Caring Enough to Confront - Sex, Sexuality, and Gender: Tough Questions, Practical Answers, Part 1

If you are a parent, you are aware of how kids are being bombarded by the sexual ethics of the day. But what do you do if your son or daughter has started to buy into these ideas? In this program, Chip and Pastor Tim Lundy will respond to some of the more complex questions surrounding gender, sex, and relationships. For moms and dads desperate for practical answers, you do not want to miss the wisdom they will share from God’s Word.

Main Points Purpose of Addressing Controversial Issues:

• Tim's Motivation: Tim's engagement with heavy issues like sexuality and LGBTQ topics is driven by pastoral concern rather than a desire for controversy. He sees a need to address these issues due to the prevalence of false teachings and questions from families and teenagers. His goal is to shepherd families and present truth in a straightforward manner.

Handling Difficult Conversations with Children:

• Listening and Grace: Tim emphasizes the importance of listening to children who come out as LGBTQ. Parents should create a space where their children feel heard, and they should express love and support while balancing grace with truth. He stresses that while the church and the family have a responsibility to uphold Biblical truth, they must also navigate the tension between their beliefs and their children's identities with grace.

Understanding and Communicating the Gospel:

• Gospel’s Radical Grace: Tim explains that the Gospel is about Christ's grace despite our sin. He argues that salvation is not about moral perfection but about the transformative work of Christ. The question of whether LGBTQ individuals can be Christians should be framed in the context of the broader Gospel message, which applies to all sin, not just homosexuality.
• No Barriers, No Compromise: Tim advocates for no barriers to coming to Christ, meaning people should not be expected to "clean up" their lives before embracing the Gospel. However, he also stresses the importance of not compromising on Biblical teachings and encouraging growth in righteousness.

Feedback and Reactions:

• Mixed Reactions: Tim received feedback from different sides of the spectrum. Some felt his approach endorsed LGBTQ lifestyles, while others were uncomfortable with his stance on not compromising on moral issues. He views this pushback as an indication of addressing the issues clearly and effectively.

Broader Context of Sin and the Church’s Focus:

• Consistency in Addressing Sin: Tim and Chip discuss the Church's tendency to focus on certain sins, like homosexuality, while neglecting others, such as pornography or adultery. They stress the need for a consistent approach to all forms of sin, emphasizing that all sin separates people from God and that the Gospel offers restoration to all.

Attending a Gay Wedding:

• Gray Area: The question of whether to attend a gay wedding is seen as a gray area rather than black and white. Tim suggests that while the Bible is not explicitly clear on this issue, principles from passages like Romans 14-16 about gray areas in faith should be applied.
• Conscience and Relationship: Decisions should be guided by one's conscience and the nature of the relationship. Some Christians may attend a wedding as a gesture of love and maintaining a relationship, while others may choose not to if it seems to endorse the union as a Christian marriage.
• Objective: The focus should be on whether attending is for the sake of the Gospel or to avoid family tension. The intention should be clear and genuine, not just about making peace.

Using Personal Pronouns for Transitioning People:

• Cultural Impact: Some view using preferred pronouns as supporting a cultural shift that they believe distorts truth. Others, particularly in therapeutic settings, see respecting pronouns as a