leading conservative evangelical, spoke for the first time of his own struggle with same-sex attraction in an interview with Evangelicals Now, which was widely applauded. Allberry knows him well and was inspired to be open with his own congregation too. He has just written Is God anti-gay? (The Good Book Company), arguing that what the Bible says about sex is ‘crystal clear’ but believing in it doesn’t make God a homophobe.

Shaw grew up in a Christian family and church where an evangelical view of sexuality was taught. He’s grateful that it meant he never pursued a gay relationship. ‘That’s never been in my mind as an option. Although I have found the experience really difficult, it’s never been difficult to reconcile with my faith. One of the best things my parents gave me was an understanding that the Christian life is often difficult and that God takes and uses suffering to make us more like him.

Doherty has perhaps the most unusual story of the three. He came to terms with his sexual orientation relatively quickly while at university, attending a church where he could talk about it freely. ‘Church was a place of nurture and unconditional acceptance, but at the same time the teaching was clear that I shouldn’t act on those sexual desires. In an environment where young people were being encouraged to experiment, I was really grateful that I had been kept from acting on my feelings.’

From gay to post-gay

What’s most surprising is that despite continuing to feel same-sex attracted, Doherty is now married with three children. ‘I came to realise that labelling myself as a gay person, albeit a celibate one, wasn’t actually helpful because it restricted me into this identity. The turning point was choosing to believe that my sexual identity was “male” – and that’s what determines whether I could be married or not.’ In time, he found his feelings changed to the degree that he fell in love with Gaby, a female friend who had supported him throughout his journey.

I admit to still being a little confused about Doherty. ‘Are you no longer gay?’ I ask. His response involves some carefully chosen terminology developed by Peter Ould, an Anglican blogging on sexuality who shares a similar story. ‘I don’t speak of myself as an “ex-gay” person. I prefer the term “post-gay”,’ he says. ‘You choose to move away from the label of “gay” altogether, which has come to be associated with a certain lifestyle. I’ve clearly experienced some change in my feelings so that I am attracted to my wife. But it’s definitely not a 180-degree reorientation. All of us will continue to have desires and feelings which aren’t right, until Jesus returns.’

And how does his wife feel about the fact he still experiences homosexual attraction? ‘In a sense it doesn’t bother her at all. Partly, she’s a tough cookie who’s able to make her peace with that. But all married people experience attraction to people they are not married to. There’s nothing inherently worse about those attractions being predominantly towards one sex or another.’

Allberry and Shaw share Doherty’s perspective, but accept that they will remain single for life if their orientation does not change. Meanwhile, the support group allows them to talk through the challenges of celibacy. Shaw admits to an internal struggle over the years. ‘It’s the same as for most heterosexual men – struggling with sexual fantasy. That is where the battleground lies for me.’ For Allberry, the issues are relational. ‘It can lead to strong emotional over-dependency,’ he says. ‘A really good male friend becomes the “messiah-friend”. I’ve had to learn the hard way about where to put boundaries when friendships have become a bit too intense.’

These admissions are offered in a disarmingly matter-of-fact way. However, the average outsider would probably regard all three men as repressed individuals, using theology to sublimate their natural sexual identity. But what feels natural isn’t always what’s best, according to Allberry. ‘We are fallen human beings. I don’t want to assume that my feelings are a wholly reliable guide to the best way for me to live. If I ate everything I feel like eating, I’d be even more out of shape than I am now.’ For Shaw, sexuality isn’t just expressed in sexual intercourse. ‘We indicate our love by who we don’t have sex with as well as who we do. I am a man with a sexuality that’s male which is celebrated, not repressed, through celibacy.’

Same-sex attraction and leadership

Being a church leader who is samesex attracted brings its own share of potential complications too. Shaw and Allberry only recently revealed their sexuality to their wider church family, but it’s been a positive experience. ‘I’ve almost been embarrassed by the warmth and kindness I’ve been shown by my church family,’ says Shaw. ‘People falling over themselves to express their desire to support and pray for me.’ Allberry agrees. ‘I think it’s really helpful that our churches have both known us well before we’ve disclosed this to them. We are still Ed and Sam to them.’

Another awkward question comes to mind. Male pastors often lay down rules about not meeting with women in one-to-one situations. What are the rules in their case? ‘Never see anyone…ever. And don’t do any work,’ is Allberry’s deadpan reply (while the others erupt in laughter).

Shaw says that being open about his struggle has actually led to better pastoral ministry. ‘People have this sense that I’ll be a good person to talk to: “Life’s not easy for Ed, so he’ll understand my problem.” As for boundaries, it’s about honesty and accountability. I have people who ask me whether there’s anyone in the church that I’m sexually attracted to. I won’t be asked every week, but I’ll be asked regularly.’

‘Which would be a good question to ask any church leader, regardless of sexuality,’ chips in Doherty.

There are other advantages to being ‘out’. Doomed church matchmaking attempts, for instance. ‘There’s sometimes a pressure for single Christians to get married. Being open about your feelings may help take that pressure off,’ advises Doherty. It’s a subject that provides some comic relief for the group as they recall awkward social occasions.

‘At weddings, it’s a great relief not to be sat next to someone the bride and groom have clearly marked out for me,’ says Shaw. ‘There were some lovely people in my church always trying to get me together with other lovely people, and it just saves a whole lot of embarrassment.’ Allberry agrees. ‘It’s easy to be single in your twenties at church, but in your thirties you become a bit more conspicuous and people ask, “Why hasn’t he sorted himself out?”’

Marriage is not the Holy Grail

Mirth gives way to a serious point. Churches often focus on the gift of marriage to the detriment of singleness. Shaw explains why it’s unhelpful for those who are committed to celibacy. ‘One of society’s mistakes is the belief that intimacy equals sex, and therefore the Bible is asking us to pass up intimate relationships and lead sad, lonely lives instead. It’s not true. The Bible sees friendship as an amazingly intimate relationship. I have a greater capacity for deep relationships with many people than my married friends do.’

Even so, do they ever feel they have missed out by not having a partner? Allberry says he has never envied friends in same-sex relationships, but when it comes to marriage ‘there’s part of me that would love to be a husband and a dad. I’m very close to several families, and you see family life at its best. But at other times you also realise it’s not all a walk in the park.’

Doherty presses home the point. ‘Married people can help by being more honest about the demands of marriage. Loneliness can be just as big a problem for married people as it is for single. There’s sexual temptation and dry spells too. It’s not as if there’s a really difficult lifestyle for some people and an easy lifestyle for others.’

Responding to Steve Chalke

Doherty first got in touch after reading the Christianity article by Steve Chalke in defence of gay relationships. ‘What’s wonderful is Steve’s willingness to welcome people. Being in a same-sex relationship in no way prevents you from being a committed Christian and having God at work in your life. But I couldn’t ever bless a relationship with an ongoing sexual aspect to it. God has given us sex to join together people who are different – a man and woman – to give us a picture of a relationship between Christ and the Church.’

While disagreeing with his conclusions, Allberry also understands Steve Chalke’s concern that churches need to be more inclusive of gay people. ‘We want to be welcoming and rightly inclusive because Jesus and the gospel are for everyone. But part of the gospel is that God loves us enough to challenge us, change us, frustrate us and contradict us.’

The cost can be high. Allberry tells the story of a man who approached him after a carol service at his church. He was in a gay relationship but wanted to find out more about following Jesus. ‘He asked me, “What could possibly be worth giving up this relationship for?” And I thought, “Golly, that’s an absolute blinder of a question.” But there must be an answer because Jesus must be worth it.’

The man did not become a Christian, though Allberry still regularly meets up with him to chat. I have to ask: isn’t it better to encourage him towards faith in Christ and then work out the ramifications afterwards?

‘I wasn’t saying you have to give up the gay relationship in order to become a Christian. But I didn’t want to bury anything in the small print,’ says Allberry. ‘I wanted to be real with him that this is what the teaching of Christ is on sexual ethics. I can’t say that this is a secondary issue, because the Bible speaks with one very clear voice. Part of the call of Jesus is for each of us to lay down our version of self and take up the cross and follow him.’

For Doherty, lowering the asking price of the kingdom isn’t an option either. ‘Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes on the cost of discipleship and the idea of “cheap grace” – that it doesn’t matter what you do, because you’ll still get to heaven. That’s not actually Christianity. Jesus says “repent and believe”.’

This seems to be the year when the ground has been cleared among evangelicals for an open and honest discussion about how homosexuality fits with the gospel. For those tired of the politics of gay marriage and confused on where the Church stands, hearing these personal stories of people choosing a different path may be the next step they need.

Sean Doherty

Soon after becoming a Christian at 16, Doherty realised he was attracted to men rather than women. He says that his church accepted him for who he was, but was also clear about sexual boundaries. ‘No one told me I needed to change my sexuality, but at the same time the teaching was clear that I shouldn’t act on those sexual desires’.

Over time, Doherty experienced a change in his feelings, falling in love with and marrying Gaby, with whom he has three children. He still experiences same-sex desires but describes himself as ‘post-gay’, choosing to define his sexuality in terms of his ‘male’ gender rather than gay or straight.

Sean Doherty is associate minister at St Francis, Dalgarno Way in London and teaches theology at St Mellitus College

Sam Allberry

Allberry became a Christian after hearing an evangelistic message aged 18. At the same time he began to realise he was attracted to men, but chose not to tell anyone. ‘I was desperate not to acknowledge those desires. I didn’t want to be different from the other guys I knew.’

A turning point came after hearing a sermon on homosexuality as one among a number of sexual temptations. ‘I suddenly felt able to share with that pastor.’ Realising that his orientation was not going to change, he began to confide in friends. He draws on his experience of living a celibate life in his new book Is God anti-gay? (The Good Book Company)

Sam Allberry is associate minister at St Mary’s Church, Maidenhead

Ed Shaw

The son of an Anglican vicar, Shaw grew up in a Christian family with ‘a really clear understanding about what the Bible says about sex and sexuality’. From puberty onwards he began to experience same-sex attraction, but hoped that it was a phase he would grow out of. ‘It hasn’t been a phase, it’s still there,’ he says. ‘Only by my late twenties was I in a position to talk about it with close friends.’

Choosing to be celibate, Shaw has found his pastoral ministry at his church was in fact enriched by being open about his experience of same-sex attraction.

Ed Shaw is part of the leadership of Emmanuel Church, Bristol

http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/Browse%20By%20Category/features/A%20different%20kind%20of%20coming%20out.aspx

Elders & Deacons working together

1 Timothy 3

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Qualifications for Overseers or Elders.

3 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

Titus 1:5ff

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Qualifications for Deacons

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own household.

Acts 6; 1-7 ESV 

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. ² And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. ³ Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. ⁶ These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. ⁷ And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priestsbecame obedient to the faith.

BBC's The Call Centre gives distorted view of critical sector say industry heads

25 Jun 2013 07:32

'Watching this show to get a grounded and rounded view of one of Britain’s most important industries is like asking someone to watch ‘I’m a Celebrity’ for outback survival tips' - Sandra Busby

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Neville Wilshire at his Swansea call centre

Contact centres are ‘highly professional operations’ employing 30,000 and contributing £400m to the Welsh economy, the head of the sector’s industry body said yesterday.

Sandra Busby, managing director of the Welsh Contact Centre Forum, said the “antics” of BBC Three’s The Call Centre are not representative of the sector.

“If you’ve seen the television show the whole nation seems to be talking about at the moment, chances are your opinions of contact centres will be coloured by the antics of larger than life Nev Wilshire and his staff,” Ms Busby said.

“But watching this show to get a grounded and rounded view of one of Britain’s most important industries is like asking someone to watch ‘I’m a Celebrity’ for outback survival tips.”

 

She added: “It’s worth remembering that the show has been put together primarily to entertain, not to inform. There’s clearly less comedy value in showing a rigorous recruitment process than there is in corralling new starters into a karaoke sing-along.

“Away from the glare of the cameras, there is a lot of less glamorous hard work going on which has led to much-needed job creation in the Swansea area.”

Ms Busby said there are nearly 200 contact centres in Wales employing 30,000 employees “earning a decent wage with real chances of career progression.”

She added: “At the last count, the contribution to the Welsh economy was £400m per annum. At a UK-wide level, contact centres are hugely important to the economy with over 1 million people working in them.”

She said that only a small proportion of contact centres in Wales are involved in making outbound calls, as seen in the TV show, and the sector in Wales is made up of a “huge variety” of employers.

“Often Welsh contact centres are working in the highly professional and regulated areas of financial and professional services. Some of the biggest companies based in Wales like Admiral, Virgin, Barclays and HSBC are anchored here thanks to their contact centre operations,” she said.

Principality Building Society’s contact centre, which employs 55, is celebrating 10 years at the heart of the Cardiff high street.

The contact centre receives 5,000 phone calls and more than 300 emails a week from customers, and all staff must go through a rigorous four-month training process before they are able to work in the contact centre.

Julie-Ann Haines, customer director at Principality, said: “We are a very customer-focused organisation, a fact confirmed by both staff and the members we serve, and our contact centre is a great example of how well we are doing this.

“Over the last 10 years it has gone from strength to strength and is a complete contrast to the parody of the BBC show.

“Our contact centre, along with our branch staff, represent the face of Principality, they are the people that regularly speak to customers on a one-to-one basis and are trained to the highest standards to ensure that they give the best possible service.”

In the last four years the British Gas contact centre in Cardiff has won more than 24 industry awards, including World Contact Centre Awards. The centre  prides itself in having very high staff retention, in contrast to popular perceptions of the sector.

Lynda Campbell, regional director for British Gas in Wales said: “Four years ago, we decided to take a new approach to recruitment and training for our 1,300 strong team in Cardiff.

“More staff were leaving us than we wanted and this meant recruitment was very time consuming. Now we hire the smile and train the skill, we want to find people who want to help our customers day in, day out.

“So far this year we have received 1,400 job applications and we have taken on 20 people so far. Now when people leave us, the majority do so because of a change in lifestyle and our attrition rate is very low, which leads the contact centre industry.”

One contact centre company that requires a high level of staff training and sensitivity is Connect Assist in Nantgarw, which operates call centres on behalf of charities – including from this month the Royal British Legion.

The £3m turnover business recruited former members of the services to man the new operation, which provides practical care, advice and support to serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans of all ages and their families.

Ms Busby pointed out that only a few years ago commentators were sounding the “death knell” for contact centres in Wales.

“The trend by organisations to offshore their operations was hugely damaging, but the Welsh Contact Centre Forum worked to ensure this pain wasn’t felt in the long term.

“We worked tirelessly to encourage contact centres back to Wales from places like India, confident that our experienced and flexible people and advanced infrastructure would win out over apparent cost-savings in the medium term.”

She added: “For contact centres to continue to operate successfully in Wales, they need access to great people. This is proving to be the case and the Forum’s role is to ensure best practice is achieved across the industry in terms of customer service, career progression, technology and innovation and HR practices.”

Beware the flattering single man Written by Joshua Rogers

2013

Beware the flattering single man

Written by Joshua Rogers

It was my first (and only) date with Holly Bond. A smart, attractive, successful woman from my church. The date wasn’t meant to have a romantic overture, and I think we both knew that. Holly and I had been friends for a while, and we got along well, so it only seemed natural to go out to dinner at least once.

After dinner, we were talking and I asked her if she was afraid her career might get in the way of marriage and kids. She said she definitely wanted a family, but she was be content to wait for God to provide what was best for her life.

“It would be a shame if you didn’t get married, Holly.” I said, and then I proceeded to explain why; showering her with compliments about her integrity, intelligence, success, and beauty.

It was something I had done with single women before, but when I finished my complimentary diatribe, Holly didn’t blush, and she didn’t thank me like other women typically did.

“Why did you say all of that?” asked Holly, almost sounding annoyed.

“Um – I said it because it’s true.” I said.

“So are you interested in me?” she asked.

I was taken aback.

“Well, um – I mean – I don’t think you have to be interested in a woman to compliment her.” I said, and then I continued complimenting her.

“Don’t do that Joshua.”, she said gently but firmly. “If the only reason we’re spending time together is to hang out, then you don’t have any business going there with me.”

I was stunned. No woman had ever corrected me for showering her with compliments, and I could hardly believe Holly was giving me the smack-down for doing so. I quickly offered my best, halfhearted apology, changed the topic, and tried to move on, but Holly had rattled me.

I knew there was probably a valuable lesson to be learned, but I wasn’t about to let an ingrate like Holly teach it to me. Instead, in the weeks following the date, I went around to my friends and retold the story in a light most favorable to me. They patted me on the back, assuring me that she was the one with the problem, and I moved on, missing an opportunity to grow up.

It was probably two years into marriage before I appreciated Holly’s correction on our date.

My wife had a number of single female friends who would share the frustration of spending time with guys who buttered them up with compliments, appeared to be interested, and then suddenly flew off the radar. It left these women feeling insecure and wondering what they had done wrong.

As I listened to these stories, I reflected on my date with Holly and began to understand why she pushed back so firmly when I went on and on with my complimenting.

She wasn’t an ingrate – not at all. She was smart. Smart enough to understand that I hadn’t shown sufficient interest to be caressing her with my words. Smart enough to realize that much-needed compliments from a halfway-interested guy can lead to useless attachments. And smart enough to believe that one day, God would send her a genuinely-interested man who would sweep her off her feet with words that were utterly sincere (that did, in fact eventually happen to Holly).

With all that in mind, let me say this to the single ladies out there who read this post: words come terribly cheap, and they can end up costing you a lot of pointless emotional energy. Don’t surrender your heart to a man who has done nothing more than tickle your ears.

And to the single men, I’d ask you to consider whether you’re actually interested before you drown a woman in compliments. I understand that a woman is ultimately responsible for guarding her heart, but you could help out a lot by guarding your mouth.

Author’s note: Holly and I are still friends today, and in retrospect, she says she was a little too hard on me during that date. I obviously disagree with her.

Read more articles on: Dating & Relationships, Singleness

About Joshua Rogers

Joshua Rogers is an attorney and freelance writer who lives in the United States. He blogs weekly atSpiritualKlutz.com, and he does freelance writing for Boundless.org. You can follow Joshua on Facebook orTwitter.

What is the church - do we even know anymore?

Matthew 9 Russian

От Матфея 9

Russian New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV-RU)

Иисус исцеляет калеку

9 Иисус сел в лодку, пересёк озеро и прибыл в Свой родной город. ² И принесли к Нему парализованного, лежавшего на постели. Когда Иисус увидел доказательство их веры, то сказал парализованному: «Не отчаивайся, сын мой! Твои грехи прощены».

³ И тогда некоторые из законоучителей стали говорить друг другу: «Своими словами этот Человек наносит оскорбление Богу!»

⁴ Иисус знал, о чём они думают, и поэтому сказал им: «Почему в ваших сердцах лукавые мысли? ⁵ Что легче сказать: „Твои грехи прощены” или же: „Встань и иди?” ⁶ Но я покажу вам, что Сын Человеческий имеет власть на земле прощать грехи». И тогда Иисус сказал парализованному: «Вставай, возьми свою постель и иди домой». ⁷ Тот встал и пошёл домой. ⁸ Когда люди увидели это, они преисполнились страха и стали прославлять Бога за то, что Он дал людям такую силу.

Иисус избирает Матфея

⁹ Когда Иисус уходил оттуда, Он увидел человека по имени Матфей, сидевшего в будке сборщика налогов. И сказал ему: «Следуй за Мной». Матфей встал и пошёл за Ним.

¹⁰ И случилось, что когда Он ел в доме у Матфея, то многие сборщики налогов и грешники пришли и стали есть вместе с Иисусом и Его учениками. ¹¹ Когда фарисеи увидели это, то стали спрашивать у Его учеников: «Почему ваш Учитель ест вместе со сборщиками налогов и грешниками?»

¹² Услышав это, Иисус сказал: «Не здоровым нужен врач, а больным. ¹³ Пойдите и узнайте, что значат слова Писания: „Милости хочу, а не жертвы”. Я пришёл призвать не праведников, а грешников».

Иисус — Вестник нового учения

¹⁴ И тогда ученики Иоанна подошли к Иисусу и спросили: «Почему мы с фарисеями часто постимся, а Твои ученики не постятся вовсе?» ¹⁵ И сказал им Иисус: «Разве станут друзья жениха на свадьбе печалиться, пока он ещё среди них? Но придут дни, когда жениха уведут от них, вот тогда они и будут печалиться и поститься. ¹⁶ Никто не нашивает заплату из новой ткани на старую одежду, так как заплата сядет и стянет одежду, и дыра станет ещё больше. ¹⁷ И не наливают молодое вино в старые меха: иначе старые меха лопнут, вино выльется, и меха тоже будут погублены. Наоборот, молодое вино наливают в новые меха, и тогда целы будут и вино, и меха».

Воскрешение девочки и исцеление больной

¹⁸ Пока Иисус всё это им говорил, к Нему подошёл глава синагоги и, опустившись перед Ним на колени, сказал: «Моя дочь только что умерла, но приди, возложи на неё руку Свою, и она воскреснет».

¹⁹ Иисус встал и пошёл за ним вместе с учениками Своими. ²⁰ Там находилась женщина, двенадцать лет страдавшая кровотечениями. Она подошла к Нему сзади и коснулась подола Его одежды. ²¹ Она сделала это, потому что всё время говорила себе: «Если бы мне хоть одежды Его коснуться, я бы исцелилась».

²² Иисус обернулся и, увидев её, сказал: «Не отчаивайся, дочь моя! Твоя вера излечила тебя!» И женщина исцелилась в тот же миг.

²³ Когда Иисус пришёл в дом к главе синагоги, то увидел там флейтистов и народ в смятении, ²⁴ и сказал Он: «Уходите! Девочка не умерла, она просто спит!» Но они стали над Ним смеяться. ²⁵ Когда всех прогнали из дома, Иисус вошёл в комнату девочки, взял её за руку, и она тотчас же встала. ²⁶ Слух об этом разнёсся по всей округе.

Иисус исцеляет ещё больше людей

²⁷ Когда Иисус уходил оттуда, за Ним следовали два слепца. Они то и дело восклицали: «Смилуйся над нами, Сын Давидов!»

²⁸ Когда Иисус вошёл в дом, слепцы приблизились к Нему, и Он сказал им: «Верите в то, что могу сделать вас снова зрячими?» Они ответили: «Да, Господи!»

²⁹ Тогда Он коснулся их глаз и сказал: «Пусть же случится с вами то, во что верите». ³⁰ И зрение вернулось к ним. Иисус же наказал им со всей строгостью: «Пусть никто об этом не узнает». ³¹ Но они ушли и разнесли слух об Иисусе по всей округе.

³² Когда они уходили, к Иисусу привели человека, лишённого дара речи, потому что он был одержим бесом. ³³ Как только Иисус изгнал нечистого духа, к одержимому вернулся дар речи. Народ дивился и говорил: «Никогда ничего подобного не видано было в Израиле».

³⁴ А фарисеи говорили: «Он изгоняет бесов властью князя бесовского».

Иисус жалеет народ

³⁵ Иисус же ходил по городам и селениям. Он учил в их синагогах, провозглашая Благую Весть о Царстве Божьем, и исцелял всякие болезни и недуги. ³⁶ Видя толпы народа, Он проникался к ним жалостью, так как люди были измучены и беспомощны, подобно овцам без пастуха. ³⁷ И сказал Он Своим ученикам: «Жатва предстоит великая, но мало работников. ³⁸ Так молите же Бога, Господина жатвы, чтобы послал Он больше работников на помощь».