LGBTQ+ Inclusion & the Church

Let’s navigate a hard conversation about sexuality and the Church—one marked by generosity, curiosity, and deep engagement with Scripture. Our hope is to cultivate an imagination for what a Jesus-centered life looks like within a global Church that is fracturing under the weight of theological disagreement about LGBTQ+ inclusion.Journaling Prompts:What does being named and embraced as God’s beloved child stir up in you—resistance, hope, shame? Where does this come from?What has your experience of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church been? Where does it seem like God is present, where does it seem like God might be absent? What does your experience begin to teach you?What does a Jesus-centered life look like in the midst of disagreement? How might I contribute to unity without demanding uniformity?This Week’s Practice:Read Romans 8:14-17 slowly and spend about 5 minutes in God’s presence, reflecting on the truth that in Christ you are a child of God.Notice what thoughts, feelings, or prayers arise during this time, and bring them honestly before God.Close by reading Romans 8:14-17 once more and pray: “Spirit of God, lead me.”Resources: Historic ViewWashed and Waiting, by Wesley HillPeople to Be Loved, by Preston SprinkleThe Bible and Homosexual Practice, by Robert GagnonProgressive ViewCovenant and Calling, by Robert Song. Bible, Gender, Sexuality, James Brownson.Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships, by Karen Keen.