Monday, October 15, 2007

The Church & Homosexuality

The Church and Homosexuality...a topic that was discussed amongst my Intro to Youth Ministry class as well as at the Youth Network Meeting last week. This topic came up as a duo came to Fresno...Jason & deMarco. Two Christian men, gay partners, who love each other and love God...and they are Christian singers. They also released an independent film recently. Here is the trailer clip...

The topic of homosexuality isn't going away. It is here with us for at least the next decade so what is the church to do about it? Kids are feeling unaccepted and unloved by the church. More and more we are going to lose them because we are going to treat them like they are not human and all in the name of Jesus. I am starting to question, where is the grace? Where in the bible does it say that homosexuality is the worst sin imaginable, aren't all sins equal? I have a hard time standing against people like Jason and deMarco who are trying to spread God's love to a group of people in our society that is usually beaten up by the church.

I investigated this more after seeing the above video clip in class and at my meeting. I came across an article written by Jason and I thought I would put up a link. It really does make you think about this topic on a whole different level. Let me know your thoughts.
http://www.spiritpop.com/reconciled.htm

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

When you tear at the foundation of our faith and the need for a personal redemptive act in the person and work of Jesus Christ, you loose credibility. God's Word stands solid, if it doesn't stand solid, then all that we as believers follow must be brought into question, not just homosexuality, everything including salvation itself. To discredit Scripture and only speak of a loving God tears at the soul of why Christ came.

To condemn the church for their lack of love of the sinner...how true that is especially in the town I live in. We as believers have continually leveled different sins so as to come across more holy. We tollerate those that have been more acceptable and judge those that are not.

If God created us male and female and to propagate the earth, then who are we to question that? Each of us is created with a sinful nature, that which will keep us from having a relationship with Christ and will continually threaten that relationship once it is established. It might be a tendancy toward the same sex, adultry, stealing, worry, any number of things that will distract us from what really matters...the one on one relationship with Jesus. Any time we attempt to justify our behavior and attempt to make it equal with who we are called as humans to serve, we cross a line.

Our youth pastor network is looking to tackle this issue this next month as well. It isn't going away. How in our community do we show the love of Christ when there is a church preaching hate and yet still present the Truths of scripture is a tough balancing act, but one that must be done.

I believe God loves all of us sinners, but He doesn't ask us to stay in the practice of sin...no matter how much fun, love and acceptance, or fulfillment comes from it. He wants to be our fulfillment, because He is a jealous God. He wants nothing else to take the place of Him on the throne of our lives.

dave said...

Thanks for the bold post.

I hadn't heard of them, Gee I wonder why):

You inspired me to blog on this...will post tonite

you rock St Derek

dave said...

here it is:

"Let me be straight with you: I am not straight"

click here

Michelle & Scott said...

Derek- I have personally struggled with how God views homosexuality and how are we as Christians supposed to respond to it. I am still not totally sure what I believe, but I am 100% positive that God loves sinners and that means all of us. I am also not convinced that the Bible gives a definitive answer about homosexuality that it being expressed in a loving monogamous relationship. Really, how many times do we see loving, unselfish, heterosexual relationship? I guess I believe that God is more concerned with our hearts.

I am sickened when I think of how judgemental the church is about homosexuals when Christians struggle in secret with every kind of sexual immorality. Maybe it is easier to point fingers at gays and lesbians that address our own lusts, perversions, and behaviors. I really don't have the answers, but I for one am much more willing to stand with a loving gay couple, like Jason and deMarco, then a bunch of self-righteous pharisees.

Just my 2cents - Michelle (not Scott's opinions)