speaking and sharing...

So often I shake my head wondering how I have become the person speaking with a microphone. Teaching about loving LGBTQ campers and staff while holding to a historical, Biblical sexual and gender ethic. It’s been quite a journey!

But these last couple months, I’ve had several opportunities to speak and share how Christian camping is uniquely poised to love, educate, and impact a generation of campers and staff.

And through this process to bring about a big “C” church transformation.

Not doctrine transformation.

Heart and love transformation.

Big ambitions, eh?

If you wanted to see the Evangelical Church changed, how would you go about it?

At the camp where I’ve worked for twenty two years we determined this very thing. Fourteen years ago, our three full time staff saw a gap in the way the church was transmitting knowledge related to a Biblical gender and sexual ethic. This gap resulted in congregations of well meaning people believing that there was a hierarchy in sexual sin- and that homosexual sin was the worst. Combined with an inability to articulate why God designed sex differences to be integral to marriage, we realised that we were in a generation of believers very susceptible to false doctrine.

We were susceptible because we didn’t understand the real deal. Like someone who identifies counterfeit currency by knowing the real bills so well, we needed to become believers who knew the Why’s behind. 

Behind two genders, and behind a male female marriage.

Once we understand the Why’s, we can practice sharing those Why’s in winsome, loving ways that draw people towards the Savior, not away.

So in our little corner of South Bend, Indiana, we began to teach our staff these Why’s. And we prayed that as we influenced our staff to learn well and love well, they would go back to their churches with a heart change. They would grow and become leaders in their churches, and eventually a culture would shift. It’s funny to think back to those early days.

All that to say, I’m sharing a link to a Webinar I had the opportunity of speaking on alongside a good friend, Hayley Mullins.

Check it out:

https://vimeo.com/user96670759/graceandtruthwebinar

Let me know what you think!

And while you are thinking…ponder what you could do in your corner of the world to impact church culture in the area of loving LGBTQ youth and adults.

Perhaps it’s making one LGBTQ friend. Perhaps it’s doing some reading and learning. I don’t know how the Lord might lead you- but I do know that He will lead you and give you opportunities to grow and change if you ask Him.

How do I know? You can read about it here!