A Christian Posture Toward Pride Month

God created us male and female, in his own image to glorify him.

Because God is the creator of everything and everyone, it is God who has the authority to determine how life works best: what will lead to true joy, lasting happiness, and the complete flourishing of His creation. It was God who instituted marriage to be between one man and one woman for one lifetime. It was God who created sex for unity, joy, and oneness to be experienced exclusively within the confines of this marriage covenant. And it is from this deep unity between the first man and wife that God gives them a creation mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…” Genesis 1:28

But as we know, sin distorted and warped everything in God’s creation - including humanity (Genesis 3). The openness and intimacy Adam and Eve shared with one another - and with God - was shattered (Gen 3:7). Even their desires - our desires - have been tainted by sin (Gen 3:16). Part of living in a fallen world means that we look for deep soul satisfaction where it cannot be found. Part of living in a fallen world means that we continue to distort and warp God’s good gifts for fleeting pleasure, rather than how God intended them: for our greater joy, sanctification, and worship. We are people committed to our temporary joy, but God is a Father committed to our eternal joy.

During Pride Month, many followers of Jesus can struggle with how to lovingly, thoughtfully, and clearly articulate what we believe God’s Word teaches on the area of sex and sexuality. How should we communicate these truths to our children? How should we engage with Christians whose opinions seem to be a departure from Scripture? How might we lovingly engage non-Christians?

We pray the following resources will be helpful as you seek to love God and your neighbor this month and beyond.

How To Navigate Pride Month:

  1. In Everything You Do, Love (Mark 12:29-31

  2. Distinguish God’s Love From The World’s Love (John 14:15,21,23,24)

  3. Never Lie (Exodus 20:16)

  4. Never Affirm Evil (Ephesians 5:11, Romans 1:32)

  5. Remember What You Were But Are No Longer By The Gospel (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

  6. Do Not Pass Judgment On One Another (Romans 14:13)

Jonathan Leeman’s post “Pastor: Help Your Congregation Navigate Gay Pride Month”

MINISTERING TO SAME-SEX ATTRACTED FRIENDS

How To Talk To Your Kids:

  • Teach at an age-appropriate level what the Bible says about marriage, gender, sex, and sexuality

  • Model wisdom and discernment about how you speak about these issues

  • Clarify truth, yet with love and compassion

  • Pray with and for your children, and pray for their friends

  • Ask for resources from Life Church Elders and Staff

“Talking to your children about sex, marriage, and same-sex marriage.” from:" Jena Starke, Krissie Inserra, Stephanie Goeke, Trillia Newbell