Exodus Youth, part of the evangelical ministry Exodus International that deals with the issue of homosexuality, is aiming to reverse a "disturbing" trend seen across churches and perceived widely by young Americans – that the Church is anti-homosexual.
Homosexuality is a topic that churches are still struggling to address in a culture that is increasingly accepting gay and lesbian lifestyles. It's a struggle that hasn't come across to many Americans in a positive light.
"I think for a long time, the church just hasn't known how to talk about homosexuality," said Exodus Youth Director Scott Davis. "They've been very uncomfortable with the topic.
"So when they do talk about it, they tend to talk about just the moral side of whether it's right or wrong without any real understanding of where people are coming from – so it comes across as very harsh," he commented.
The younger generation of Americans is reportedly more open and accepting of homosexuality than any other generation. A majority (75 percent) of 18- to 34-year-olds say homosexuality should be an acceptable alternative lifestyle compared to less than half (45 percent) of Americans age 55 years and older, according to a recent Gallup Poll.
In the midst of higher gay tolerance levels, most young people are criticizing the Church for staunch opposition toward gays and lesbians. A recent Barna Group survey found that 91 percent of young non-Christians describe present-day Christianity as "anti-homosexual." Moreover, 80 percent of young Christians hold the same perception.
Davis wasn't too surprised by Barna's findings.
"As I talk to youth around the country on the topic [of homosexuality], some of the most frequent questions we get from them are 'What's the big deal about homosexuality?' and 'Why does the Church make such a big topic of this?' and 'Why is this the worst sin than any other?'" he explained.
"They believe that's what the Church is teaching on this," Davis added.
"There's no doubt that the evangelical Church desperately needs to change the way it has dealt with the issue of homosexuality in the past. It is our goal to mobilize the youth of today to reverse the church's problems of the past," he said.
In the last decade, however, there has been a dramatic shift in the attitudes of church leaders toward homosexuality, Davis acknowledged. More are promoting compassion and love toward homosexual individuals while still maintaining their biblical stance and opposing homosexual behavior.
But even when Christians demonstrate a loving heart toward homosexuals, they're still uncomfortable with the issue. "So it comes across very badly," Davis said.
Exodus Youth is working with colleges, youth workers and churches to help students understand what the Bible has to say about homosexuality and how to reach out to their gay-identified peers with Christ-like compassion.
"We are seeing an outpouring of teens and young adults who are seeking biblical clarity on the subject of homosexuality," said the Exodus director.
The organization's newly created Truth & Tolerance series teaches God's full design of sexuality rather than just shaking the finger at what's wrong.
"[It] explains how God has designed our bodies and our sexuality to be used particularly between a husband and wife," Davis explained. "And when you start from that basis ... and come to homosexuality, obviously that's just one of many ways that we live apart from what God desires sexuality for."
Homosexual desires are placed on the same square footing as lust, pornography and other forms of heterosexual struggles. Both homosexual and heterosexual temptations are "all expressions of our fallen state as human beings," Davis asserted.
It's what you do to deal with that temptation that matters.
"It's not a sin to be tempted," he said. "We have to decide if we're followers of Christ and live in a way that's holy and honoring to Him."
For the individual struggling with homosexual desires as well as the individual experiencing heterosexual temptations, Davis says Christ's call on their life is to be chaste and to live a holy life.
Exodus Youth ran its second annual "Allies, Too" campaign last week, rallying Christian students around the country to both promote campus safety for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, and to further "throw off the dishonest, unfair labels of bigotry and hatred" some attach to those who disagree with homosexuality.
"There's a real polarization that's being thrust upon us that you are either loving and approving of homosexuality or you're hateful and disapproving of homosexuality," said Davis. "That's just a false choice."
The ministry director encouraged true tolerance in which there can be honest debate and actual dialogue.
And when introducing a homosexual friend to Christ, Davis cautions against trying to convert them.
"It isn't our job to try and change people. That's the Holy Spirit's job," he said.
"We say they (homosexuals friend who don't know Christ) need Christ; it's no different from any other person who's outside the faith," he noted. "He does require all of us to change, to repent of our former lives and to come to Christ. He promises that He'll do the job of transforming us. That's just the basic Christian message."
Comments
define cohabitation if you will,
My observed meanings from different time periods in my life seem conflicting right now.
The Church used to take a very hard line on fornication, cohabitation, and divorce. These things are still sins but we no longer assign everyone who does them a scarlet letter like the H for homosexual sin.
Christians are only given a hard time over this issue because they seek to be consistent with ALL kinds of sin. However, if people reject the New Testament and claim there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, then they are going to see Christians as singling out a particular behavior, when in actual fact they're only treating it consistently with other damaging lifestyles.
If anyone thinks certain behaviors are not damaging, they are deliberately setting aside the biological fatcs.
The nature-nurture argument - whether these behaviors are inherited or learned - has no bearing on whether the the lifestyle is damaging.
There is, for example, plenty of evidence that propensities to alcohol abuse or various obsessive character traits are inherited. 35% of children with fetal alcohol syndrome, for example, go on to experience drug or alcohol dependency.
The sad fact about sin, from a Christian perspective, is that it is ALL inherited from Adam. But that is no excuse for making virtues out of our vices.
Most Chrstians feel sympathy for those who struggle with all damaging inclinations (let's face it, who doesn't?) and want to be able to help them, but resistance and abstinence, whether or not it feels 'natural', is what is needed.
God is a healer. God takes what is broken and fixes it. If homosexuality IS NOT a lifestyle, then how do people leave it's grip and live a life free of it? God's love is change for the sinner.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJ)
The renewed man acts upon new principles, by new rules, with new ends, and in new company. The believer is created anew; his heart is not merely set right, but a new heart is given him. He is the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Though the same as a man, he is changed in his character and conduct. These words must and do mean more than an outward reformation. The man who formerly saw no beauty in the Saviour that he should desire him, now loves him above
Without belief in a change, we can say that cross is empty also.
I mean to me it seems pretty obvious without having to enter the realm of science... Gay people are unlike any other males I have ever come across... to think a man became that way is beyond my scope of comprehension. Plus it is my belief that gay men have no desire for women... something I dont find to be natural in a straight man. Definitely a man who is gay is unnatural, but thats because we are applying it to the wrong model. Its like seeing a woman and thinking its a man and trying to understand why they are so woman like. Its because shes a woman. Same thing for gays, they are gay because they are gay! they arnt straight.
I see these arguements and cant get past the fact that I see this as a categorical error. You think its a lifestyle, where as I believe its an irreversible attribute. I dont see why this is such a hard concept to understand... it makes rather perfect sense... Why people wont take the time to investigate is beyond me... Rather than saying "Oh wow this is a problem.. I'll do everything in my power to figure out what I can do for you" you just say "Your a problem, fix or yourself or burn in hell"... If I was a Christian and I turned out to be gay, I would hope my parents would seek to figure out if its a natural cause or a nuture cause before they decide to beat me to death and send me on my way.
i hope you dont mind if i use it
hahahaha...i like your analogy better.
That is a very bad justification. It's like looking an 800lb gorilla sitting on the couch and calling it a poodle. It is a pretty clear message from Paul.
TheWatch
Sorry I havent emailed you back lately. I'll try and do so tonight.
Anyway, the argument that many non-believers and some Christians is that when Paul speaks of homosexuality in Romans, he is speaking of an older person taking advantage of a younger underage boy. That, of course, is an opinion. A wrong one, at that, but still what they base their justification for their sin on. Basically, they say..."I am having sex with a guy....BUT it's not an underage boy...so it's alright." Kind of like saying.."I took a ream of paper from my employer, BUT I didn't steal $5." make sense? in the eyes of the world it does.
Is homosexuality a sin? Yes. It is defined as a sin in Romans. What happens if a person commits themself to our Lord and chooses to accept His salvation, but they continue on with their lifestyle? I mean a willing sinful lifestyle, not just a person who is homosexual. A thief or person in the throws of adultry. What happens then? Well, Hebrews 10:26-31 paints a pretty clear picture.
"26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. "
The crux of the disagreement people have with Christian views on homosexuality, is they cannot understand the seperation of sinner and sin. I despise some of the new verbiage people have coined in this subject. Ant-gay, in the world-view becomes a statement of hate. While if you examine the diction it means against being gay. Which as a Christian, performing homosexual acts is a sexual immoral sin and we should be against it. I might agree with, taken in the context of sin, as being anti-gay, but I am Pro-people and Pro-salvation. That means that I believe in the saving power of our Lord Jesus and His changing power he has when people accept His Love and Grace. I believe a person, through our Lord, can leave whatever sins they were commiting before being redeemed, and through prayer, faith, the Word and support by the Body of Christ, can, as Jesus put it best: "Sin no more".
Omg you guys I cant believe you are arguing like this... It saddens me to know that Christians will bicker with eachother in such a way... In any case, I am compelled to read the scriptures in order to shed some light on this whole thing...
ifeelfine
Yes, I've know for a long time how that feels. I've been treated as such by many non-Christians...but very few Christians. I've learned to accept the persecution. God already said that my life would be filled with it. But the trials of this life are nothing compared to the glory that He has in store for me.
heavenwoman
Amen! The wages of sin....sin is something we earn! We work for it. Salvation is a gift...nothing we could ever do could make us good enough to deserve it. That's the love of God.
To: I feel fine 72,
sin is anything that displeases God and makes him sad. Everyone sins! How dare you that you are fine. You are not! ... Jesus Christ saves sinners! God is merciful, compassionate, loviing and forgiving that is true. It is also true that he created everyone and everything. It is true that God judges people. Hebrew 9:27 "It is appointed unto man, once to die and after that the judgment." There are many passions in Revelation that talk about the Judgment Seat of Christ. They are referring to Christians being judged by God for what they die for him, and what they did not do. Also, in Revelation the judgment for the lost is mentioned and is called The Great White Throne Judgment....there all the lost people are judged for rejecting Jesus Christ. ....Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." "wages"-payment, punishment for sin = Hell, "death"-spiritual death
Christians are against homosexuals having special rights, and being church leaders. Homosexuals need to know the Truth that they are sinners just like everyone else is and that without Jesus Christ in their lives that they have no hope.no real joy, no peace with God, and that they are doomed to Hell for all eternity. Coating the sin of homosexuality over with lies does not show the love of God, nor does it help them the homosexuals to see that they need Jesus Christ in their lives. It gives them a false sense of reality. It leaves them ignorant of where they really be spending eternity. Tolerating this sin is not right. Tolerating any sin for that matter is wrong and is sin as well. No matter what hte Exodus Youth do they can not change the fact they are telling the homosexuals things that are not true and that will not help them. The Exodus Youth need to find themselves a new name. Exdous is a book of the Bible and they are living unbliblical lives.