How Do I Engage With the LGBTQ+ Issues As a Christian?

The rise of the LGBTQ+ is the defining challenge facing Christians today. Homosexuality has, of course, been prevalent for thousands of years, but never before has it been practiced and celebrated like today.

Challenging as it may be, Christians must learn to engage with this issue fruitfully and effectively. Crucially, we have to do so in a way that is both bold and loving, which is a tricky balancing act indeed.

While a short blog post will never do justice to a complicated topic, I hope to offer some practical ideas to help you start on the right path.

At the end of this piece, I will share a list of resources to help you navigate this subject in greater depth.
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1. The Right Heart

‍Engaging any issue outside the Church must start with a broken heart. Those who identify as LGBTQ+ are people, not issues. Do we care about them?

Until we allow God to turn our theological concerns into deep, personal anguish, our efforts to reach people will be harsh and powerless.

As Paul reminds us,

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (Cor 13:1).

Effective engagement always begins with a broken heart.

‍2. The Right Start

‍Challenging the validity of someone’s lifestyle, and in this case, their perceived identity, will never be easy. It’s arguably one of the most difficult conversations you could possibly have.

Until someone knows that you genuinely love them and are for them, they are unlikely to receive deeply existential criticism.

With that in mind, Christians need to start by forming genuine friendships with those outside the Church, and perhaps especially with those who identify as LGBTQ+.

This cannot be a means to an end but a sincere desire to know and love the person in mind. Serve them, listen to them, and share your life with them.

Until our hearts are broken, and until the LGBTQ+ are more than just subjects “out there,” we will never effectively engage this issue in our culture.

It starts with friendship.
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3. The Right Perspective

‍One of the pernicious features of our culture is the notion that to love someone means you must affirm everything they do.

Anyone with kids knows this is ridiculous.

I love my kids and that will never change, but they do and say all sorts of things I disagree with. To affirm their poor choices would make me unloving.

In the same way, we believe those in the LGBTQ+ community are living contrary to God’s design. This may be unpopular, but Scripture makes it very clear.

If you care about someone and they are living in a way that will ultimately hurt them, the most loving thing to do is to warn them.

This is the right perspective, and it’s how Jesus lived. Above all else, He cared about people. And not just people who thought as He did. There was no “us vs. them” for Jesus. He loved everyone. But loving someone doesn’t mean you agree with them, and Jesus rejected the destructive ideologies of His day.

It starts with the right perspective.
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4. The Right Approach

We are far less rational than we admit. When we are challenged, our emotions flair up and our reason rushes in to justify our feelings.

The LGBTQ+ issue is highly charged and deeply emotional. We are all personally affected. In this case, we cannot approach this rationally. While I believe the Bible draws unambiguous lines around right and wrong sexuality, making this case like a courtroom lawyer is very unlikely to change anyone's mind.

Jesus spoke the truth, but He knew that mercy - not judgment - leads to change.
As Paul says in Romans 2:4, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”

Jesus’ design for our lives is not arbitrary or cruel. He desires for us to flourish. He wants us to experience maximum joy. To deviate from His plan is to usher pain and destruction into our lives.

But Jesus’ designs will not make sense until we know and trust that He loves us and wants what is best for us. How can we know this?

The Cross.

We start with the Gospel because this unequivocally demonstrates that a God willing to sacrifice what was most precious to Him for us can be trusted.
Until we have experienced this love, we will interpret religious injunctions as cruel, limiting, and arbitrary.

It always starts with Jesus.
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Additional Resources:
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People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality Is Not Just an Issue - Preston Sprinkle
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Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Love and Sexuality - Nancy Pearcey

Is God Anti-Gay? - Sam Allberry