How do we witness to the LGBT community?

[Magenta]

You are free to start another thread.

No thanks, not really my thing. But being homosexual is not a sin. If you want to witness to the gay population, you need to at least start with that bit of info.

 

[JFSurvivor]

No thanks, not really my thing. But being homosexual is not a sin. If you want to witness to the gay population, you need to at least start with that bit of info.

Well we can go into this conversation in another thread but I believe it is a sin. So let's move on now.

 

[blondieindahouse]

Actually, it might surprise you how many people right here believe that is EXACTLY the way to act. So, get ready for the onslaught of those kinds of replies.(No, I'm not one of them.)

What you just did here is focus on the negative and provided absolutely nothing to the solution but your two cents worth of nothing. .You may have actually answered her questions instead of elevating yourself while you ridicule those whom you disagree with their methods! Dont you have the answers?

 

[blondieindahouse]

No thanks, not really my thing. But being homosexual is not a sin. If you want to witness to the gay population, you need to at least start with that bit of info.

Did you just say homosexuality is not sin?

 

[blondieindahouse]

My approach has been to be myself and accept them for who they are. I'm not judged for what they choose to do. But if the topic comes up, I let them know what I believe. I used to know a couple of lesbians who lived on a farm. I'd help them out for haircuts. I never verbalized my faith, but I knew they knew I was a Christian because I'm sure the friend I met them through told them. They eventually split up, and the last time I saw the one that left, there was a bible on her nightstand at the house she was staying. I guess I should have inquired more, but I didn't.

Your response sounds like the universal emergent approach. Why didnt you tell them about the freedom in Christ? Why didnt you teach them the gospel? Christ has instructed us to go out and spread the gospel. Seems like you were more concerned in giving them haircuts than telling them the truth in the word. smh...

 

[MYSAVIORJESUSCHRIST]

---For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.--Romans 1:26-27

I can't argue with the Word of God. (well you could but it's not changing nor is it worth anyone's time trying to do so)

 

[Magenta]

---For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.--Romans 1:26-27

I can't argue with the Word of God. (well you could but it's not changing nor is it worth anyone's time trying to do so)

The mere fact of being homosexual is not a sin any
more than the mere fact of being human is a sin.

 

[Willie-T]

What you just did here is focus on the negative and provided absolutely nothing to the solution but your two cents worth of nothing. .You may have actually answered her questions instead of elevating yourself while you ridicule those whom you disagree with their methods! Dont you have the answers?

In working professionaly in this area for 24 years, "No", I do not have a set of pat answers to give. Each person, each case, and each time you converse with a particular individual homosexual person, The Holy Spirit may have you saying different things and in different ways.

What I told her to be aware of, and to be ready for was that certain people on here honestly only understand doing one thing, one way.

 

[blondieindahouse]

"Yes", it's very sad. But many "Christians" honestly feel that they are operating from "love" to make sure that whoever they are preaching at, be they Homosexual, or whatever, get the full impact of just what loathsome and defiled filth they are. If this turns them off, "Too bad", the Christian knows they "Did their duty" and delivered God's message. From that moment on, they are fully justified, and it all rests on the head of "the sinner."

Its all in the delivery and following the leading of the Holy Spirit! Some are chosen to do it and some arent. You are not one of them that is bold enough to do it I suppose. Talking to a lost soul in a cafe is no different than street ministry.
It is LOVING to tell a person about Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins. It is UNLOVING to stay quiet .

 

[blondieindahouse]

In working professionaly in this area for 24 years, "No", I do not have a set of pat answers to give. Each person, each case, and each time you converse with a particular individual homosexual person, The Holy Spirit may have you saying different things and in different ways.

What I told her to be aware of, and ready for was that certain people on here honestly only understand doing one thing, one way.

What you did is focus on the negative while elevating your own self. Theres no other way to slice it.

 

[Willie-T]

Its all in the delivery and following the leading of the Holy Spirit! Some are chosen to do it and some arent. You are not one of them that is bold enough to do it I suppose. Talking to a lost soul in a cafe is no different than street ministry.
It is LOVING to tell a person about Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins. It is UNLOVING to stay quiet .

See, JF? Here is precisely one of the sad, "beat them with a Bible", replies I was preparing you for.

 

[Budman]

"Well if I'm gay am I going to hell?"

People go to hell for breaking God's laws. We are all guilty before Him.

"I was born this way and I can't change."

No one is born homosexual. There isn't a shred of scientific proof for that. You may feel you cannot change, but you can deny yourself and not practice homosexuality. The same way single heterosexual Christians will deny themselves and not commit fornication.

"What if I'm a good person? Would God still send me to hell for being gay?"

There are no "good" people. Not a single one. And again, you don't go to hell for being gay - people go to hell for being a lawbreakers.

 

[JFSurvivor]

See, JF? Here is precisely one of the sad, "beat them with a Bible", replies I was preparing you for.

I see. :-(

 

[blondieindahouse]

Lead by example. Be compassionate but do not yield to their adultery. Identify yourself as Christian. Be ready to answer questions and be resolute.

The thing about witnessing is, it's communication, and "communication is a two-way street". Sometimes, indeed, you can reach someone by walking into a restaurant and talking to the air. Someone will probably hear you, and maybe these times are when real miracles happen, but we should not pretend we can perform miracles on demand. In order to communicate, you must speak and they must be listening, not just hearing, but listening. Speaking to them as if they're a brick wall is not communicating and thus not purposefully witnessing. They need to somehow be ready for the message.

I hope this helps. I run into the same thing often.

It is the delivery that counts as well as being a willing servant for Christ which is praying that the Holy Spirit lead us in this area as well.

1Peter 3:15
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

2 Timothy 2:25

He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

 

[crossnote]

1. "Well if I'm gay am I going to hell?"

2. "I was born this way and I can't change. Why would God condemn me?"

3. "What if I'm a good person? Would God still send me to hell for being gay?"

1. You are going to hell, as anyone else, if you have not embraced Jesus as your Savior.

2. We are all born as sinful, we all need a Savior, no excuse.

3.There is none good, only Jesus was Good, see #1.

 

[Budman]

See, JF? Here is precisely one of the sad, "beat them with a Bible", replies I was preparing you for.

Willie, it is not unloving to tell them God's truth. Maybe if we stop babying this generation, we'll see a greater harvest for the Kingdom.

 

[JFSurvivor]

Willie, it is not unloving to tell them God's truth. Maybe if we stop babying this generation, we'll see a greater harvest for the Kingdom.

babying? in what way?

 

[Utah]

Did you just say homosexuality is not sin?

I may be wrong but . . .

I think Magenta is saying being homosexual is not a sin (if one leads a celibate life).

 

[blondieindahouse]

So I'm sitting here at my college and I heard a conversation between some students. They were talking about someone's sexual preferances. I got to thinking, "what would be an effective way to witness to them?" I don't plan on going up and just talking about Jesus right off the bat but just how would we witness to the LGBT community?

So first, we all know being gay, transgender, ect. is a sin. That's not the debate here. If you disagree with that statement you are free to start a new thread.

Second, the LGBT community has a lot of questions that are very legit. How would we go about answering them in a loving way?

Here are some questions I have heard:

"Well if I'm gay am I going to hell?"

"I was born this way and I can't change. Why would God condemn me?"

"What if I'm a good person? Would God still send me to hell for being gay?"

These are all legit questions and unless we know how to answer them effectivly with equal parts truth and love we will never reach a very hurt community.

So what are your thoughts? Because we can't just throw the cold hard truth in their faces. That would send them running to the hills. But we can't sacrifice truth for love either. We need to love them while being truthful. How do we do that?

Hi there,
This is what you could have done. I should say that this IS WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE.... The hard truth can be delivered with a soft approach.

I would have taken that conversation as an opportunity to speak out the truth in gentleness and love. First, I would have prayed for God to season my speech and to water what I am about to say. I would pray thatt the Lord use me and teach me in the hour. I would have prayed his will be done over the gospel tracts .

Then, I would have gotten up from my chair,pulled out some gospel tracks out of my purse I have for that age group, and walked over with a huge smile on my face. I would have leaned in and said "hey I heard what you guys were talking about and I just wanted you to know that God says he created man for woman and woman for man" All have fallen short of the glory of Christ. God tells us that noone is righteous. We are all filthy sinners without accepting through faith the grace freely given by him atoning for our sins on the cross.

Then I would have slid the gospel tracts across the table and said" Christ died for you too. He saves us from the debt our sins put on us. He paid it freely because of his vast love for the world. Christ is the only way to the Father. He is the only living God. Just come to him as you are. He will take it from there! We can all be free. Im around campus if you ever want to talk. Okay, so I hope you all have a great day!

Thank you for letting me tell you about Jesus. Then, I would have walked away the same way I walked into their space;smiling and with gentleness.

Its all in the delivery~

In that short discourse; several diff scriptures went into their space!

All God is looking for is willing servants! He will handle the rest by your willingness to speak it out. He will carry you.It can be a lil scary at times Ill admit but then I just remember :

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I love these gospel tracts. They tell about a 19 yr old who died four days after she accepted Christ as her savior. Her parents are using her death as a way to spread the truth . I just think these are probably one of the best tracts out there and they are FREE. You get 100 and just pay shipping. Ive had no offense related to me when I hand people one of these. The pic on the front is inviting. Sometimes,God will just have me say something like " Here,I wanted to give you one of these to look at when you get some free time. Its about a young gal named Kristen who had a brain breed and died. She went to be with Jesus"

http://www.kristinsfriends.com/free-gospel-tracts.html



What is important is that YOU are willing. God will use you for his glory,honor, and praise. Its the motivation in your heart and finally once again;delivery!

Blessings

 

[Vdp]

Is it a sin if you are a thief? Is it a sin if you are a liar?

NO!

Its a sin to steal and its a sin to lie, its not a sin if you have the desire to steal, its not a sin if you have the desire to lie.

Its our actions that makes us sinners.

If a person is attracted to another person of the same sex, that is not a sin, but if that person has sex with the other person it is a sin.

Do you see the difference? Its not about who we are its all about our actions!

If a Gay person comes to the Lord and accepts Him as their Lord and Savior that person is now a saved person and will enter into Heaven!

Are they still a Gay person? Yes they are still a Gay person! But they are now a Child of God!

You peoples need to understand God accepts us for who we are! He does not demand we change who we are, all He wants is for us to stop sinning and follow Him!

Its NOT who we are its what we do that God wants us to change.

Therefore being a Homosexual is NOT a sin, its having sex with another person of the same gender that is a sin!