Every missionary journey begins with learning. Each missionary needs to first study and understand the history, culture, language, and customs of a particular people group. The LGBTQ+ community is also considered an unreached people group in need of the gospel Today.1 Homosexuality is now common and can be encountered in schools, workplaces, and families.
Generation Z Americans, those born between 1997 and 2004, are significantly more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ compared to older generations. Nearly 19.7% of Gen Z adults identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, according to recent Gallup data. This figure is nearly double that of Millennials (around 10%) and quadruple that of Generation X (about 5%). This trend indicates a broader increase in LGBTQ+ identification, especially among younger people.
Increasingly, pastors, youth ministers, and parents are encountering young people re-evaluating their gender or sexual orientation. When discussing issues related to homosexuality, how can we respond in a way that opens the door to further conversation, rather than shutting down the possibility of hope? How can we answer in a way that touches the essence of the gospel and invites Jesus into their lives?
Today, Chinese parents are not equipped to address certain sensitive issues. To meet today’s challenges, churches and Christians need to know how to address these issues from a biblical perspective and with Christ’s love. Ambassadors for Christ hopes that churches can courageously face these issues and teach and shepherd believers according to biblical truth. For believers who acknowledge biblical truth but still struggle, the church should find ways to provide care, support, and counseling. There is currently no evidence proving that homosexual tendencies are innate, but even if these tendencies develop later in life, changing them is often not easy. We should recognize the real struggles of homosexual believers, many of which stem from environmental factors such as family issues, abuse, or bullying.
The church can initiate and promote ministries that shepherd homosexual believers, offering acceptance and companionship. Additionally, for those who wish to change their homosexual tendencies, the church can provide support, such as individual psychological counseling and support groups. Real change in homosexual tendencies is possible, especially for believers who value their relationship with God and have a strong willingness to change.
In this era of tumultuous gender issues, Christians need to learn to break free from media frameworks and stereotypes, to accurately recognize and understand their homosexual friends. Only then can they further engage with this community in truth and love as Christ did. Over the past few years Ambassadors for Christ has invited Taiwan Rainbow 7 Association (台灣走出埃及輔導協會) from Taiwan to offer online training courses titled “Walking an Extra Mile with Them” to help people understand and care for those who have same sex attraction. We are grateful for the support and feedback from our brothers and sisters, including pastors and parents. Many have shared how this training has been a great help and has contributed significantly to their growth.
Participant Testimonials
I now have a deeper understanding of homosexuals or those with same sex attraction tendency, as well as their families, from various perspectives. In the future, I will see them as I see everyone else, with the only difference being that their backgrounds and the help they need are different. We should accept them as we accept other brothers and sisters in Christ.
I am very grateful to Ambassadors for Christ for providing this training course. In the past, I viewed issues related to homosexuality and transgenderism purely from a perspective of biblical truth, without understanding them from the angle of God’s grace. Due to the current trends in society, homosexuality and transgenderism have created significant waves in politics, family, education, and the home. God’s family should not completely conform to society’s acceptance or do nothing; on the other hand, not discussing these issues is also not an option. The occurrence of such deviations is related to the normalcy and harmony of family relationships. For me, this training course has changed my perspective on these matters and made me more concerned about the church’s family ministry.
I have gained insight into the inner world of homosexuals, broadening my understanding of this unique group. I realized that the reasons people enter into homosexuality are multifaceted, which has helped me to view them with a missionary’s perspective rather than one of condemnation.
The most impactful lesson I learned was to refer to them as “those who experience same-sex attraction” rather than labeling them. We should care for and accompany them based on their individual needs, just as we do with other groups, because our shared goal is to know the truth and pursue a holy life.
This training has given me a more intuitive understanding of the homosexual and transgender movements, adjusting some of my previous viewpoints.
I have learned about the complexities of gender identity disorders and transgenderism, which has also helped me better understand how, as Christians, we can love the LGBTQ community.
This training has given me a clearer understanding of these topics and has provided me with practical, proactive methods to address these issues in a way that aligns with Christian principles.
The church should not play a defensive role; instead, it should be proactive in teaching and guiding, especially when it comes to young people.
This September, Taiwan Rainbow 7 Association will come to the United States to share. They will be at Rutgers Community Christian Church in Somerset, New Jersey (September 21-22) and at LOGOS Evangelical Seminary in El Monte, California, in the Los Angeles area (September 28-29). The Discipleship Resources Center of the AFC invites you to take a step of faith and participate in this seminar on “Understanding and Caring for Homosexuals”! If you are church leaders, pastors, youth ministers, parents, and believers who are involved in the church and ministry work, this workshop is for you! (Please note: the event will be in Mandarin.)
Content to be shared:
- Theological perspectives on those who experience same-sex attraction
- Defining and understanding the causes of same-sex attraction
- How to accompany those who experience same-sex attraction
- Caring for the parents of those who experience same-sex attraction
- Caring for contemporary youth
- How to share the gospel with the LGBTQ community
- Issues related to transgenderism
- Testimony A – A gay man’s journey to marriage
- Testimony B – The family of someone who experiences same-sex attraction
- Testimony C – Transgenderism and same-sex marriage
- Testimony D – A lesbian’s journey of awakening and restoration
We hope that through these sharings, we can better understand this group and further engage with this contemporary unreached people group with Christ’s truth and love.
Click here to register and get more event details!
Editor’s note: This article was originally written in Chinese and was translated and edited by the ChinaSource team with permission.
Endnotes
Image credit: Shamblen Studios via UnSplash+.
Angela Lin
Originally from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Angela Lin grew up with her parents and an older brother. She accepted Christ during her high school years. Angela holds a PhD in education with a focus on curriculum and instruction from Kent State University in Ohio. She met her spouse, whom she believes was …View Full Bio
Are you enjoying a cup of good coffee or fragrant tea while reading the latest ChinaSource post? Consider donating the cost of that “cuppa” to support our content so we can continue to serve you with the latest on Christianity in China.