“Why are there 5 different responses to LBGTQ+? Isn’t God’s truth one?”
Ministry Fair Attendee
Dear friends,
Has it ever bothered you why Christians don’t seem to agree when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues? Why do we have some so-called “Christians” who hold up signs saying, “God Hates Fags,” while a church down the street has a large pride flag hanging off the building and a gay-identified pastor? How come one ministry–like Outpost–has many testimonies of transformation and healing of identity, while other ministry leaders–like Preston Sprinkle–will say, “Transformation is impossible, and anyone who says it is possible is lying”? Why are there so many different responses? And how can the Body of Christ even navigate a charged and angry cultural landscape when there seems to be so much confusion about what is true?
I was explaining Linda Seiler’s 5 streams of Christian/“Christian” response to LGBTQ+ issues to an attendee of a recent ministry fair, and he was confused as to why there are 5 different responses. After all, isn’t God’s truth the truth? I explained to him how the different responses have a lot to do with how we treat our experiences in light of God’s Word. Regardless of who we are or what we struggle with, we all have to decide what to do when God’s Word differs from our experience. How we respond to LGBTQ+ ideology is rooted in how we grapple with and resolve that difference.
The 5 streams–Condemnation, Affirmation, Accommodation, Mortification, and Transformation–are based on the answers to two questions. First, how do God’s Word and our experience interact? Second, is transformation possible? The stream of Condemnation has a specific view of sin and salvation that leaves no room for either transformation or compassion. Affirmation does not see Scripture as authoritative or LGBTQ+ feelings as anything wrong, and thus it twists God’s Word to match people’s feelings and experiences. The Accommodation stream has a biblical sexual ethic that still centers a person’s identity in experiences, making transformation of identity and sexuality impossible. Mortification sees LGBTQ+ feelings as strictly coming from the sin nature, meaning transformation is stunted because there is no room for the Gospel to impact our wounds and beliefs. In all of these streams, there is an undercurrent of the “born that way” lie that leaves no room for hope. Ultimately, the first 4 streams deny the full power and love of God.
The Transformation stream, in contrast, seeks to align our experiences with God’s Word while acknowledging that our brokenness, and thus our healing, is tied to our integrated self–body, soul, and spirit. Outpost Ministries has always declared a message of transformation, of hope in Jesus Christ that leads to resurrection into new life. We seek to let God and His Word interpret our experiences and be our final authority. And we seek to declare God’s ability to redeem and restore us fully–body, soul, and spirit.
The message of transformation is why we do everything we do. The call on Outpost is to declare the truth of God’s transforming grace in the areas where the world is most inclined to reject His grace. This is also why we always share testimonies at our events and why we are more concerned with God’s glory than making a name for ourselves. We earnestly seek God’s glory and praise because He is the One who shines light into the darkness.
This is also why we want you to join us at this year’s banquet, and why we want you to invite others: we want people to see the goodness of God. Your prayers and financial support help declare God’s faithfulness and care as He brings people into greater depths of relationship with Him.
Here are some ideas of how you can get involved and invite others to this year’s banquet. Think about people you know who believe in the transforming power of the Gospel. Call or send a text to them with an invitation to attend the banquet with you–or in your place, if you cannot attend this year. Pay for their meal, or pay for a table of 8 and invite a whole group to attend. Coordinate carpooling with them to the banquet. Imagine what God could do if everyone who attended last year brings just one new person this year. Imagine how God could provide for Outpost if 200 people attended and everyone gave $150. We’ve already received over $1000 in gifts from generous people who cannot attend this year. We invite you to be a part of the excitement.
Regardless of how you are able to participate this year, be praying for us as we seek to declare God’s glory and goodness. To God be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
