“After Exodus International, the largest and most prominent ministry to address homosexuality, closed its doors in 2013, the public, both Christian and secular, became more skeptical about the possibility of homosexuals ‘going straight.’ As a result, a different approach developed, one in which someone who was Christian but same-sex attracted could still identify himself as ‘gay’ but also hold the historic, orthodox biblical view on sexuality. This new approach began showing itself through the writings of authors and teachers Wesley Hill, Nate Collins, Eve Tushnet, Gregory Coles, and Preston Sprinkle, among others. This approach was highlighted at the July 2018 Revoice Conference in St. Louis, a conference that underscored the chasm between those viewing homosexuality as a sin and identity to be renounced, versus those viewing it as a sin to commit but an identity to embrace. Gay Christians were the targeted participants of the conference, and many within the Christian church applauded. Many voiced concerns as well, particularly about the terms the conference employed. In addition to gay Christians, it referred to homosexuals as a sexual minority, advocated spiritual friendships as ways of satisfying unmet needs for deep bonding, extolled the community gay Christians created, and pondered the prophetic voice they had when rebuking the church’s idolatrous emphasis on marriage and family. The conference was birthed by a void felt decades ago when same-sex attracted believers felt they had no resource for ministry and support. While Exodus International met that need for years, its closing reintroduced the void, adding to it the question as to whether or not change is possible for Christians wrestling with homosexual temptations. Since much of the terminology used at Revoice squares poorly with Scripture, its terms should be avoided but its participants listened to as they describe a struggle the church should acknowledge. In so doing, Christians should reject the labels Revoice has proposed, while accepting the challenge to respond to their needs.” 

This  Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with Journal author Joe Dallas about his online-exclusive article “Part Two of a two-part series: Homosexuality and Modern Ministry: Examining Old Approaches and Assessing New Ones Part Two: Identity, Terminology, and the Revoice Conference“.

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