June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. And while Pride Month has been around for a while, it has certainly reached a point of widespread cultural acceptance in America. At this point, there is no real way of avoiding the discussion of LGBTQ pride during Pride Month in June.
So in this episode, we briefly explore the history of Pride Month, how Christians have historically interacted with the LGBTQ+ community in problematic ways, and how we might forge a better way forward. While we hold to a traditional view of sex and marriage, we admit that there are many ways in which the Church has failed to live up to its calling of love when it comes to those within the LGBTQ community and we want to be a part of more fully expressing the love of Jesus.
We also give our thoughts on some important and common questions about the relationship between the Church and the LGBTQ community, including:
- Should Christians work to abolish same-sex marriage?
- Should Christians bake cakes for LGBTQ weddings and events?
- How should we feel about how many corporations change their social media logos to versions with rainbows?
- What level of leadership should members of the LGBTQ community be given in local churches (if any)?
There’s lots of nuance in this conversation, and we do our best to stand in both truth and love.
REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE
QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE
It is necessary for Christians to recognize and collectively repent of the violence and trauma that has been inflicted on the LGBTQ community through the decades in the name of Jesus and the Christian Church. Share on X
Christians have become too comfortable explaining away the experiences of those within the LGBTQ community rather than making space for them and preaching the gospel to them in the midst of it. Share on X
Homophobia and hatred of the LGBTQ community has been allowed to persist all in the name of biblical sexuality. Share on X
We've take the opportunity to poke fun and people's genuine struggles way too often. Share on X
The people who consider themselves the bastions of sexual righteousness are weirdly obsessed with other people's sex lives. Share on X
Too often, Christians want to start this conversation with 'here is where I stand' and 'here is what I'm against.' Share on X
Jesus wasn't a cultural warrior, warring against the actions taken by those who were outside the Kingdom of God. Whenever he fought someone, it was typically the in-group within the people of God who were acting arrogantly and unjustly. Share on X
When it came to the woman at the well, Jesus didn't start by wagging his finger. He started a relationship and gave her a loving invitation to something better. Share on X
If we're ever going to get to a point where members of the LGBTQ community are willing to come into our churches and hear the gospel message, we need to be more mindful of them and where they're starting from. Share on X
We often have grace when people struggle with other sins, but when it comes to the LGBTQ community, that grace is conspicuously lacking. Share on X
I don't think the gay people in our lives need Christians to tell them that they think they're wrong. They already know. What they might not know is that you love them. Or, more importantly, that Jesus loves them. Share on X
Whenever we have the ability to affect public policy, our intent should be the flourishing of those around us rather than mere rule following. Share on X
The compulsory and performative nature of everyone changing their profile image to a rainbow flag makes me uneasy. Share on X
We want to claim tolerance, but we don't want to be tolerant. And I think both sides are equally guilty of that. Share on X
