It wasn’t compromise that drove people away—it was our lack of emotional intelligence.
We didn’t lose them to a movement. We lost them to someone who listened.
– David, find your ink
A Painful Truth We Must Face
There’s a difficult truth the Church needs to confront, and yes—it’s going to sting:
We are one of the major contributors to the rise of the LGBTQ movement.
Not because we changed our theology. Not because we stopped preaching truth. But because we lacked emotional intelligence—and in doing so, we misrepresented the heart of Christ.
The Silence That Speaks Loudest
Imagine this:
A young boy begins to feel sexually attracted to other boys. He’s scared. Confused. Desperate for answers. He turns to the people he trusts most—his Christian parents.
But instead of love, he’s met with panic. Instead of grace, he’s silenced.
“We don’t talk about that here.”
The message becomes clear: Your feelings are not safe. Your thoughts are not welcome. Your questions make us uncomfortable.
And somewhere in that quiet rejection, a lie takes root:
When the Wrong Person Listens
Years pass. He never acted on his feelings. Still wrestling. Still praying.
Then one day, someone finally asks: “How are you really doing?”
And they listen.
Not a pastor. Not a parent. Not a Christian. But a classmate. A coworker. A kind soul with empathy.
They don’t offer truth—but they offer ears. And in that moment, he feels something he never felt in the Church:
Seen. Loved. Human.
“We didn’t lose them to a movement. We lost them to someone who listened.”
We’ve Preached Truth, But Modeled Shame
The Bible never said feelings were sinful. It says not to be ruled by them.
Attraction is not a sin. Acting on temptation outside God’s design is. But we’ve sent the wrong message.
“You feel this? Then you are broken. Dirty. Damned.”
And we wonder why they stop showing up.
Jesus was tempted. He never sinned. But the Church confuses temptation with condemnation. And in doing so, we turn people away from the One who can actually save them.
It’s the Same Flesh, Just Different Manifestations
Let’s be blunt:
Same-sex attraction is not worse than pornography. It’s not worse than pride. Gossip. Greed.
It’s all flesh. All sin. Just different masks of the same rebellion.
But we’ve treated LGBTQ struggles like the unpardonable sin. And that shame has driven people not toward healing—but into hiding.
“You’re disgusting. Never speak of this again.”
And so they didn’t.
What We Call Persecution May Be Consequence
Yes, the Church is called to suffer. But not for being arrogant, harsh, or emotionally tone-deaf.
Let’s tell the truth:
Much of the backlash we face is not persecution—it’s consequence.
Consequence for coldness.
Consequence for condemnation without compassion.
Consequence for moralizing instead of ministering.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
We repent.
Not just for the sins we committed—but for the people we lost.
For the boy silenced by his parents. For the girl who left youth group crying. For the friend who begged for help but got a Bible verse instead of a hug.
We study Jesus again. The Jesus who corrected, yes—but always through compassion.
And we begin to say:
“You are not defined by your temptations. You are loved by a Savior who understands them. And I will walk with you toward freedom.”
