The Church, Homosexuality, And Ministering - 1379 Words

The Church, Homosexuality, and Ministering to the LGBT Community As a follower of Christ, there are many issues and injustices that exist in the world today that cause righteous indignation to rise up within me and permeate the chambers of my heart. There’s something about bearing witness to the wrongful treatment of those who cannot (or feel as if they cannot) speak for themselves and who need the love of Jesus the most. As a follower of Christ, and member of the Church, I feel it is our responsibility to minister to those who seek refuge, hope, and love among the brokenness and painful realities of a fallen world. One group of people I have a personal conviction for ministering to is the LGBT community. As Believers, the Church should†¦show more content†¦It would be irresponsible and untrue to claim that all churches have denied ministry to those with same gender attraction, but it does seem that many churches have abstained or rejected ministering to the LGBT community for different reasons. One reason is the approach by way of judgment or condemnation from those within the Church. In her book, Boynes explains, â€Å"in general, there are two wrong approaches the Church has taken toward those living a homosexual lifestyle. Some have judged and condemned the homosexual, usually in a spirit not motivated by love. Others have openly accepted the lifestyle and welcomed homosexuals into the pulpit. Both responses are ditches on the road to truth and will diminish the Church’s fulfillment of its calling.† An online article entitled, â€Å"What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?† attempts to explain some of the reasons for the Church’s condemnation: â€Å"Prejudices, fears and misconceptions about homosexuality are deeply rooted in our culture. The subject evokes strong emotions, which may hinder understanding it from a Biblical perspective. Many common beliefs and attitudes about homosexuality actually have their origins in our cultural traditions rather than in the Bible.â₠¬  If one of the reasons the Church isn’t ministering to those in the LGBT community is because of prejudices andShow MoreRelatedWomens Leadership : Where Should They Serve?2262 Words   |  10 PagesMinistry: Where Should They Serve? Take a look around the modern church, and a major demographic is missing. Leadership positions in the church are extremely male dominated. Women have long been a discussion point for the world wide church. As cultural opinions have become more liberal, the Christian community begins to follow suit. However, there are still many churches that hold to their original beliefs. A shift in rules for the church is something to stir questions. If Christians preach only biblicalRead MoreLegalization of Same Sex Marriage9779 Words   |  40 PagesSpain . Some states of the United States have followed and provided registries for same-sex partnerships and grant them certain rights.                                                                                        The Philippines is one of the most Catholic or church influenced country in the world. It has always been advocated in keeping the laws of God. The critics of same sex unions have also gone beyond debates and discourse for the past. Many Filipino homosexual’s has been protesting for their freedom rightsRead MoreCall to Ministry3220 Words   |  13 Pagesimplement a similar strategy. These approaches will need to be characterized by a spirit of innovation and flexibility.† [3] In fact, an Iranian pastor, a colleague of mine, who works a secular job in teaching engineering 4 days a week and pastors a church 3 days a week, has been asked many times by the Iranian Muslim community, â€Å"How much do the Americans pay you to be a pastor?† He can honestly reply, â€Å"nothing†, â€Å"I am a professor of electrical engineering and work at a regular job to pay the bills