So it’s been a while since I”ve posted a blog…that’s mainly because I’m getting MARRIED a week from today!!!, ahha, and I’m SUPER PUMPED!!! Anyhoo, I did a paper on this topic and I’ve been putting this post off for a while because it’s extremely sensitive and I wanted to make sure that it came across respectfully. So, as the terribly awful actor that is not afraid to do horrible movies that involve reptiles on transportation (Samuel L. Jackson) put it: “Hold on to your butts”.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus tells His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” The word nations means “people groups.” Today, the homosexual population is among the last of the unreached people groups. And this people group even often includes some who are sitting quietly in the pew on Sunday morning, not involved in a homosexual relationship. They hurt alone as they experience the internal chaos of conflicting desires. Churches that realize this need to address homosexuality are often confused about how to handle a problem that is so emotionally and politically charged. Homosexuality is tearing apart many denominations across the country. A growing number of conservative denominations have pro-gay groups that attempt to promote a theology that affirms their homosexual activities. Even some conservative Christians are faltering in their convictions as they discover homosexuality among family members and church friends. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the understanding of what homosexuality is and what the Bible says about it, the pro-gay theology of the issue, homosexuality within the church, and how one could minister to people affected by homosexuality.
In helping people address the issue of homosexuality, people must find that many are in confusion about what homosexuality actually is. No definite agreement exists among the scientific community, religious groups, or homosexual people themselves as to the definition of homosexuality. A basic definition of homosexuality is a man or woman who “is motivated by a definite preferential erotic attraction to members of the same sex and who usually (but not necessarily) engages in overt sexual relations with them.” The essential element of homosexuality is the fact that it derives from a behavior pattern molded after someone’s character that they developed throughout decisions in life. Many believe that homosexuality starts between the ages of one and three years of age, these years being the building blocks of gender identity where the child relates and bonds with his/her same-sex parent. Homosexuality portrays a lifestyle of a person that desires to feel wanted of someone of the same sex. In Howard Bess’s book, Pastor, I Am Gay, he states:
Homosexuals are attracted to partners of the same sex because of some flaw in early childhood rearing or psychological trauma; homosexuals never choose their sexual orientations but are responsible for choosing specific homosexual actions; homosexuality is treatable, but the time and costs are prohibitive for most; and homosexuals should be received into the full life of the church just as all the rest of us sinners have been received.
Unfortunately, many people do see homosexuality as a treatable disease that corrupts mankind. The moment that religious interpretations received a challenge, homosexuality became a picture of sickness. Bess states, “Homosexuals were to be treated and transformed into heterosexuals through therapy.” Everyone viewed homosexuality as an illness that needed great attention. The truth is homosexuality accounts for a great number of diseases and illnesses in the world. In his book, Evangelical Ethics, John Davis says that “the Center for Disease Control has reported that approximately 50 percent of new cases of syphilis occur in the homosexual population.” The biggest illness associated with homosexuality is the problem of AIDS; “homosexuality accounts for over 90 percent of the AIDS problem.” The result of these various diseases and psychological mannerisms that come from homosexuality is a tendency to place homosexuals into a category and lose sight of their individuality.
Society, and most churches, labels homosexuals as outsiders and will even go to the point of violence to segregate them so that they will change their ways. People commit various hate crimes against homosexuals each day. In one incident, the police raided a gay bar in New York City called the Stonewall Inn to enforce laws against homosexual acts. Even though these raids were common occurrences, this particular raid in 1969 led gay onlookers to throw objects at the police as they arrested people. The raid eventually erupted into a full-scale riot between the police and the gay community, with attacks continuing for two days. The incident, which became known as the Stonewall Rebellion, brought a sense of empowerment to homosexuals and marked a turning point in the gay life in the United States. Various other attacks occurred as well, such as a man who tested positive for AIDS being taunted with words like “fag” and “AIDS carrier” facing the agony of being stoned as the police instructed the teenagers, “If the fag comes out, beat the crap out of him.” All of these negative connotations against homosexuals stems from the fact that “they are not normal,” and so people strike up an issue to debate on instead of encountering real people to help.
During the past few decades, religious tendencies made today’s debate over homosexuality almost predictable. Discussions about homosexuality usually center on a few isolated passages. God’s intention for human sexual relationships cannot go beyond heterosexual union between a man and a woman in marriage (Gen. 1:27-28; 2:18, 23-24). God’s plan is for people to be one flesh in marriage, male and female. Davis says, “Homosexual relationships cannot fulfill the procreative dimensions of human sexuality and marriage (be fruitful and multiply), which are part of the divine intention for mankind.” The opening chapter of Genesis explains why fornication, adultery, and prostitution – as well as “homosexual marriage” – are all distortions of God’s original plan for sex. Many distortions in sexuality exist because of the effects of sin as Romans 1:18-32 discusses. This chapter represents the most thorough and clear condemnation of homosexuality in the Bible. Homosexuality is a symptom of fallen humanity. This chapter represents that one of the clear evidences of rebellion is a turning away from God’s standard for purity and morality. Sin distorted everyone’s perception of truth, so what someone feels is “natural” can still be wrong. Paul was referring to the natural order as God originally created it. In Leviticus 18:22, God clearly commands, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” Pro-homosexual scholars argue that Christians are no longer under the Mosaic Law. But the importance of these laws reflects the penalties for breaking them (uncleanness or death). Under Levitical law, homosexuality was one of many abominable practices punishable by death (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). God clearly condemns the act of homosexuality. Homosexuality is a forgivable sin as one repents of their sin and turns to God (1 Cor. 6:9-10). God is clear about the consequences of an unrighteous lifestyle such as homosexuality, as with other sinful lifestyles; however, forgiveness is still present. Davis states, “Homosexuality is simply one expression among many of the basic disordering of human life; all lust, whether heterosexual or homosexual, violates the divine law and reflects man’s fallen nature. The Bible looks not to the social environment for the source of the human dilemma, but to the heart of man himself.”
In recent years, several mainline denominations abandoned traditional interpretations of Scripture and embraced the gay-Christian movement, opening various gay-oriented churches. Many homosexuals and lesbians who go to these churches for spiritual counsel find welcoming hands. “Don’t try to change,” they are told. “God created you gay. Homosexuality is His gift to you!” Even married men and women find encouragement to divorce their spouse, leave their children, and enter a same-sex partnership. Tragically, some of them take this dreadful advice. Pastor Carol Trissell’s congregation at Joy Metropolitan Community Church is one of more than 300 Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC) that meet in 18 countries worldwide. The gay denomination–founded by Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) minister Troy Perry in 1968 and boasting a membership of more than 32,000–is the largest of the gay church networks, all of which are small compared to traditional mainline, evangelical or Pentecostal-charismatic denominations. The conflict extends all the way to a proposal to ban same-sex commitment ceremonies in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (much like the recent Amendment to ban same-sex marriage in South Carolina); however, the proposal found defeat in a vote of 87 to 63 by regional presbyteries last March. That same month, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Denver elected an openly gay man as their pastor. Homosexuality is rapidly becoming a norm in churches in recent years; however, churches are treating those who struggle with homosexuality differently than others.
Many homosexuals claim that the church is responsible for the gay church. They say that the church is not willing to do its job. The homosexuals are a group of people who may want to love God, who probably tried to do it in their own churches, but people pushed them away. So they fled to somewhere that accepted them. Past fearful attitudes towards homosexual people led many congregations to reject the homosexual directly or indirectly for the sake of maintaining God’s righteous standard. Some churches claim an “enlightened” understanding of homosexuality and opened the church to unrepentant homosexuals. Seeing them as “born gay,” they reach out with compassion, but sacrifice righteousness in the process.
Churches are not creating a door way to where homosexuals can receive help, but are closing off all communication to these people who need guidance and help. People in the church will even go to the extreme of bashing homosexuals. Jimmy Swaggart, fundamentalist TV preacher from Fundamentalist Anonymous, states, “Not only is the homosexual worthy of death, but (perhaps) also those who approve of homosexuality.” Bess states, “For us to judge anyone, even the guilty, is unacceptable to our Lord. We have been grossly irresponsible by judging and condemning homosexuals for nothing that they have done. We have inexcusably judged them for who they are.” The church has to see a change in them before they can expect others to go along with them in the long run. Mona Riley, wife of Open Door’s senior pastor (Church of the Open Door in San Rafael, California), says there is potential for a great spiritual harvest in the homosexual community, but “it’s an unwanted harvest. We don’t want to reap it. Christians aren’t sure if they want to spend eternity with these people. Revival has to happen in the church before it’s going to happen in the gay community.”
Homosexuality in the church almost becomes a thought of sin in itself among the congregation. People often times hear the phrase “hate the sin, love the sinner,” but no one ever demonstrates that love for the sinner. The phrase becomes “hate the sin and the sinner.” The Bible says to set apart from the world and the thinking of the world, but Christians often interpret this to mean that people should judge other people to make themselves seem more holy. Christians preach against this particular sin without offering any alternative or solution to the problem.
Organizations do exist, however, that help to serve those who need help overcoming homosexuality. The Transforming Congregations program helps churches adopt a redemptive and pro-active response to the homosexual issues that people face each day. This way, congregations can stand against the trend to accept homosexuality as normal and make themselves available to directly assist overcomers in the midst of their healing and change process. Transforming Congregations affirm the biblical witness that homosexual practice is sin and that the power of the Holy Spirit is available to transform the life of all persons, including the homosexual. They minister to the needs of all persons affected by homosexuality, utilizing the resources from both within and outside the Church in order to facilitate healing and wholeness. They also integrate all repentant, redeemed persons, including homosexuals, into active membership and participation in the life of the Church. This method is a great one for churches to use to respond to the issue of homosexuality.
Homosexuality is just one form in which the brokenness of humanity reveals itself, along with greed, hatred, fear, dishonesty, etc. What people who struggle with homosexual desire need above all else is restoration through Christ, truth, compassion, and an environment of acceptance as they journey toward wholeness and change. Many people in the homosexual community are no longer in certain churches because many pastors and churches strongly condemn homosexuality without sharing the good news of hope and freedom in Christ. Fortunately, God provided a way to reach them. He set apart former homosexuals who found healing in Christ to preach the good news of freedom at the foot of the cross. The message is one that must find reconciliation in others’ hearts. After receiving Christ, a homosexual desperately needs church support to stay free from sin. A conversion experience does not immediately erase homosexual desires. As with any Christian who struggles with temptation and who bears the consequences of a troubled past, accepting Christ is only the first step in the journey toward wholeness. Many who are away from the homosexual lifestyle for years still struggle with temptation, though usually less frequently. When the men who are overcoming homosexuality are accepted by other men in the church, a huge amount of healing occurs. Churches can minister by training church members, elders, and church counselors to minister to ex-homosexuals by praying for them and providing strict accountability. A church could set those struggling with homosexuality in a same-sex ministry group with two or three trained people. The leaders offer encouragement, practical help, and friendship; which affirm their gender identification in a non-threatening way. That is why continued encouragement and accountability from the church is so important to keep them on the path toward wholeness. Forming this kind of mentoring relationship is essential to getting beyond an ‘ex-gay’ mind set.
Essentials to witnessing to a gay friend are to see a person, not a homosexual; be willing to listen; point a friend to Jesus, not to heterosexuality; do not expect to know all the answers; and give them hope for something better. Christians are called to look beyond the labels to find the whole person inside. Rather than seeing a homosexual, people must think of their friend as a person with a homosexual problem. These homosexuals need the power of Christ working in their lives before any change will occur, and the church needs to rise up and be a welcoming godly influence in these people’s lives.
God spoke in absolute terms about homosexuality and said that homosexuality is a perversion and a sin. All sexual activity outside of marriage is fornication, therefore, any form of homosexual activity, whether a one-night stand or a monogamous long-term relationship, is immoral. If God intended homosexuality as a viable sexual orientation for some people, He would not condemn it as an abomination. Homosexuality is never mentioned in Scripture in anything but negative terms, and nothing in the Bible even hints at commendation or instruction for homosexual relationships. God’s plan is holy heterosexuality: “In the beginning the Creator made them male and female. For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Matt. 19:4). The importance of the created order of male and female in union with each other is a reflection of how the marriage relationship is an illustration of the relationship between God and His people, between Christ and the church. The union of two utterly different people (male/female) is an illustration of the mystery of the union between Christ and His bride. A male/male or female/female union cannot reflect the unity that marks either the earthy or heavenly marriage. I believe that many churches fail to even think about accepting homosexuals into their service, and we need to be more receptive to the calling we have to spread the gospel to all people and start treating homosexuality like a condemning sin and not a condemned sinner.
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