Is God anti-gay?
With the government now having legislated to allow for same-sex marriage and a growing number of church leaders voicing support for same-sex relationships, there’s growing confusion in the Church and an increasing loss of confidence in God’s word as the ultimate authority over all issues of faith and practice. In this context the temptation is either to retreat and become ashamed of gospel teaching on human sexuality, or simply to go on the offensive and focus exclusively on protesting and lobbying parliament. We need to remain completely faithful to God’s word and have confidence that the gospel is good news for those who struggle with same sex attraction or identify themselves as gay.
In this video Sam Allberry, who is associate Pastor of St Mary’s Church in Maindenhead and who struggles with same sex attraction talks about the bible teaches about homosexuality. This will help us understand what the bible says, equip us to respond to the prevailing cultural trends in a Christ-like way, and to minister grace and truth to those for whom this is a personal issue. Sam has also written an excellent book on this subject, it is extremely well written, easy to understand, only 83 pages long and just £3. This is available at the back of the main hall, online or as a download from ibooks.
“Sam Allberry’s book Is God Anti-Gay? is truly marvellous. Sam writes from the perspective of a pastor who himself struggles with same sex attraction. This makes the book more compassionate and compelling. Sam’s humanity shines through every page; his understanding of weakness undergirds the whole; his compassion for those facing that which he himself faces each day is deeply moving. Those unconvinced by the simplistic pieties of reparative therapy and who are looking for something more biblical will find much helpful material here. This book would make an excellent resource for pastors and elders to keep on hand, given that this is an issue which is set to become more, not less, significant and contentious.” —Carl R. Trueman, Reformation21 blog
“This an excellent book. It is real and sensitive, bold and biblical. It pulls no punches but is never strident or angular. Sam is clearly writing from the heart, and with a heart for Christ, his people and the world.” —Steve Timmis, Director Acts 29 Europe
“This short book is outstanding. Sam Allberry handles people carefully, texts wisely and issues sensitively, and the result is a supremely helpful book on perhaps the most challenging issue western Christians face today. I highly recommend it.” —Andrew Wilson, pastor and blogger at thinktheology.co.uk