Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Three Good Mini-Books on Homosexuality

Harvest USA has partnered with New Growth Press to produce several short, helpful booklets to answer questions and provide biblical answers to crucial questions about sexuality.


As I've been researching homosexuality for my upcoming talk to teens the EFCA Challenge Conference this Summer (pray for me!), I was especially interested and helped by these three:

1. Can You Change If You're Gay? by David White

White (author of Sexual Sanity for Men) surveys conflicting and unhelpful views of change and then points towards a better and more biblical understanding. He reminds us, "All of humanity needs a changed sexuality!" (pg. 7) and "The opposite of homosexuality isn't heterosexuality--it is holiness" (pg. 9). "Is this easy? No. Is it possible? Yes. By his grace that transforms every hear that comes to him ... SSA Christians can change to faithfully follow Christ" (pg. 13).

2. Your Child Says, "I'm Gay" by Tim Geiger

Geiger provides the first things to think and to do when your child "comes out" to you. Every page is full of good counsel (I'd like to quote the whole thing.) such as:

- Acknowledge the courage it took to tell you.
- Affirm your love for your child.
- Begin the dialogue (with lots of suggestions for getting that started).


3. The Gay Dilemma and Your Church by John Freeman

Freeman, the president of Harvest USA), asks whether our churches are part of the problem or the solution for the current cultural crisis over homosexuality and presents an intentional, engaging, and loving way forward. "The church must be seen as a helpful and safe place for [people] to disclose these struggles" (pg. 9).

I really appreciated how Freeman encourages us to seeing people as people and not as issues.

The church needs resources like these, and I'm glad that people like Harvest are producing them.

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