STAFF DIRECTOR RESOURCE Human Sexuality Reframing 1.The church is counter-cultural. This is normal, historical, Bibical and revitalizes the Church, We should not be surprised that we are called to be counter-cutural, Many wil object, but this is not new. Rather than compromising ur ethics we should pray that God would open the eyes and ears of those who oppose. 2. Authonty of Scripture and the historical global orthodox position on human sexuality. (Bruce's argument). Who are we to challenge God's way of revealing truth by making any community or new social science discovery the higher authonty? We should be careful about letting our theology be formed from human enterprises (modern Science, enlightenment, modern progress, my identity, or any one community) 3. Thisis the issue of our day and we should be developing apologetics for this. Just ike the Church has dene in Wwith other “frightening issues” that have challenged the Church, Ephesianfertity gods, Martyrdom, The rise of Islam, Evolutionism, Secularism. In 10 years, wo will have a new issue, and the Church will be doing this again 4. Churches, missions’ organizations, Para-churches etc., wil all have to sort this outin the next few years. Some’ will choose the historical global orthodox position, others will choose the ravisionst position. The ones that go for revision wil probably decline because if they follow the trajectory of mainline churches they will also compromise on ‘ther beliefs and have nothing to stand for down the road. (This is what happened to the Student Christian Movement over the doctrine of the atonement), But, it may intense for this season, but not forever 5. “Ibelieve, help me with my unbelief.” If we give people help, hey will believe. There are helpful apologetics fn why God can be trusted to define human sexuality and not our culture, And, there are helpful social science and political science reasons for trusting God on this. These have been rather late in coming, but they are available Row. A few talking points give Christians hope 6. We can be loyal to God and care about all image-beare 7. Principled pluralism points. Every perspective has an agenda that hopes to persuade. In this way, we are no) Gifferent that a revisionist group that hopes fo change IVCF. Both sides wish the other would change their views, It Can be frustrating thatthe other side is perceived as open, tolerant, non-judgmental, etc. Both sides have closed theie minds to their position. They cannot win the argument by appealing o slogans, This is called the thetoric of relativism, 8. Thore are spiritual forces at play. We should not discount or be surprisod that this is a spiritual battle (as we have leamed in the race conversation 10, If the historical global orthodox perspective is God's best for people, then we are in danger of sinning against same-sex attracted students by not showing them what God would want them to do, And as leaders we are, Tesponsible to not lead inthis materia. To not lead isto let the culture set the standards, 11. New isn't always the best. Sometimes its radical and activist, prophetic and progressive to call people back to forgotten right living. Ezra and finding the Bible, Jesus to the Sadducees. Jesus in Mark 10 does not offer a private (updated opinion), but appeals to scripture from Genesis 1-2. Acts 15, Paul refers “back” toa seripture to guide their thinking, 412. Love, justice, holiness. We are strong in the first two, and weak inthe thd. All are essential, Sprinkle: “God never promised to answer all our questions or make us happy on earth, Only when we are raised anew wil God's Word match our experience, and all our suffering, pain, confusion, and doubt will fade into eternal biss” The holy ‘otherness of God is something we have to come to terms with 43, People like Wesley Hill challenge all believers in Lordship and discipleship. We all have things we have to surrender to Jesus 44. We are inthis situation in America because we live in a sex-crazed society, and sexuality is seen as the most Jimportant issue. This was not true in even the recent past. And, the Church seems to have made an idol out of ‘marriage (in response?), and this is not helpful for believers. We should be sooking Christ and His Kingdom and not striving after the idols of sexuality or marriage,