Posted on March 11, 2009 - by Stephen Murray
Being the ‘Few’ for the Homosexuals in our Midst
This is one of the most moving articles I’ve read in a long time. It is highly emotive yet completely sane and sobering providing people like me with a reality check on how I’m loving for and caring for those struggling around me. We’ve been wrestling with the concepts of ‘locving each other’ as we’ve gone through the upper room discourse in our Gospel Community and it’s been both a blessed yet difficult exercise at the same time as we wrestle with the implications. Well here’s and article that speaks right into the implications. Read it, absorb it and pray that God would break our callous hearts to love as his Son has loved us.
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Stephen Murray
Christian, husband to my beautiful Robin, missional dreamer, pastor, church planter, Arsenal, Sharks and Springbok supporter, surfer (in the real sea), patriotic South African, Capetonian. Find out more about the church planting work I'm involved in at my support blog.
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March 11, 2009
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Jenny Hillebrand said:
Yes, reading Henri Nouwen’s struggles broke my heart. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the book . . .
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March 11, 2009
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Ant said:
Very helpful article and challenging too. i am encountering more and more homosexuality within Christian circles than ever before. Guys that i speak to who struggle with it are exactly where this article places them: stuck between desire and devotion, desire for connection with people they are attracted to and their devotion to Jesus. One of the issues that is difficult to address when walking with a Homosexual Christian is; are you homosexual (ie your identity, your inner being, genetically etc) or are you someone who struggles with homosexuality? Its really tough for these guys and this article is extremely helpful, thanks, i’ll pass it on.
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March 11, 2009
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rachel said:
This was certainly interesting for me to read. I struggle with the concept I’ve learned since a child that homosexuality is a sin, period. That you aren’t born that way… that it is a choice one makes, even if hesitantly. I would compare it to other sins we may have more of a tendancy towards… name any addiction. And yet, I then have wondered if homosexuality may be something someone is born with because our world is fallen; we will always struggle with our flesh, the world, and the devil so is it possible for someone to be born this way?
Hmmm….
Never the less, we all need to seek the face of Jesus and ask him to show us compassion and how to love those struggling with this (because we all know we struggle with our own chosen addictions and idols!)
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March 12, 2009
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Stephen Murray said:
At the end of the day I’m not sure it actually matters whether or not one is socialized into having homosexual tendencies or if someone is born with them. What matters is response – response of the individual himself/herself and the response of the community around them. We should be expecting this world to be broken whether that means genetically or socially. At the same time we should be looking to and figuring out in community what it means follow Jesus who will ultimately restore all social and genetic ills. I think the article helps us in that challenge.
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March 12, 2009
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SamG said:
Very moving. Look forward to his book- should be very helpful to the church- who has largely dropped the ball in this massively needy area.
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March 23, 2009
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TCS said:
Being someone who struggles with homosexuality, I know how important it is to have those ‘few’ around me. If it wasn’t for them, I would be losing the extreme battle that I go through on a daily basis.