It is my firm belief (based on my personal experience with my 23-year journey of overcoming homosexuality) that many want to confess so they can have the support of relationship and walk through a process of healing. They seek vitally necessary connection with the Church, acceptance as brothers and sisters in Christ, and affirmation of their value regardless of the outcome of their fight.
Many who struggle with same-sex attraction are Christians, and already understand it is relationship with God that validates salvation—not the success or failure of any of our attempts to mature into His likeness. It’s just taking a while for the Church to catch up to this understanding when it comes to homosexuality.
Because we’ve taken the comfortable position of neglect for so long, we do not have deep, well-constructed responses to this issue when it becomes a reality in our lives. Therefore, for the many whose same-sex attraction is unwanted, there is an extreme shortage of environments where they feel comfortable discussing their struggle.
With every passing battle in the culture war, God is calling the Church out of our indifference.
He is calling us out of our simplified stances against homosexuality, which currently primarily express themselves through political viewpoints, satirical sidebars about “Adam and Steve” in sermons or “speaking the truth in love” with no real intent to invest in a person after the truth is spoken. These things are not helpful, and what we’ve been doing so far is only costing us relationship with the people Jesus asked us to love. We are not increasing the Kingdom.
There is good news in this.
Every realization of inadequacy is an opportunity for growth.
I love the Church. I loved the Church before I understood what kind of journey I would be on through most of my relationship with her, and I love the Church today as I walk in freedom from homosexuality. The Church has both failed me and restored me, cursed me and blessed me. I remain committed, and it’s my deepest desire to see her live out her better days regarding this matter.
Rather than beat ourselves up over our past failures, my perspective is the Church is positioned better today than she ever has been to surprise the culture with the love of the Father as we dig deeper and find honor for all people.
With these things said, I want to offer Six Practical Ways the Church can Respond Better to Homosexuality.
1. The overarching message of the Church toward culture must be a desire to love, intentionally reach and shelter people who struggle with homosexuality.
That message should be primary and overshadow any message of concern about the trajectory of culture, especially if your church speaks up on political/legislative issues related to homosexuality.
It’s not wrong to speak up on these issues, but it can no longer be the Church’s primary response and message. The culture knows where we stand.
Our standards are not in question—but our love is.
