Specific Evangelism Issues for the Homosexual Soul

By Rev. Dr. Sandra Bochonok

The following reflection is a selected portion of a 1999 Doctor of Ministry dissertation; "Unleashing God's Mighty Power through Internet Evangelism." Readers are requested to email the author for permission to reprint or distribute these thoughts. Email requests may be sent to the Rev. Dr. Sandra Bochonok at revsandyb@aol.com.

The face of Christianity has changed forever. A controversial Christian movement is growing. Increasing numbers of international GLBT people of faith are saying, "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior." These believers do not represent "ex-gay" ministries. Growing numbers of churches and denominations bless same-sex marriages, ordain "practicing" non-celibate clergy, baptize children in these families of choice and represent a spiritual revolution. The spirit of Christ is evident in transformed lives. Their presence and growing influence is well demonstrated through the Internet. Several web sites which represent this growing ministry outreach that are worth serious study are "Christian Lesbians,"¹ "Whosoever"² and "Evangelicals Concerned."³ They offer a loving, inclusive Christian gospel, which empowers and encourages GLBT seekers around the world in countries without gay-affirming churches in aggressively homophobic governments. They help sexual minorities integrate their Christian faith with their human sexuality.

Controversy is not new to the ecumenical church. Issues have divided people of the Christian faith over the ages. Infant or believer's baptism? Baptism by sprinkling or immersion? Eucharist hospitality for the visitors or church members only? Divorce, slavery, women's rights, war and peace, abortion versus pro-life, the ordination of women, gays and lesbians, and civil rights and same-sex marriage movements are only a few examples. Well intentioned, committed and devout people of faith approach the same pages of Scripture and come to very different views. Holy and unholy wars continue today as people defend cherished beliefs, biases and popular theology which promote power, acceptance and privilege for favored groups while limiting, denigrating, oppressing, persecuting and labeling "evil" on others different from those in the majority.

The Church does great damage to many in rejecting, ridiculing and refusing GLBT seekers. The Church has not been kind and has much to repent of. By intentionally excluding sexual minorities from membership and leadership roles, the church has created a culture of spiritual conflict, hostility and soul deep injuries. Divisive, damaging debates deny their blessedness and belovedness as non-celibate people.

The year of 1998 well demonstrates the controversy. Fundamentalist Christian organizations escalated their attacks on lesbian and gay Americans. Millions of dollars were spent to convince the nation that they are "sick" and "sinful," that their sexual orientation can be "cured," that their rights and protections should be denied, and any political or religious leader who supports sexual minorities should be condemned. The July decision by the Methodist Judicial Council prohibited clergy from performing homosexual unions. In August the Lambeth world conference of Anglican bishops voted to condemn homosexual practice as "incompatible with Scripture." They voted to prohibit the blessing of same-sex holy unions and the ordination of gay and lesbian ministers. The World Council of Churches (WCC) met in Zimbabwe, Africa during December 1998. The WCC denied voice from Zimbabwe gay and lesbian Christians while they met in one of the worlds most homophobic countries in the world.

The Rev. Dr. Mel White succinctly summarizes, "the body of Christ is bleeding again. The debate over sexual orientation has become a brutal civil war with hand-to-hand, brother-against-sister, parent-against-child combat in our homes, schools and churches."⁴ The Rev. Dr. Rembert S. Truluck writes, "Fear of the Bible has led many Gays and Lesbians to abandon the basic book about Jesus and the message of the good news of God's love in Christ."⁵ Many sexual minorities have only experienced the Christian church as "an enemy" and Jesus as "foe, not friend."

We would be wise to remember that God sometimes uses the least in society, those marginalized and oppressed to help others meet Jesus Christ. Jesus often called people that society threw away, despised and found of little social value. Those of power and influence often found Jesus scandalous. He associated with prostitutes, beggars, sickly, and tormented people. He treated each with dignity and respect. Jesus was perceived as a theological troublemaker. He was creating a spiritual revolution through his evangelism. He preached a full gospel of inclusion that often the orthodox religious found outrageous and politically incorrect. The religious leaders of the day did their best to destroy Christ and silence his believers through intimidation, imprisonment, torture and death.

Is it any wonder that the Spirit of Christ is among ever increasing numbers in the GLBT global communities? The gospel of Jesus Christ welcomes everyone. People are crying out for spiritual food and drink that is only found in the One called the Bread of Life. No one will be denied by Christ. Through a close reading of the gospels, nowhere do we see "God's plan for homosexuals to convert to heterosexuality."⁶ Those who claim "I'm living proof that Truth can set you free"⁷ create deep agony, depression and self-hatred among those who were unsuccessful in changing their sexual orientation. Many have agonized to change what may not be changeable.

The ongoing controversy is well illustrated with the Reverend Jimmy Creech and the opposing Family First Executive Director Dan Parsons. Creech has gone on record saying, "It's the church that is sinning, not the gays and lesbians. The church carries a great deal of responsibility. The time has come for us to understand and accept the diversity of human sexuality as part of God's good creation…God loves gay people and lesbian people. Whatever sexual orientation one has is natural and healthy."⁸ Parsons' response clearly demonstrates the controversy. "Creech and others assault the integrity of the Bible and the family by promoting tolerance of homosexuality."⁹

Major pro-Christian, pro-GLBT international leadership has been the call of Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC). UFMCC churches now exist in sixteen countries. Active Internet dialogue continues with growing numbers of seekers in thirty additional countries without gay affirming churches.¹⁰ This Christian church is the largest primarily GLBT spirituality organization in existence. The UFMCC web site averages more than 100,000 "hits" on a monthly basis.¹¹

"Gay Christians" have an additional and deeply significant dimension in evangelism. They are called to share the inclusive gospel of Jesus Christ to conservative Christians who may exclude, ridicule, reject, persecute and oppress them in the name of their religion. Many conservative Christians believe and teach "homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity." They deny an entire "hidden people" the inclusive, liberating and dignifying Gospel of Jesus Christ. Traditional "Christian" evangelism conveys deep emotional responses from seekers who have suffered "Bible Concussions" or who have been "Gay Bashed" by homophobic Christians. The very word "evangelism" can be divisive and threatening. Many have been counseled that "there is no such thing as a Christian fag"¹² and that "God's disapproves of the homosexual."¹³ As a tragic result many seekers have only experienced the "Christian church as enemy."

The seven traditional "texts of terror" most frequently used out of context with a biased interpretation have been used as justification in hate crimes, to deny basic human rights, causes despairing GLBT people to commit suicide and families to excommunicate their children (Genesis 18: 16-19:29; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17-18; Romans 1: 26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). The Spirit of Christ is inclusive. No where in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, do we find Jesus homophobic or condemning. His scriptural interpretation of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah is specifically and clearly mentioned in Mt. 10:15. Christ interprets scripture with scripture (Ezekiel 16: 49-50). Sodom and Gomorrah's sin was of inhospitality and wickedness (Isa 3:9; Jer 23:14; La 4:6; Zep 2:8-9; 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 7). Growing voices among the ecumenical Christian church offer valuable scholarship and research, which thoughtfully challenge anti-gay stereotypes and translator biases in Scripture. Some of these authors include John Boswell, Victor Furnish, Chris Glaser, Daniel Helminiak, Tom Horner, John McNeill, James Nelson, Robin Scroggs and John Shelby Spong. They and many others recognize that Jesus never called people to change their sexual orientation. Jesus called people to change their spiritual orientation.

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