Pride — Life Church

A Christian Posture Toward Pride Month

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

God created us male and female in his own image to glorify Himself. But sin has warped and twisted everything in God’s good creation. One of the distorted realities of living in a broken world is that we celebrate what God hates: sin.

June is celebrated as Pride Month in our culture. And many Christians struggle with how to lovingly, thoughtfully, and clearly articulate what God’s Word teaches about sex, sexuality, marriage, and gender. Instead, we often rage or retreat.

Rather, how might we use this month to know and communicate the truths of God’s Word to our children? Or engage Christians whose thoughts and feelings seem to be a departure from God’s Word and teaching on this topic? How should we lovingly speak to non-Christian neighbors, friends, and family members when asked what we believe? How should we pray? How should we listen? How should we invite the conviction of the Holy Spirit to our own heart, and those who are celebrating Pride Month?

Because every person is a sinner, every person is also a sexual sinner.

(See Matthew 5:28-29)

The first man and woman were created innocent of sin, but rebelled against God and thus introduced sin and death into the human race. Consequently, all people have a sinful nature that has corrupted every aspect of their being; they are spiritually dead in their sins. Every sinner is wholly inclined toward evil and rebellion against God and can do nothing righteous in their own strength. As a result, all people are by nature servants of sin and under God’s wrath. They are subject to all of the harmful and deadly consequences of their sin both temporal and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus Christ sets them free through the message of the gospel. Only God’s grace in Jesus Christ can restore people to a right relationship with God.

“Sin” | From our Statement of Faith

See: Genesis 3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-19, 23; 5:12-21; 7:23-25; Ephesians 2:3-10; Hebrews 2:14-15; Titus 1:15; James 1:14-15

Instead of rage or retreat, how should Christians respond to Pride Month?

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

In Everything You Do, Love

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

Distinguish God’s Love From The World’s Love

“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

Never Lie

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

Never Affirm Evil

“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

Remember What You Were But Are No Longer By The Gospel

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

Do Not Pass Judgement On One Another

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

Video Resources

Helpful Articles

50 Resources for Equipping the Church on Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage

A Christian’s Posture towards Pride Month and LGBTQ+ People

How to Win the Public on Homosexuality

Sermons from the archive.

Various teachings from Life Church regarding marriage, sin, sexuality, and sex.

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

Ministering to your same-sex attracted friends.

Taken from Sam Allberry on “Ministering to Same Sex Attracted Friends.”

MINISTERING TO CHRISTIAN FRIENDS

Create a culture where it is safe to talk about struggles
Pray for and with them
Recover a Biblical view of friendship (at a soul level, not just at a social level)
Practice Biblical hospitality
Recognize that loneliness may be more of a daily battle than sexual temptation

MINISTERING TO NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS