A Christian Posture Toward Pride Month

God created us male and female, in his own image to glorify him.

Because God is the creator of everything and everyone, it is God who has the authority to determine how life works best: what will lead to true joy, lasting happiness, and the complete flourishing of His creation. It was God who instituted marriage to be between one man and one woman for one lifetime. It was God who created sex for unity, joy, and oneness to be experienced exclusively within the confines of this marriage covenant. And it is from this deep unity between the first man and wife that God gives them a creation mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…” Genesis 1:28

But as we know, sin distorted and warped everything in God’s creation - including humanity (Genesis 3). The openness and intimacy Adam and Eve shared with one another - and with God - was shattered (Genesis 3:7). Even their desires - our desires - have been tainted by sin (Genesis 3:16). Part of living in a fallen world means that we look for deep soul satisfaction where it cannot be found. Part of living in a fallen world means that we continue to distort and warp God’s good gifts for fleeting pleasure, rather than how God intended them: for our greater joy, sanctification, and worship. We are people committed to our temporary joy, but God is a Father committed to our eternal joy.

Many followers of Jesus struggle with how to lovingly, thoughtfully, and clearly articulate what God’s Word teaches.

During Pride Month, our culture celebrates something that Christians believe is out of step with God’s design for sex and sexuality. How might we use this month to communicate the truths of Scripture to our children? Or engage Christians whose thoughts and feelings seem to be a departure from God’s Word and teaching? How should we lovingly engage our non-Christian neighbors, friends, and family members?

We pray the following resources will be helpful as you seek to love God and your neighbor this month and beyond.

How To Navigate Pride Month

From Jonathan Leeman’s post Pastor: Help Your Congregation Navigate Gay Pride Month

  • Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31

  • “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

    “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

    “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.” John 14:15, 21, 23-24

  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16

  • “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

    “Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1:32

  • Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

  • Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 14:13

Recommended Reading

How To Talk To Your Kids:

  • Teach at an age-appropriate level what the Bible says about marriage, gender, sex, and sexuality

  • Model wisdom and discernment about how you speak about these issues

  • Clarify truth, yet with love and compassion

  • Pray with and for your children, and pray for their friends

  • Ask for resources from Life Church Elders and Staff

“Talking to your children about sex, marriage, and same-sex marriage.” from:" Jena Starke, Krissie Inserra, Stephanie Goeke, Trillia Newbell

Talking to your children.