I didn't note down his exact words but I believe The Revd Richard Coekin, who is pretty well-placed to know, argued at Bible By The Beach that the no. 1 reason why younger people in London today won't engage with the Biblical Gospel or evangelical churches is that they think of them as homophobic.
Do you think that's true? (Obviously there's sin and spiritual death and blindness and all that but....) And if so what are we gonna do about it?
Sunday, May 05, 2013
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I don't know if he's right but even if it's not #1, it's definitely a big issue. Easy to deal with though, by not being homophobic. By which I mean, Christians being properly sacrificially loving and being friends with and caring for the gay people they know.
Well, I'm not sure its so easy not to be seen as homophobic. I guess to many it seems wicked to say that homosexual sexual activity is wrong.
If you love people and are friends with them and care about them, they tend not to dismiss you as wicked for saying something they disagree with. If you say that but you don't also show that you love them, then yes, of course they will think of you as homophobic. My point is that the way we challenge it is in our individual relationships.
Yes, I'm sure that's part of it but it's hard for the world at large to see that often I guess
If not now, later.
Teens that I know are under enormous pressure on this issue and they need help with a) apologetics in this area b) practically applying what Ros is saying and c) persevering when being called all sorts of names.
It's also going to be a nightmare for Christian Unions and similar as you'll find lots of otherwise-evangelicals starting to treat the homosexuality issue in the same way as the women pastors/teachers issue and call it secondary.
Of course, this is just if we carry on on our current trajectory - God may do something surprising and turn this round before it gets to this.
Yes, thank you, Paul.
I am wondering about offering a one off evening on the subject here, but I guess its rather less of an issue relatively speaking for older people in the countryside, not to say that its not an issue.
Marc, I'm not all that worried about 'the world at large'. I'm much more concerned about individuals for whom this might be a barrier to faith. Why does it matter what 'the world at large' think of us?
Well, Mr Coekin thought it was the top issue for the world at large even if they are not personally touched by it etc. We would care wouldn't we if "everyone" thought that Christianity must be untrue and wicked 'cos it is racist, say?
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