The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.87
Parents are
cautioned that some material
00:00:03.90\00:00:05.70
may be too candid
for younger children.
00:00:05.73\00:00:07.87
Welcome to Pure Choices.
00:00:40.40\00:00:41.97
My name is Wayne Blakely
from Coming Out Ministries.
00:00:42.00\00:00:44.24
And I'm here with Ron Woolsey,
00:00:44.27\00:00:46.07
my colleague in Coming
Out Ministries as well.
00:00:46.11\00:00:49.11
Today, we are going to talk
about something very important,
00:00:49.14\00:00:52.81
something that we keep hearing
about all over the place today,
00:00:52.85\00:00:56.62
in churches, in schools,
00:00:56.65\00:00:58.39
in even outside
of Christian society.
00:00:58.42\00:01:02.36
We hear the term "safe place".
00:01:02.39\00:01:06.13
I know that both you and I, Ron,
00:01:06.16\00:01:09.20
have even
written about this topic
00:01:09.23\00:01:11.20
inside of a
Christian environment
00:01:11.23\00:01:13.87
because we keep
hearing from people,
00:01:13.90\00:01:16.97
"We need to create a
safe place in the church,
00:01:17.01\00:01:19.47
we need to create a safe
place on university campuses."
00:01:19.51\00:01:23.55
What exactly are we referring to
00:01:23.58\00:01:26.51
when we're talking about this?
00:01:26.55\00:01:28.75
Well, first of all, Wayne,
00:01:28.78\00:01:30.12
we're living in the day
and age, a society today
00:01:30.15\00:01:33.39
that is so focused
upon political correctness.
00:01:33.42\00:01:37.09
And, you know,
with homosexuality and,
00:01:37.13\00:01:40.66
well, the whole LGBT
issue being tolerated,
00:01:40.70\00:01:45.67
accepted, promoted,
celebrated, and legislated now
00:01:45.70\00:01:50.51
as a civil right
with minority status.
00:01:50.54\00:01:55.94
There is a great fear of
charges of discrimination,
00:01:55.98\00:02:01.25
I think, within not only
schools but within churches.
00:02:01.28\00:02:07.26
There's just a
great fear, a paranoia,
00:02:07.29\00:02:09.82
about being charged
with discrimination.
00:02:09.86\00:02:14.93
There can be legal
ramifications for that,
00:02:14.96\00:02:17.90
not just being accused of it,
00:02:17.93\00:02:19.27
but there can be
legal ramifications.
00:02:19.30\00:02:21.27
And so creating safe
places, I think is one approach
00:02:21.30\00:02:26.51
that is being used to
avoid confrontational situations
00:02:26.54\00:02:30.51
in today's political climate.
00:02:30.55\00:02:33.45
In Christianity, it seems
like we're dancing around this
00:02:33.48\00:02:38.72
without dealing with the issue.
00:02:38.75\00:02:41.09
And, you know, it
saddens me to see this
00:02:41.12\00:02:45.09
because when I was growing up,
00:02:45.13\00:02:48.86
I know that really
the safe place for me was
00:02:48.90\00:02:51.83
I didn't want to be bullied.
00:02:51.87\00:02:53.64
I hear other
people today that are in
00:02:53.67\00:02:56.84
what they call ministry
and creating these safe places,
00:02:56.87\00:03:01.01
they want the bullying to stop,
00:03:01.04\00:03:03.01
but they seem to want the
prevalence of the behavior
00:03:03.04\00:03:05.88
that they're promoting
the idea that if you are gay
00:03:05.91\00:03:09.52
and you're practicing gay
that that's perfectly fine.
00:03:09.55\00:03:12.55
But in a Christian organization,
00:03:12.59\00:03:14.16
a church or a school, you know,
00:03:14.19\00:03:17.23
God calls us to come
apart from the world.
00:03:17.26\00:03:19.89
And if we come
to the Word of God,
00:03:19.93\00:03:21.66
we shouldn't be trying to
reinterpret the Word of God
00:03:21.70\00:03:24.93
or develop a
hermeneutic that says
00:03:24.97\00:03:27.64
that God accepts gay behavior.
00:03:27.67\00:03:31.57
So why would we
be creating something
00:03:31.61\00:03:35.74
on a university campus
or a school campus today
00:03:35.78\00:03:40.08
like a straight-gay
alliance for the LGBT community?
00:03:40.12\00:03:44.79
Well, the gay community
00:03:44.82\00:03:48.19
with the support of
pro gay straight friends
00:03:48.22\00:03:52.89
have formed these alliances
on our Christian campuses
00:03:52.93\00:03:55.93
for several
reasons I listed here.
00:03:55.96\00:03:58.83
One is for camaraderie.
00:03:58.87\00:04:00.54
You know, there's...
00:04:00.57\00:04:02.50
You know, when
we were growing up
00:04:02.54\00:04:04.74
and you realized you were gay,
00:04:04.77\00:04:06.61
you felt isolated,
I'm sure, all alone.
00:04:06.64\00:04:09.61
I felt that way.
00:04:09.64\00:04:10.98
I didn't know another
gay person in the world.
00:04:11.01\00:04:13.08
And the first time I
found myself in the company
00:04:13.11\00:04:16.65
of other gay people
that sense of camaraderie
00:04:16.69\00:04:20.59
and acceptance
was just overwhelming
00:04:20.62\00:04:23.59
because didn't we both grow
up feeling rejected, unaccepted?
00:04:23.63\00:04:27.86
And we just had
this void in our lives
00:04:27.90\00:04:29.86
where we really
longed for acceptance.
00:04:29.90\00:04:32.53
And so with these alliances,
there is this camaraderie.
00:04:32.57\00:04:36.60
But secondly, these
alliances also are being used
00:04:36.64\00:04:41.34
for the support
of the gay agenda,
00:04:41.38\00:04:45.38
of advancing the cause of
normalizing homosexuality,
00:04:45.41\00:04:49.42
LGBT behavior
within society today.
00:04:49.45\00:04:54.46
And number three,
00:04:54.49\00:04:56.22
these alliances are
working hand-in-hand
00:04:56.26\00:04:58.93
to prevent discussion
from a difference of opinion
00:04:58.96\00:05:04.03
on these issues,
whether it's ideologically,
00:05:04.07\00:05:07.64
philosophically,
or even biblically.
00:05:07.67\00:05:10.21
Now having been gay myself,
00:05:10.24\00:05:13.14
I grew up with this
perception of rejection.
00:05:13.17\00:05:16.28
And this is something Wayne
00:05:16.31\00:05:19.05
that I've observed in
most gay people I know
00:05:19.08\00:05:23.49
that we have
this hypersensitivity
00:05:23.52\00:05:27.79
or perception of rejection
and hypersensitivity to that.
00:05:27.82\00:05:33.43
And so it seems like today
00:05:33.46\00:05:36.50
that a difference of
opinion is considered rejection.
00:05:36.53\00:05:40.74
Rejection's not nice.
00:05:40.77\00:05:42.40
In fact, why
don't we call it "hate"?
00:05:42.44\00:05:46.07
So therefore, we have to
be protected from hate speech
00:05:46.11\00:05:50.55
which leads to a discrimination
and which leads to hate crimes.
00:05:50.58\00:05:54.12
And so this is all a part of
the agenda that I see going on.
00:05:54.15\00:05:59.35
So our Christian schools
are unwittingly being used
00:05:59.39\00:06:04.76
by these alliances
to become safe havens
00:06:04.79\00:06:08.56
for really the gay agenda
00:06:08.60\00:06:11.10
because they don't
want to rock the boat
00:06:11.13\00:06:12.67
in this politically-oriented age
00:06:12.70\00:06:17.74
in which we're living right now.
00:06:17.77\00:06:20.64
When I consider this, it seems
to me that the real protection,
00:06:20.68\00:06:24.88
the real alliance would be that
00:06:24.91\00:06:27.05
if we would come together
and form an organization
00:06:27.08\00:06:30.62
where it was safe
for somebody to express
00:06:30.65\00:06:32.65
that they had these temptations,
00:06:32.69\00:06:34.56
but that the
person or the heterosexual
00:06:34.59\00:06:37.13
or the person in
the leadership position
00:06:37.16\00:06:39.29
who is offering help
would be able to say, you know,
00:06:39.33\00:06:42.83
"We all suffer from all
kinds of different temptations
00:06:42.86\00:06:46.57
and due to
genetics or due to sin
00:06:46.60\00:06:50.44
or our fallen nature
or however we arrived,
00:06:50.47\00:06:53.61
we are at a disadvantage."
00:06:53.64\00:06:55.44
We were just, you know,
talking in another program
00:06:55.48\00:06:57.71
about the handicap
of maybe being gay.
00:06:57.75\00:07:01.42
And what needs to
happen is the sensitivity
00:07:01.45\00:07:04.42
instead of the sensitivity
being so much within ourselves.
00:07:04.45\00:07:07.52
The sensitivity
needs to be in the person
00:07:07.56\00:07:09.96
that's helping to guide us
00:07:09.99\00:07:11.99
to come along with
the biblical principle
00:07:12.03\00:07:14.10
that says that I
will pray with you,
00:07:14.13\00:07:16.43
I will study with you,
I'll reinforce, you know,
00:07:16.46\00:07:20.80
right behaviors with you
and helping you walk with God
00:07:20.84\00:07:25.97
and helping you
know and understand
00:07:26.01\00:07:28.41
that He knows your pain
and your hurt and your sorrow.
00:07:28.44\00:07:31.81
And to me, that
would be the alliance.
00:07:31.85\00:07:34.22
Today, we talk about
alliances being in place
00:07:34.25\00:07:38.39
like you just
mentioned, and they are...
00:07:38.42\00:07:42.12
It's like when
minorities begin to develop,
00:07:42.16\00:07:44.86
another person
comes into a minority,
00:07:44.89\00:07:46.76
they begin to feel the strength
00:07:46.80\00:07:48.26
of the other person
that's in the minority,
00:07:48.30\00:07:50.23
and then they begin
to advocate for things
00:07:50.27\00:07:53.44
that are in this
situation are not always
00:07:53.47\00:07:56.54
in a biblical
principle or biblical behavior,
00:07:56.57\00:07:59.51
but they're advocating
for Satan's counterfeit,
00:07:59.54\00:08:02.21
another behavior,
a sinful behavior.
00:08:02.24\00:08:04.98
Let me just insert here also
that truth can bear scrutiny.
00:08:05.01\00:08:09.52
Truth is
something that is factual.
00:08:09.55\00:08:12.02
And so we don't need a
safe place from hearing
00:08:12.05\00:08:16.83
a difference of opinion
00:08:16.86\00:08:18.19
because that difference
of opinion could be truth.
00:08:18.23\00:08:22.06
And so if we are
creating safe places
00:08:22.10\00:08:24.60
where a difference of opinion
cannot even be expressed,
00:08:24.63\00:08:27.64
especially in our institutions
which are supposed to be places
00:08:27.67\00:08:31.34
where ideas can be
batted about and discussed
00:08:31.37\00:08:37.35
and truth can be can be
discovered and settled upon.
00:08:37.38\00:08:42.88
So I think
there's a real danger here
00:08:42.92\00:08:44.89
in limiting
00:08:44.92\00:08:48.42
our intellectual growth
00:08:48.46\00:08:51.86
when we create these places
00:08:51.89\00:08:53.43
where we're protecting
00:08:53.46\00:08:54.86
ourselves from
other information.
00:08:54.90\00:08:57.13
Right.
00:08:57.17\00:08:58.50
God advises us to come
together and reason together,
00:08:58.53\00:09:01.17
but we should always
reason with what God's truth is,
00:09:01.20\00:09:05.51
the love and truth message.
00:09:05.54\00:09:06.98
He wants to be in the
mix. Exactly, yeah, yeah.
00:09:07.01\00:09:09.81
He brings about the change.
00:09:09.84\00:09:11.18
He brings about the
affirmation and the confirmation
00:09:11.21\00:09:14.15
of who we are in Jesus Christ.
00:09:14.18\00:09:15.82
Right.
00:09:15.85\00:09:17.82
So is the intend in having
these safe places for gays is,
00:09:17.85\00:09:22.72
is it an attempt to
help them accept salvation?
00:09:22.76\00:09:25.93
Or is this a safe
place that is to accept,
00:09:25.96\00:09:31.03
as we're talking about here,
00:09:31.07\00:09:32.40
the behavior that is
associated with being gay?
00:09:32.43\00:09:35.34
I truly believe
from my observation
00:09:35.37\00:09:37.77
that this attempt is to remove
00:09:37.81\00:09:42.51
homosexuality, the LGBT,
00:09:42.54\00:09:44.95
and all of these other
issues from the category of sin,
00:09:44.98\00:09:50.62
and to move these behaviors
00:09:50.65\00:09:53.05
into a category of an
accepted alternative lifestyle
00:09:53.09\00:09:57.53
to normalize the behavior.
00:09:57.56\00:09:59.49
And through the media,
through the field of education,
00:09:59.53\00:10:02.36
and through legislation,
00:10:02.40\00:10:04.63
every attempt is being
made to normalize this behavior
00:10:04.67\00:10:08.67
which for millennia has
been considered to be abnormal,
00:10:08.70\00:10:13.64
not in harmony with
nature or with the Word of God.
00:10:13.68\00:10:19.28
And, Wayne, this is now
going on from kindergarten up.
00:10:19.31\00:10:22.85
I have been reading material
that is absolutely shocking
00:10:22.88\00:10:27.72
where with some of the programs
that are now being mandated
00:10:27.76\00:10:32.36
in our schools are
actually teaching methodology.
00:10:32.39\00:10:36.20
I actually saw pictures
of a teacher demonstrating,
00:10:36.23\00:10:41.40
up on a table demonstrating,
perverted behavior
00:10:41.44\00:10:45.37
to her students showing them
how to conduct this behavior.
00:10:45.41\00:10:49.78
We are living in a very
fearful and perilous time.
00:10:49.81\00:10:52.98
Yeah. Most definitely.
00:10:53.01\00:10:54.62
I'm shocked at what is being
promoted in the world today,
00:10:54.65\00:11:01.16
and it seems like
that religious environments
00:11:01.19\00:11:04.59
are taking a lead from the
world in a lot of situations
00:11:04.63\00:11:09.93
because of the conversation
beginning to surface.
00:11:09.96\00:11:13.34
I was just on a flight
coming back from Sydney,
00:11:13.37\00:11:16.94
and I was reading the paper
00:11:16.97\00:11:18.77
that was given
to us on the plane.
00:11:18.81\00:11:21.48
And, you know,
right there on the like
00:11:21.51\00:11:24.51
the second page was this
article about the introduction
00:11:24.55\00:11:28.15
which start within a
week or two of the theories
00:11:28.18\00:11:31.29
of someone had developed
this theory for kindergarteners,
00:11:31.32\00:11:34.42
and that they would
give them opportunity
00:11:34.46\00:11:37.09
to cross-dress in the classroom
00:11:37.13\00:11:40.16
that they would begin to
demonstrate sexual behaviors
00:11:40.20\00:11:44.30
that they needed to become
familiar with their anatomy
00:11:44.33\00:11:47.00
and realize that their
anatomy is pleasurable.
00:11:47.04\00:11:49.97
And this is
outside of the permission
00:11:50.01\00:11:52.67
or the guidance of parents.
00:11:52.71\00:11:57.25
You know that...
00:11:57.28\00:11:58.61
Wayne, wouldn't you
agree that children this age
00:11:58.65\00:12:02.68
who normally are not
even thinking sexually,
00:12:02.72\00:12:05.52
for them to be
introduced to this,
00:12:05.55\00:12:08.42
is that not a
form of molestation?
00:12:08.46\00:12:10.19
I would say that...
00:12:10.23\00:12:11.56
Are these children not
being mentally, and emotionally,
00:12:11.59\00:12:14.43
sexually molested by
being introduced to something
00:12:14.46\00:12:17.77
that they're not even
old enough to process?
00:12:17.80\00:12:20.04
They're not physically,
emotionally, mentally,
00:12:20.07\00:12:22.00
or spiritually mature
enough to even handle.
00:12:22.04\00:12:24.51
Yeah, it was interesting.
00:12:24.54\00:12:25.87
In the article,
00:12:25.91\00:12:27.24
the very thing that I was
thinking that was taking place,
00:12:27.28\00:12:30.05
a violence, an intrusion
upon someone's sexual organs
00:12:30.08\00:12:36.92
and familiarity that
shouldn't happen at that age.
00:12:36.95\00:12:41.36
It was saying that
this would help reduce
00:12:41.39\00:12:44.06
the sexual
violence within the society.
00:12:44.09\00:12:46.80
And I thought it's farfetched.
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.16
How could you possibly
come to that conclusion?
00:12:48.20\00:12:50.23
And I certainly know what that
did to me at the age of four.
00:12:50.27\00:12:53.20
It totally derailed me.
00:12:53.23\00:12:54.77
Right, right. Yes. Yeah.
00:12:54.80\00:12:57.14
You know, even in the light
of the current social climates
00:12:57.17\00:13:01.18
and how the church
should be a safe place,
00:13:01.21\00:13:05.48
shouldn't it be a
safe place for anybody?
00:13:05.51\00:13:08.18
I mean, what are we saying
by creating these safe places?
00:13:08.22\00:13:12.95
And what is the
church's role and responsibility
00:13:12.99\00:13:16.62
in someone coming
in and acknowledging
00:13:16.66\00:13:20.76
their temptations
versus sinful behavior?
00:13:20.80\00:13:23.67
Well, you know, I
think that if we single out
00:13:23.70\00:13:27.47
this one behavior to
make it a safe place for LGBT,
00:13:27.50\00:13:31.74
why just that behavior?
00:13:31.77\00:13:34.31
Why not for adulterers?
00:13:34.34\00:13:36.28
Why not pedophiles?
00:13:36.31\00:13:37.71
Why not for thieves and robbers?
00:13:37.75\00:13:39.08
Why not for hate-mongers?
00:13:39.11\00:13:40.88
Why shouldn't we create
a safe place for everybody?
00:13:40.92\00:13:44.75
Does that...
00:13:44.79\00:13:46.12
When we apply it
across the board like that,
00:13:46.15\00:13:47.79
doesn't it indicate
that there's something
00:13:47.82\00:13:49.16
a little bit wrong
with our reasoning?
00:13:49.19\00:13:51.19
But absolutely, our churches
should be safe places, however.
00:13:51.23\00:13:55.53
And the text you
just referred to earlier,
00:13:55.56\00:13:58.13
one of my very
favorite, Isaiah 1:18,
00:13:58.17\00:14:00.77
"Come now," God says,
00:14:00.80\00:14:02.57
"and let us, us,
reason together."
00:14:02.60\00:14:05.87
God wants us to reason with Him.
00:14:05.91\00:14:08.88
I like to say that He wants
to be in on the discussion.
00:14:08.91\00:14:12.75
And it might be
nice if once in a while,
00:14:12.78\00:14:15.55
we as Christians, will
let Him have the final word,
00:14:15.58\00:14:18.55
you know, as we're
reasoning with Him.
00:14:18.59\00:14:20.46
And so...
00:14:20.49\00:14:22.32
I like to
reason about this point
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.43
that if our institutions,
00:14:24.46\00:14:27.86
institutions can be
our homes, our churches,
00:14:27.90\00:14:29.90
our schools,
universities, colleges,
00:14:29.93\00:14:31.90
if they are to be
safe places, first of all,
00:14:31.93\00:14:34.80
safe places from what?
00:14:34.84\00:14:37.34
If it's a safe place,
that seems to indicate
00:14:37.37\00:14:40.34
that there's a danger out there.
00:14:40.38\00:14:42.11
And so if we're
creating a safe place
00:14:42.14\00:14:44.71
from what are we
creating this safety?
00:14:44.75\00:14:49.68
And if we look biblically,
00:14:49.72\00:14:52.69
Matthew 1:21,
00:14:52.72\00:14:54.26
Jesus came to save His
people from their sins.
00:14:54.29\00:14:57.73
So we could like
in sin to the enemy.
00:14:57.76\00:15:00.90
And Jesus wants to
save us from our sins,
00:15:00.93\00:15:04.63
so we need a safe
place from everything
00:15:04.67\00:15:07.04
that would lead us into sin
00:15:07.07\00:15:08.74
because the
wages of sin is death.
00:15:08.77\00:15:11.17
It's a
dangerous area to go into.
00:15:11.21\00:15:14.61
And so I really believe that
we need to create safe places
00:15:14.64\00:15:19.35
from the enemy,
not for the enemy
00:15:19.38\00:15:22.98
but from the enemy.
00:15:23.02\00:15:25.29
So first of
all, safe places from
00:15:25.32\00:15:30.06
and then maybe we need
to look at then safe places
00:15:30.09\00:15:33.63
for whom, from
what and for whom.
00:15:33.66\00:15:36.10
Aren't we in grave danger
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.17
when we begin to
put our knowledge
00:15:38.20\00:15:41.47
on the basis of an
equation to God's knowledge?
00:15:41.50\00:15:44.64
I'm starting to see
some things like this
00:15:44.67\00:15:46.71
that aren't biblically founded.
00:15:46.74\00:15:48.74
Recently, a chaplain
in a Christian college
00:15:48.78\00:15:54.25
delivered a sermon.
00:15:54.28\00:15:56.35
And in this sermon, he
says to these young students
00:15:56.38\00:16:00.36
that he believes
that David and Jonathan
00:16:00.39\00:16:03.32
had likely more than a
passing kiss with each other.
00:16:03.36\00:16:07.46
And I thought, "Whoa!
This is really pushing
00:16:07.50\00:16:09.30
the envelope here for something
00:16:09.33\00:16:10.70
that's not
grounded in God's Word,"
00:16:10.73\00:16:12.53
that we begin to put
something in somebody's mind
00:16:12.57\00:16:15.47
to consider that's
not biblically grounded.
00:16:15.50\00:16:19.67
We're in a real danger zone
00:16:19.71\00:16:22.88
by providing
this kind of education
00:16:22.91\00:16:25.55
that can't be
based on God's Word.
00:16:25.58\00:16:27.45
It's all assumption.
00:16:27.48\00:16:29.62
And we're not to present
anything we have to suppose.
00:16:29.65\00:16:32.69
It should be
grounded in the Word of God.
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.72
Yeah, we should be able to know
00:16:34.76\00:16:36.93
that we can come
back to God's Word,
00:16:36.96\00:16:38.96
and that God has the
solutions for our sin problems.
00:16:38.99\00:16:45.17
I agree that our
schools and universities
00:16:45.20\00:16:48.10
should always be safe places,
00:16:48.14\00:16:50.24
but from a biblical perspective,
00:16:50.27\00:16:52.77
what would you say
should be the focus
00:16:52.81\00:16:55.98
in making them
these safe places?
00:16:56.01\00:16:59.08
Well, rather than making
00:16:59.11\00:17:00.45
our schools and
institutions safe havens
00:17:00.48\00:17:04.15
for a perversion of
something God has created,
00:17:04.19\00:17:07.52
in a sense,
making it a safe place
00:17:07.56\00:17:09.12
for the enemy to work.
00:17:09.16\00:17:11.83
Here again, I'm a parent.
00:17:11.86\00:17:13.66
I now have two
children in college.
00:17:13.70\00:17:16.10
And we're talking about
very expensive education
00:17:16.13\00:17:20.94
to have them in
Christian universities
00:17:20.97\00:17:24.24
where they are.
00:17:24.27\00:17:25.61
So as a parent,
well, my wife and I both,
00:17:25.64\00:17:28.88
we really want these
institutions to be safe places
00:17:28.91\00:17:32.51
for our children
for them to be trained
00:17:32.55\00:17:35.88
in the things of God.
00:17:35.92\00:17:38.55
We're not
spending that kind of money
00:17:38.59\00:17:40.09
for them to be
led away from God,
00:17:40.12\00:17:42.82
we want them to be led to God.
00:17:42.86\00:17:45.09
And so I made a list
of a number of things
00:17:45.13\00:17:48.66
that I feel our institutions
should be safe places for,
00:17:48.70\00:17:53.44
not just for our children
00:17:53.47\00:17:54.90
but also for the
expressed will of God.
00:17:54.94\00:17:59.37
You know, we both
have found it difficult
00:17:59.41\00:18:01.44
to get on some
Christian campuses
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.81
to share the Word of God
00:18:04.85\00:18:07.02
because it's even being
looked upon as hate speech.
00:18:07.05\00:18:10.15
We've actually
heard the words of Jesus
00:18:10.19\00:18:13.86
being referred
to as hate speech.
00:18:13.89\00:18:16.59
A Christian institution
should be a safe place,
00:18:16.62\00:18:19.33
don't you think,
for the word of God
00:18:19.36\00:18:22.00
to be shared and to be preached?
00:18:22.03\00:18:24.03
And we know that the Word of God
00:18:24.07\00:18:25.43
is for reproof,
correction, and instruction.
00:18:25.47\00:18:27.87
So it doesn't matter that
it contradicts our feelings
00:18:27.90\00:18:31.44
and thoughts and emotions.
00:18:31.47\00:18:33.01
That's what it's
for in the first place.
00:18:33.04\00:18:36.21
And thirdly, our institutions,
including our homes,
00:18:36.24\00:18:41.82
should be safe
places for the Holy Spirit.
00:18:41.85\00:18:44.45
You know, the Apostle Paul
warned us in Ephesians 4:30,
00:18:44.49\00:18:48.22
"To grieve not
the Spirit of God."
00:18:48.26\00:18:50.29
So evidently, the Holy
Spirit can be grieved away.
00:18:50.33\00:18:55.33
And really, shouldn't we
focus on making our places
00:18:55.36\00:19:00.70
a welcome place for
the Holy Spirit to work in?
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.94
I like an observation
that Ellen White made
00:19:03.97\00:19:07.81
when she was in Australia on
one of the Christian campuses.
00:19:07.84\00:19:11.88
She said, "We need to
realize that the Holy Spirit
00:19:11.91\00:19:14.38
who is as much a person as God
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.62
is a person is
walking these grounds."
00:19:16.65\00:19:20.12
Can you picture that on one
of our Christian universities?
00:19:20.16\00:19:23.26
The Holy Spirit
walking these grounds, and yet,
00:19:23.29\00:19:25.99
He can be grieved away.
00:19:26.03\00:19:28.00
I really think
00:19:28.03\00:19:30.53
that our institution should
be safe for the Holy Spirit.
00:19:30.57\00:19:33.97
And what about for the angels?
00:19:34.00\00:19:35.90
Places where the
angels would like to dwell.
00:19:35.94\00:19:39.67
Another thing is a lot of times,
00:19:39.71\00:19:41.64
we're seeing the standards,
our Christian standards,
00:19:41.68\00:19:44.81
being lowered and
not being up held.
00:19:44.85\00:19:47.15
And our institutions should
be safe places for our standards
00:19:47.18\00:19:52.85
as we understand
them from the Bible,
00:19:52.89\00:19:55.09
for what we also
call present truth.
00:19:55.12\00:19:59.73
In Amos 3:7, we're told
to prepare to meet thy God.
00:19:59.76\00:20:04.83
And that's why we as parents
00:20:04.87\00:20:07.44
are sending our
children to these universities.
00:20:07.47\00:20:09.54
We're wanting them
to prepare to meet God
00:20:09.57\00:20:12.87
and to prepare to
prepare others to meet God.
00:20:12.91\00:20:17.11
And to me, that's
kind of present truth.
00:20:17.15\00:20:20.08
And a couple more things,
like our churches, for example,
00:20:20.12\00:20:24.49
our visitors need to
find them to be safe places.
00:20:24.52\00:20:27.76
When I was visiting,
00:20:27.79\00:20:29.12
trying to come back to the Lord,
00:20:29.16\00:20:31.46
and I would visit some churches.
00:20:31.49\00:20:33.26
It doesn't matter
which ones, whatever.
00:20:33.29\00:20:36.40
But I would visit some
churches that are Christian,
00:20:36.43\00:20:39.37
and I would be driven away
00:20:39.40\00:20:41.00
because the messages I found
offensive, not offensive to me
00:20:41.04\00:20:45.77
because I was
trying to hang on to my sin
00:20:45.81\00:20:48.68
but offensive because it
contradicted my intelligence
00:20:48.71\00:20:52.55
with the knowledge that I
did have in the Word of God,
00:20:52.58\00:20:54.98
I expected to be reproved
and corrected and instructed
00:20:55.02\00:20:58.55
and not to just be,
00:20:58.59\00:21:01.56
what is the word, palliated
00:21:01.59\00:21:02.92
or to have the
issues glossed over.
00:21:02.96\00:21:05.69
And then we
also have new members
00:21:05.73\00:21:07.50
that come into our churches.
00:21:07.53\00:21:09.40
And they're like
babes in the Christ,
00:21:09.43\00:21:12.77
and they need to be nurtured.
00:21:12.80\00:21:14.84
So we need safe places
for people who are sin sick,
00:21:14.87\00:21:19.17
that are looking for
strong truths to hang on to.
00:21:19.21\00:21:24.55
And so these are some
of the concerns that I have
00:21:24.58\00:21:27.55
about what our
churches, our homes,
00:21:27.58\00:21:29.68
our schools should
provide as safe places.
00:21:29.72\00:21:33.36
Yes.
00:21:33.39\00:21:34.72
I remember when I was in school
00:21:34.76\00:21:37.23
how if we detoured, especially
in Christian education,
00:21:37.26\00:21:41.00
if we detoured in things
that we didn't understand,
00:21:41.03\00:21:43.50
we're starting to
give a slant for something
00:21:43.53\00:21:46.50
that was off of what the
true meaning of God's Word was,
00:21:46.53\00:21:49.90
we would be counseled.
00:21:49.94\00:21:51.34
It seems today that
that doesn't take place.
00:21:51.37\00:21:53.94
And that in like the
straight-gay alliances,
00:21:53.98\00:21:57.18
you know, we know
00:21:57.21\00:21:58.55
that from a
particular straight-gay alliance
00:21:58.58\00:22:00.92
that you had a list of
things that we should not say
00:22:00.95\00:22:04.25
that was being
promoted by this individual
00:22:04.29\00:22:06.72
saying that we
shouldn't say things like,
00:22:06.76\00:22:09.66
and you had a list.
00:22:09.69\00:22:11.03
Yes.
00:22:11.06\00:22:12.39
And we're going to be talking
about that in another program,
00:22:12.43\00:22:15.30
but just to give an idea
00:22:15.33\00:22:18.03
to communicate
with the gay community,
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.97
Christians should not
say, "Go and sin no more."
00:22:20.00\00:22:23.20
Well, that's
Jesus' words. Right.
00:22:23.24\00:22:25.51
We should not say,
"The Bible clearly says."
00:22:25.54\00:22:27.98
Yeah.
00:22:28.01\00:22:29.34
If we're Christians, why can we
not say the Bible clearly says?
00:22:29.38\00:22:32.98
And homosexuality is sin.
00:22:33.01\00:22:34.82
We're not to say
those types of things.
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.42
And so that's one reason
that I came up with this concern
00:22:37.45\00:22:44.09
that our institutions are
00:22:44.13\00:22:46.43
in danger of not
being safe places
00:22:46.46\00:22:48.66
where the very
Word of God itself
00:22:48.70\00:22:51.43
because of this.
00:22:51.47\00:22:52.80
And this comes out of
a straight-gay alliance,
00:22:52.83\00:22:54.64
by the way, or a
gay-straight alliance
00:22:54.67\00:22:56.81
where they are trying to get...
00:22:56.84\00:22:58.67
They're trying to
protect the gay students
00:22:58.71\00:23:02.24
from the Word of God.
00:23:02.28\00:23:04.91
That alarms me as a parent,
it alarms me as a Christian,
00:23:04.95\00:23:08.52
it terribly
alarms me as a pastor
00:23:08.55\00:23:10.92
that this would be
happening on Christian campuses.
00:23:10.95\00:23:13.72
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:13.76\00:23:15.09
I want to encourage, and I
know that you want to encourage
00:23:15.12\00:23:17.56
our viewing audience
about a safe place, you know,
00:23:17.59\00:23:21.50
what truly is a
safe place today?
00:23:21.53\00:23:25.10
Well, we have, from
God's Word, in His perspective,
00:23:25.13\00:23:31.01
we find that true
safety is found in His promises
00:23:31.04\00:23:34.78
to those who accept
Him as a Lord and Master.
00:23:34.81\00:23:38.11
There are several
texts of scripture
00:23:38.15\00:23:40.38
that I found very encouraging
about this very subject.
00:23:40.42\00:23:45.82
You know, He does
not want us to wander
00:23:45.85\00:23:47.96
along the broad way
that leads to destruction.
00:23:47.99\00:23:51.79
So through His word,
He's trying to lead us into
00:23:51.83\00:23:54.96
and along the narrow
way which leads unto life.
00:23:55.00\00:23:58.33
And so through His word,
we can find a safe guide.
00:23:58.37\00:24:01.10
But here are
several texts of scripture
00:24:01.14\00:24:05.67
that tell us what
safety, true safety, is.
00:24:05.71\00:24:09.54
Proverbs 29:25 says,
"Who so putteth his trust
00:24:09.58\00:24:13.95
in the Lord shall be safe."
00:24:13.98\00:24:16.85
So we need to make
sure our institutions
00:24:16.89\00:24:19.15
are creating an atmosphere
00:24:19.19\00:24:21.89
where our
students learn to trust
00:24:21.92\00:24:24.16
in the Lord in every
aspect of their life.
00:24:24.19\00:24:27.23
And I like Psalm 119:117.
00:24:27.26\00:24:31.43
The Psalm says,
"Hold thou me up,
00:24:31.47\00:24:34.04
and I shall be safe.
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.94
And I will have respect
unto thy statutes continually."
00:24:35.97\00:24:40.84
And that is telling us that
there is safety in following
00:24:40.88\00:24:45.08
the commandments,
the judgment, statutes,
00:24:45.11\00:24:47.42
the council of the Lord.
00:24:47.45\00:24:48.98
If we really want to be safe,
our safety is in obedience.
00:24:49.02\00:24:54.16
And then one
more, Leviticus 25:18.
00:24:54.19\00:24:58.73
"Wherefore ye
shall do my statutes
00:24:58.76\00:25:01.06
and keep my
judgments and do them,
00:25:01.10\00:25:03.70
and ye shall dwell
in the land in safety."
00:25:03.73\00:25:06.84
This goes back to the
point that God is our Father.
00:25:06.87\00:25:11.91
And every father should have
house rules, rules of safety,
00:25:11.94\00:25:17.15
rules of conduct,
00:25:17.18\00:25:19.11
you know, within the home,
00:25:19.15\00:25:22.08
standards for the
children to be raised in.
00:25:22.12\00:25:25.65
And our loving Heavenly Father
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.62
is basically saying,
00:25:27.66\00:25:28.99
if you will
follow the guidelines
00:25:29.02\00:25:30.79
that I have set up
for you as My children,
00:25:30.83\00:25:33.96
in My house, in My home,
00:25:34.00\00:25:37.63
in your
institutions or whatever,
00:25:37.67\00:25:40.24
if you will
keep My commandments,
00:25:40.27\00:25:41.74
if you will do these things,
00:25:41.77\00:25:44.21
then you shall dwell
in the land of safety.
00:25:44.24\00:25:48.34
And I just find that so
encouraging and comforting
00:25:48.38\00:25:52.58
that our safety
is truly in the Lord.
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.62
If we want safe places,
let's follow Him implicitly.
00:25:55.65\00:26:00.46
Yeah.
00:26:00.49\00:26:01.82
You know, the
world is calling us today
00:26:01.86\00:26:04.23
to adapt to society,
00:26:04.26\00:26:07.80
and I find that, as a Christian,
00:26:07.83\00:26:11.10
and watching inside
of many denominations,
00:26:11.13\00:26:14.30
I see people beginning
to cave to the gay agenda,
00:26:14.34\00:26:18.01
to cave in to other
agendas of the world,
00:26:18.04\00:26:20.88
but to maintain
like a God association
00:26:20.91\00:26:24.51
rather than a faith and
belief and trust in God.
00:26:24.55\00:26:27.92
And God is asking us to
become a peculiar people.
00:26:27.95\00:26:31.69
And becoming a
peculiar person in Jesus Christ,
00:26:31.72\00:26:35.42
that says that my faith
and my trust should be in Him,
00:26:35.46\00:26:38.69
that I should develop my
identity in Jesus Christ.
00:26:38.73\00:26:41.76
I mean, these are things
that we've been talking about
00:26:41.80\00:26:44.30
for quite some time now.
00:26:44.33\00:26:47.34
So I just want to
share with our viewers
00:26:47.37\00:26:51.17
that our
identity in Jesus Christ,
00:26:51.21\00:26:53.24
as you were
saying, is the safe place.
00:26:53.27\00:26:55.58
He is always our refuge.
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.55
And in John 14, He
tells us to remain in Him.
00:26:57.58\00:27:02.78
I haven't counted how
many times in that chapter,
00:27:02.82\00:27:06.92
the word "remain in Me" is said.
00:27:06.96\00:27:11.19
It's reminding us
over and over again,
00:27:11.23\00:27:14.63
how to trust in Him,
that He'll protect us,
00:27:14.66\00:27:18.13
He'll watch over us
even in great adversity,
00:27:18.17\00:27:20.84
that our safety is in Him.
00:27:20.87\00:27:23.20
I want to encourage viewers too
00:27:23.24\00:27:26.88
who are
interested in this topic,
00:27:26.91\00:27:29.01
you can go to
Comingoutministries.org.
00:27:29.04\00:27:33.28
I hope that you will
appreciate this series,
00:27:33.31\00:27:36.85
the Pure Choices series.
00:27:36.89\00:27:38.52
And we invite you
to come back again
00:27:38.55\00:27:41.79
and see the other
topics that we have to share.
00:27:41.82\00:27:45.76
So it's been a blessing
to be able to share today.
00:27:45.79\00:27:48.96
Thank you, Ron, for
sharing about a safe place.
00:27:49.00\00:27:51.50
And we just pray and
ask the very best for you
00:27:51.53\00:27:54.90
and ask that you will come
back and view Pure Choices.
00:27:54.94\00:27:58.01