Do Not Touch

For some reason or another churches have difficulty talking about certain things.  It’s like a giant “Do Not Touch” sign has been plastered over topics like depression, suicide, self-harm, abuse, homosexuality, etc.  As a part of a Chapter 3 program, we’re spending 5 weeks hearing real stories from real people with real hope.  It’s time we start to touch on these things that have previously untouchable.  As the weeks roll on, you’ll find audio links for the messages from each evening and some resources that may help you or a friend with their experience with the following areas:

Depression/Suicide – Thursday, January 13th, 2011 – Ron Merrell, Grace Baptist Church.

Homosexuality – Thursday, January 20th, 2011 – Ron Merrell, Grace Baptist Church.

Self-Harm – Thursday, January 27th, 2011 – Ron Merrell, Grace Baptist Church.

Sexual Abuse/Rape – Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 – Wendy McHaddad & Ron Merrell, Grace Baptist Church.

Abortion – Thursday, February 10th, 2011 – Landen Llamas, Grace Baptist Church.

Whether you have had experience in these areas or not – and whether you go to church or not – does not matter.  Everyone is welcome as we start to have some of these important conversations.  No one will be bashed, judged, or hurt.  We simply will start to touch on some important areas of life that many of us face – and find out we’re not alone in the journey.  See you there.

Homosexuality

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AUDIO MESSAGE ON: HOMOSEXUALITY

Homosexuality may be one of the most delicate and sensitive issues in our culture and in our church community.  For a number of reasons and in general, churches have not handled the homosexual community or lifestyle well.  Whether because of ignorance, fear, hatred, or stereotyping we’ve either fallen into protesting the issue or sometimes ignoring it all together.  Neither one are healthy.  We’re sorry if your picture of God, Jesus or the church has been tainted by stupid, uninformed, and tactless Christians.  This week, we are trying to come at the issue from all sides, including the biblical perspective, to catch God’s heart for our sexuality and for those who consider themselves homosexual.

Our sexuality is something God takes very seriously and has a great deal to say about in the Bible.  There’s a powerful link between our sexuality and our identity.  Our culture today has normalized not just homosexuality, but sex outside of marriage, pornography, and lack of modesty in general.  Knowing this has tremendous consequences on our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being, God had a specific design in mind for our sexuality.  Ultimately, he has designed us not to be defined by our sexual orientation, but by His plan and His identity.

IRONIC COMMONNES BETWEEN THE HOMOSEXUAL AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES:

• BOTH UNDERSTAND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE PERSECUTED
• BOTH ARE OFTEN JUDGED/MISUNDERSTOOD BY OTHERS
• BOTH ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT BELIEFS/LIFESTYLE
• BOTH CAN TEND TO BECOME INWARDLY FOCUSED COMMUNITIES OVER TIME
• BOTH HAVE A DEEP DESIRE FOR INTIMATE LOVE
• BOTH OVERWHELMINGLY LOVED BY GOD

SOME BIBLE VERSES ADDRESSING SEXUALITY:

• Genesis 1:28
• Genesis 2:18
• Genesis 2:24
• 1 Corinthians 6:15-20
• Matthew 5:27-28
• Leviticus 18:22
• Romans 1:24-28
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

DEBATED ISSUES ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY:

• Is homosexuality genetic – or, in other words, are homosexuals born that way?
• Is the research true that family issues (like absent, distant, or abusive parents) somehow responsible for shaping same-sex attraction as means of compensating subconsciously for what they didn’t receive in healthy amounts during childhood?
• Can homosexuality arise simply out of curiosity or pure choice?
• Can someone who is homosexual become heterosexual?
• Do passages  in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that deal with homosexuality just refer to male prostitution in pagan temples during Bible times, and not to monogomous homosexual lifestyles that may be present today?
• Is the Sodom and Gomorrah story of Genesis 19 more a commentary on the wickedness of gang rape or does the homosexual content play any relevance?
• Do the Romans 1 references to the “unnatural” sexual relationships between men and other men, or women and other women, only speak about heterosexual men or women who engage in homosexual acts because that would be “unnatural” for them? Whereas, if someone is born homosexual and engages in homosexual acts then it isn’t “unnatural” for them – and is therefore biblical excusable?
• Has the word “homosexual” in the Bible been lost in translation and therefore have a different meaning today?

RESOURCES FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH SEXUAL ISSUES:

For more information (click here): Love Won Out

To talk with a counselor one-on-one visit www.gracebaptist.org/spiritualcare or email ron.merrell@gracebaptist.org.

To join a female group addressing those roughly 18-25 years old email cyndi.sutton@gracebaptist.org

To join a male group addressing sexual issues for those roughly 18-25 years old email ron.merrell@gracebaptist.org.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AUDIO MESSAGE ON: HOMOSEXUALITY