Watch out for the “E” Buzz Words, evolving and enlightened, regarding homosexuality.

Too often the use of the terms “evolving and/or enlightened” points to an individual that views same-sex attracted men and women as born gay, and while reaching out with compassion may consciously dismiss holiness and righteousness in the process.

Today, within the Christian community, there is a great divide over homosexuality. While some in the Christian community state that homosexuality is an abomination and completely reject homosexual men and women, others believe homosexuality is wonderful and encourage homosexual behavior. Those encouraging homosexual practices have all but reinvented theology with a newfound “pro-gay theology.”

For the most part, those employing Scripture to support homosexual practice have largely revised certain passages in light of “new and supposed” scientific evidence. One example is, “We now understand that people are born homosexual and therefore we should endorse both homosexual behavior and relationships.” Any attempt to state that Scripture clearly communicates homosexual men and women are born that way is a blatant misuse and contradiction of Scripture.

Frankly, any endorsement or condemnation of homosexuality misses the mark entirely. Today, the Church is in desperate need of clarifying its view of the individual struggling with same-gender attraction.

While many church and denominational doctrines still teach and promote the biblical view of sexuality – marriage is meant for one man and one woman, and all sex outside of marriage is incompatible with Christian teaching and conduct – others are lowering the bar and conforming to a rapidly changing social trend of the acceptance of homosexuality and incorporating those beliefs into church doctrine. Revising theology on the topic of homosexuality has become fashionable citing “old ways are not applicable to new understandings; therefore we must conform to a more modern view.”

Many churches and denominations have thankfully repented of their harsh treatment of homosexuals but have also allowed the pendulum to swing to the opposite extreme – acceptance of both sin and sinner. Many find it easier to go to the extreme left or right, rather than committing to finding a Biblical resolution to the crisis we face regarding homosexuality and related issues. As a result, the divide that most definitely exists within the Church regarding homosexuality continues to grow.

If you are not condemning then you are immediately put in the liberal camp. Very few churches have yet to realize there is another way. Neither condemnation nor acceptance of their sin is helpful to the person caught in the dilemma of same-gender attraction. The way out of the intense battle of homosexuality is often a long process which most definitely requires love, understanding, and discipleship from and by the Church.

Having once sat on the other side of the fence (Gay is good!), I can personally attest to the fact and reality that the Church has treated homosexual persons abominably. In many, many respects, we the Church owe the gay community an enormous apology. That said, instead of repenting to the gay community, many churches and denominations are throwing the baby out with the bathwater by revising theology without truly understanding what drives homosexual behavior.

Instead of taking advantage of becoming educated about same-gender attraction, they are succumbing to political pressure and giving in to social trends by endorsing homosexual behavior. The bottom line – everyone loses! An abundance of homosexual men and women think they are finally getting what they want and deserve, but will this tactic truly give them what they need?

While I have stated it before, I believe it needs repeating, The Church must not underestimate itself, it holds the only answer there is to this difficult issue. We continue to say that God can do the impossible, but do we still believe it?

Ultimately, by pursuing acceptance through revising theology on homosexuality, special legislation, and the relentless spin on homosexuality by the media, men and women struggling with homosexuality and lesbianism will never experience the love and peace they so desperately seek and deserve.

There is no doubt that homosexual activists have devised a brilliant strategic plan to gain greater and greater acceptance. Much of the plan has been based upon a belief that homosexuals were born with same-gender attraction and change is not possible. Tragically, the strategy is working.

We can and must reverse current trends regarding homosexuality through education and understanding. Indeed, acceptance is a vital issue to all people and we must be accepting of the wounded person, but we can never accept a theology or a way of life that flies in the face of God’s Word. Frankly, to lack compassion in this area is to be out of step with God.

We must not allow any misguided desire to extend mercy while potentially causing us to surrender our right to judge right from wrong. It is time to bring understanding and clarity to the issue of homosexuality. It is only through understanding and compassion that we can resolve the many controversies and confusion surrounding homosexuality. It is up to you and me to reach out in love realizing the homosexual issue will never be solved by politics, science, or the media.

Ultimately, revising theology to support or endorse homosexual behavior in any form or to any degree minimizes The Church as the last bastion of hope to the man or woman with unwanted same-sex attraction.

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

His Way Out has been faithfully ministering to men and women seeking a way out of sexually broken lifestyles since 1994. We could not do it without the support of Christians like you. Every dollar that you give to His Way Out Ministries helps to further this vital ministry. Won’t you take a minute to prayerfully consider a monthly donation to His Way Out? Please consider making a one-time donation or set up a secure monthly PayPal contribution on our donation page at https://www.hiswayout.com/donate/. Thank you, Pastor Phillip Lee

As a Christian, I must be obedient and involved in the full purposes of God which will often cause many to be offended.

However, being obedient to Jesus never brings dishonor to Him.

The only thing that dishonors Him is not obeying Him. I believe an appropriate question for the Church today regarding the many cultural issues is, “Am I being loyal to the notions of Jesus, or loyal to Him?”

Tragically, there are those today trying to find compromises with conceptions that never came from Him.

Yes, God is more than able to change our life, but He requires our obedience and participation. Unfortunately, we live in a world today that seeks, if not demands, a simple and natural explanation for just about everything. Anytime we look to the world for definitive answers, we place ourselves on shifting sand.

When a person who was once controlled by his sin is now free from that sin and engaged in a new kind of life pattern, hasn’t change occurred? Oswald Chambers states in My Utmost for His Highest, “A man is a slave for obeying unless behind his obedience there is recognition of a holy God.”

Indeed, obedience is much better than sacrifice. However, the wonderful hymn, “I Surrender All,” does not seem to be at the top of the charts today.

“I tell you the truth unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25 NIV)

Holiness, godliness, and spiritual discipline should be, must be the distinctive marks of the true Church. Jesus prayed that His people be kept in truth: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

Compromising God’s Word, His Truth, or withholding His Truth only leads to greater unity with the world and not His Church.

As Christians, may we never forget that while our obedience to the Great Commission may cost us personally, the good news of spiritual deliverance through Jesus Christ remains an important and vital resource that Christians must share.

On God’s truth is where the Church must stand.

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

His Way Out has been faithfully ministering to men and women seeking a way out of sexually broken lifestyles since 1994. We could not do it without the support of Christians like you. Every dollar that you give to His Way Out Ministries helps to further this vital ministry. Won’t you take a minute to prayerfully consider a monthly donation to His Way Out? Please consider making a one-time donation or set up a secure monthly PayPal contribution on our donation page at https://www.hiswayout.com/donate/. Thank you, Pastor Phillip Lee

While those words correctly define my personal reality regarding homosexual practice, my friends did not survive.

If you are experiencing same-sex attraction and are considering embracing the feelings and attractions of such, before jumping into a behavior and identity with highly probable and serious consequences, please get the facts – all the facts.

Sexual pleasure, good in and of itself within the proper context, is nevertheless not an essential requirement for human well-being.

Today, there is no guarantee that social policy is exempt from foolishness. Ultimately, the social pressure that exists to protect “gay” from discrimination has resulted in a tragically dangerous code.

While I personally deplore any and all forms of “gay-bashing” and other hate crimes against homosexuals, the extreme medical risks and the fundamental psychological problems often associated with homosexual practice, cannot be undermined or dismissed.

Today, in America, very little is being offered which promotes the truth about homosexuality and the general public is slowly but certainly beginning to believe the many untruths with regard to the topic of homosexuality. This did not happen by accident.

In December 1973, by a narrow vote, homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) by the American Psychiatric Association. The vote was not based upon scientific research but on political pressure from homosexual activists. So much for an individual’s right of self-determination to address their unwanted homosexual feelings and behavior. In a nutshell, the problem is the politicization of psychiatry, psychology, and most definitely, the Bible, to the extent that the freedom to investigate and treat homosexuality has been and continues to be under serious attack.

During my 17 years yeas as ‘gay,’ I personally witnessed far too many lives devastated and some taking their own lives over the celebration of ‘gay.’ In each and every case the ruin and carnage was not brought about by the individual trying to resolve their same-gender attraction.

Personally-speaking, it is a fact because of very real discrimination, homosexual activists created a brilliant strategic plan to gain across-the-board acceptance. Yet their plan was and is based upon a flawed paradigm to persuade people they were born with same-gender attraction and they cannot change. This strategy has worked. But the biggest losers just may be homosexual men and women who may get everything they think they want, but will they be denied what they truly need?

The welfare of both individuals and society as a whole depends upon our facing reality honestly, compassionately and courageously – which requires facts – all the facts.

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Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

His Way Out has been faithfully ministering to men and women seeking a way out of sexually broken lifestyles since 1994. We could not do it without the support of Christians like you. Every dollar that you give to His Way Out Ministries helps to further this vital ministry. Won’t you take a minute to prayerfully consider a monthly donation to His Way Out? Please consider making a one-time donation or set up a secure monthly PayPal contribution on our donation page at https://www.hiswayout.com/donate/. Thank you, Pastor Phillip Lee

His Way Out Ministries Podcasts are dedicated to equipping, educating, and encouraging the Body of Christ to reach out and minister to individuals, families, and churches impacted by the brokenness of same-sex attraction.

Pastor Phillip Lee

Season 2, Episode 20
Keep trying, loving, praying, and looking for ways to reach gay-identified neighbors, friends, and loved ones. In doing so, regardless how they may respond, you will be living out God’s heart. We are called to sacrificial love, to love in the same way Christ loves us.

“As faithful followers of Christ Jesus, we should never sidestep either truth or grace but speak clear truth about every issue and extend grace to every person. This, I believe, is what the Church is called to be, and I am convinced it is what people are looking for today. It was a church like this that saved my life.” – Phillip Lee

Listen online or download the podcast.

Don’t Walk On Eggshells! – Download MP3 –

All past episodes of His Way Out Ministries Radio Broadcast are available by following THIS LINK or selecting the “Audio Podcast” category to the right.

You are sitting in church, listening to your pastor.

You are following along and taking notes on the very relevant topic of same-sex attraction because what is being shared is not only relevant to our culture but to you personally.

Sitting in church surrounded by fellow believers you are pretty comfortable and content.

But now, you have the task if not the monumental challenge of facing the son or daughter that sees nothing wrong with homosexual practice and is involved in a same-sex relationship.

You are now the one that gets to flesh out the truth you now know. How is that done? What do you do? What don’t you do?

What does representing Christ Jesus in this matter look like?

First and foremost, let’s put even this crisis in its proper context. Embrace the promise of Romans 8:28 that God makes everything – even calamities – work for our good.

• My first encouragement is to learn as much as you can about the causes of homosexuality. Simply knowing it is wrong is not even close to being enough.
• Don’t run the matter into the ground every time you see your son or daughter. Often, there can be a good reason(s) for not dealing with a problem right now.
• Do everything you can to keep the lines of communication open and maintain your relationship. If you feel you have been batting your head against the wall seeking resolution of ‘the problem,’ take a rest. It may not be God’s time to deal with the issue.
• Make sure your son or daughter is aware of your belief and position regarding homosexual practice. Heaven knows, God can deal with and use our mistakes but He cannot deal with our inaction. Be clear and precise.
• Do not argue about homosexuality. The very moment the conversation erupts into anger – drop it! Badgering will only produce pushing the individual in the wrong direction. Many problems and issues in life are often solved very indirectly; not when we are consciously dealing with them, but when we are going about our normal lives.
• It is imperative to distinguish between “acceptance and approval.” It is important to separate, both in our own minds and to our loved ones, their individual worth from the acts of homosexuality they may be committing.
• Stay completely away from Christian cliches such as: “God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” and “Love the sinner but hate the sin.” Christian cliches only reinforce the belief of many with same-sex attraction that the Christian community is unwilling to truly educate themselves on the complexities of same-sex attraction.
• Do not hesitate to admit when and where the Church has been wrong with regard to men and women with same-sex attraction. We, the Church, have made mistakes and in some cases owe the gay community an apology.
• Refrain from attacking the character of homosexuals when discussing homosexuality. Keep to the real issue: “The real issue is whether or not homosexual practice is, in and of itself, moral.”
• Do not be discouraged if your conversations do not produce instant fruit. What we will answer to God for is speaking truth lovingly and plainly – not for how our loved one responds.
• Be relentless in looking for every opportunity to share it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the indwelling presence of His Spirit which is the foundation needed to overcome same-sex attraction.
• Release control. Let God decide how to bring freedom. God is the only One who can bring about change in the homosexual.
• Let the son, daughter and everyone know that God has a reputation of transforming trapped people with damaged sexualities. “And such were some of you” applies to all Christians who had formerly participated in homosexuality. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
• And, remember, those entangled in sin, of course, will have weak faith, so be merciful to those who doubt.(Jude 22)

Somewhere I read, “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”

When Jesus Christ is “there,” life has infinite possibilities.

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

His Way Out has been faithfully ministering to men and women seeking a way out of sexually broken lifestyles since 1994. We could not do it without the support of Christians like you. Every dollar that you give to His Way Out Ministries helps to further this vital ministry. Won’t you take a minute to prayerfully consider a monthly donation to His Way Out? Please consider making a one-time donation or set up a secure monthly PayPal contribution on our donation page at https://www.hiswayout.com/donate/. Thank you, Pastor Phillip Lee