As you're well aware, 00:00:01.63\00:00:02.96 we're living in unprecedented times. 00:00:03.00\00:00:05.63 Join us now for Today special program. 00:00:05.67\00:00:08.00 I want to spend my life 00:00:12.67\00:00:18.18 Mending broken people 00:00:18.21\00:00:23.32 I want to spend my life 00:00:23.35\00:00:29.29 Removing pain 00:00:29.32\00:00:34.20 Lord, let my words 00:00:34.23\00:00:39.67 Heal a heart that hurts 00:00:39.70\00:00:44.54 I want to spend my life 00:00:44.57\00:00:50.28 Mending broken people 00:00:50.31\00:00:55.28 I want to spend my life 00:00:55.32\00:01:00.86 Mending broken people 00:01:00.89\00:01:05.46 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Today. 00:01:15.24\00:01:17.01 I'm John Lomacang, 00:01:17.04\00:01:18.37 and I have my lovely wife with me Angela. 00:01:18.41\00:01:20.21 Good to have you here, honey. 00:01:20.24\00:01:21.58 I'm always happy to be here. 00:01:21.61\00:01:23.48 And welcome to 3ABN Today program. 00:01:23.51\00:01:26.75 Do we have an exciting program, honey? 00:01:26.78\00:01:28.15 We do. 00:01:28.18\00:01:29.52 As you have heard the song leading into this program, 00:01:29.55\00:01:31.69 Danny has had this as a theme from the very beginning, 00:01:31.72\00:01:35.12 Spending Our Lives Mending Broken People. 00:01:35.16\00:01:38.36 And this program is about broken people, 00:01:38.39\00:01:41.03 but not generally broken people. 00:01:41.06\00:01:43.26 This is about a category of broken people 00:01:43.30\00:01:45.90 that don't often make conversation 00:01:45.93\00:01:48.87 around the Thanksgiving table or the dinner table. 00:01:48.90\00:01:51.61 Or it's a conversations 00:01:51.64\00:01:53.07 that some people don't want to have with their parents, 00:01:53.11\00:01:55.94 and some parents don't want to have with their children, 00:01:55.98\00:01:58.51 and some spouses 00:01:58.55\00:01:59.88 don't want to have with their equivalent other. 00:01:59.91\00:02:02.28 Like wife don't want to tell husband, 00:02:02.32\00:02:03.69 husband don't want to tell wife. 00:02:03.72\00:02:05.05 True. 00:02:05.09\00:02:06.42 And these are the conversations 00:02:06.45\00:02:07.79 that young people are having with other young people 00:02:07.82\00:02:09.46 that parents wish they knew about and so... 00:02:09.49\00:02:13.06 Yeah, some television programs, it's... 00:02:13.09\00:02:14.83 Yeah. 00:02:14.86\00:02:16.20 We're talking about a very hot topic today, 00:02:16.23\00:02:18.43 LGBTIAQ culture 00:02:18.47\00:02:22.57 and how it fits into a Bible verse 00:02:22.60\00:02:26.37 that I want to share with you at the very beginning 00:02:26.41\00:02:28.01 just before we introduce our guest. 00:02:28.04\00:02:30.48 You know, 2 Corinthians 5:17, it's a powerful passage. 00:02:30.51\00:02:34.12 And it fits so beautifully into our program today 00:02:34.15\00:02:36.32 because as a pastor, 00:02:36.35\00:02:38.02 I've always taught that we can confess our sins, 00:02:38.05\00:02:41.86 we serve a forgiving God, we serve a redemptive God, 00:02:41.89\00:02:45.69 we serve a restoring God and a rebuilding God. 00:02:45.73\00:02:48.56 A God who accepts us as we are 00:02:48.60\00:02:51.03 but never leaves us the way He finds us. 00:02:51.07\00:02:54.07 But somehow, 00:02:54.10\00:02:55.57 with the legalization of the LGBTQ in America, 00:02:55.60\00:03:00.68 and I want to put this in the proper context, 00:03:00.71\00:03:02.84 is that some people have felt, 00:03:02.88\00:03:04.48 "Well, as a song years ago by Billy Joel, 00:03:04.51\00:03:07.68 I love You Just The Way You Are, 00:03:07.72\00:03:09.98 but I'll leave you just the way you are." 00:03:10.02\00:03:11.99 And I've heard a lot of people, even pastor say, 00:03:12.02\00:03:13.76 "The Lord loves you just the way you are." 00:03:13.79\00:03:15.72 But I want to add, 00:03:15.76\00:03:17.09 He never leaves you the way He finds you. 00:03:17.13\00:03:19.26 That's so true. And that's not... 00:03:19.29\00:03:21.60 There's not a single story in the Bible 00:03:21.63\00:03:23.23 where the Lord Jesus met someone 00:03:23.26\00:03:25.17 and left them blind, 00:03:25.20\00:03:26.84 hurt, bleeding to death. 00:03:26.87\00:03:29.40 Even Lazarus, raised him to live, 00:03:29.44\00:03:31.57 the demoniac, He freed him 00:03:31.61\00:03:33.27 and He restored him to his right mind. 00:03:33.31\00:03:35.51 So we're going to talk about that today. 00:03:35.54\00:03:37.35 And you may know of someone, I have family members, 00:03:37.38\00:03:40.82 couple of them that are gay. 00:03:40.85\00:03:43.72 And I'm going to say that openly, clearly. 00:03:43.75\00:03:46.35 But I preach a redemptive gospel, 00:03:46.39\00:03:49.12 not a, "Hey, just stay the way you are." 00:03:49.16\00:03:51.49 And we should... 00:03:51.53\00:03:52.86 But you still love on them, don't you? 00:03:52.89\00:03:54.23 Love them all, and they know that. 00:03:54.26\00:03:55.60 They know you love them. 00:03:55.63\00:03:56.97 That's the wonderful thing about it. 00:03:57.00\00:03:58.33 And so we have to keep in mind that 00:03:58.37\00:03:59.70 we should never look at any sector of society 00:03:59.73\00:04:02.00 as collateral, 00:04:02.04\00:04:03.37 meaning, "Well, the devil can have them, 00:04:03.41\00:04:05.24 because we don't have any answers for them." 00:04:05.27\00:04:07.08 If any place people should come to find answers 00:04:07.11\00:04:09.64 for anything they face in life, 00:04:09.68\00:04:11.08 no matter what it is, 00:04:11.11\00:04:12.91 it should be the Christian church. 00:04:12.95\00:04:14.92 Amen. 00:04:14.95\00:04:16.28 We should have answers for any issue that they face. 00:04:16.32\00:04:19.85 As one person once says, "Whatever the question, 00:04:19.89\00:04:23.76 Jesus is the answer." 00:04:23.79\00:04:25.99 Honey, read that for us, 00:04:26.03\00:04:27.36 2 Corinthians 5:17. 00:04:27.40\00:04:28.73 I'd like you to read that 00:04:28.76\00:04:30.10 since I've been talking so much. 00:04:30.13\00:04:31.47 I'm on my New Yorker, 100 miles an hour. 00:04:31.50\00:04:33.97 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 00:04:34.00\00:04:36.84 he is a new creation." 00:04:36.87\00:04:39.47 Love this, "Old things have passed away, 00:04:39.51\00:04:42.98 and behold, all things have become new." 00:04:43.01\00:04:45.85 That's right. It's so assuring, isn't it? 00:04:45.88\00:04:47.42 And that's for anyone, isn't it? 00:04:47.45\00:04:49.02 That's for anyone. That's for everyone. 00:04:49.05\00:04:50.49 Sin is sin. No matter how. 00:04:50.52\00:04:52.75 But what has happened in the world today 00:04:52.79\00:04:54.86 and particularly in American society, 00:04:54.89\00:04:56.69 that's what we're dealing with primarily, 00:04:56.73\00:04:58.43 but around the world, 00:04:58.46\00:05:00.06 more tolerant in some areas than others. 00:05:00.10\00:05:02.43 We have, kind of, categorized certain areas 00:05:02.46\00:05:04.83 of people's struggles in sins as, 00:05:04.87\00:05:06.90 "It's acceptable. 00:05:06.94\00:05:08.27 It's legalized." 00:05:08.30\00:05:09.80 You know, alcohol got legalized years ago, 00:05:09.84\00:05:11.94 then smoking got legalized tobacco, 00:05:11.97\00:05:14.18 then marijuana has been legalized recently. 00:05:14.21\00:05:17.35 I don't know how pornography ever got legalized. 00:05:17.38\00:05:19.61 It just didn't make sense to me. 00:05:19.65\00:05:20.98 No. 00:05:21.02\00:05:22.35 And now the gay and lesbian, and bisexual and transgender 00:05:22.38\00:05:25.95 has been legalized in America. 00:05:25.99\00:05:27.69 And somehow we think that legalization 00:05:27.72\00:05:29.42 makes something acceptable to God. 00:05:29.46\00:05:31.83 Well, we're going to talk about it today 00:05:31.86\00:05:33.19 from a loving perspective, 00:05:33.23\00:05:34.56 from a scriptural perspective, 00:05:34.60\00:05:36.36 from a redemptive and rebuilding perspective. 00:05:36.40\00:05:38.87 And I think on that note, we should introduce our guest. 00:05:38.90\00:05:40.97 Honey, would you do that? 00:05:41.00\00:05:42.34 Oh, Wayne Blakely is our guest today. 00:05:42.37\00:05:45.74 Welcome, Wayne. Thank you. 00:05:45.77\00:05:48.18 You are not new to 3ABN. 00:05:48.21\00:05:50.65 You've been on Dare To Dream, 3ABN. 00:05:50.68\00:05:52.28 Yeah, I haven't been here for about five years. 00:05:52.31\00:05:54.98 And it's certainly a pleasure to be back, 00:05:55.02\00:05:56.92 honored to be here. 00:05:56.95\00:05:58.29 Oh, now, could you give us a brief sketch of your story, 00:05:58.32\00:06:02.52 your testimony? 00:06:02.56\00:06:03.89 Sure. I grew up in the church. 00:06:03.93\00:06:06.96 I grew up and recognized, very early in my life, 00:06:07.00\00:06:10.40 that I had same sex attraction. 00:06:10.43\00:06:12.53 Didn't know where this fell, 00:06:12.57\00:06:13.90 but as I was around 13 years old, 00:06:13.94\00:06:15.87 every place I read in the Bible, 00:06:15.90\00:06:17.61 it was certainly wasn't something that 00:06:17.64\00:06:19.87 was condoned by God 00:06:19.91\00:06:23.04 to move on those attractions. 00:06:23.08\00:06:26.55 And by the time I was 18 years old, 00:06:26.58\00:06:29.25 you know, there had been deathly silence in the church. 00:06:29.28\00:06:31.55 And so the LGBTQ community got my attention. 00:06:31.59\00:06:35.06 I left God and the church and lived 00:06:35.09\00:06:37.79 according to how I felt for the next 40 years. 00:06:37.83\00:06:41.20 That would include 12 years of male prostitution. 00:06:41.23\00:06:46.47 Everybody has a story, and I believe that 00:06:46.50\00:06:50.04 whether you believe one lie from the enemy 00:06:50.07\00:06:52.47 of a monogamous relationship 00:06:52.51\00:06:54.11 between two same gender individuals 00:06:54.14\00:06:56.08 or whether you believe a thousand lies 00:06:56.11\00:06:57.91 and you go off 00:06:57.95\00:06:59.28 and you're promiscuous 00:06:59.31\00:07:00.65 or do whatever you want to do, 00:07:00.68\00:07:02.02 none of it is pleasing in God's eyes. 00:07:02.05\00:07:04.22 And so He's seeking to grab our attention. 00:07:04.25\00:07:07.26 And after 40 years, within the culture itself, 00:07:07.29\00:07:11.76 I had lost all my friends to AIDS. 00:07:11.79\00:07:13.56 And I found myself in my bedroom one day, 00:07:13.60\00:07:16.36 thinking, "Hmm, what does my destiny look like 00:07:16.40\00:07:19.07 knowing all that I know as it relates to the Bible?" 00:07:19.10\00:07:21.64 And I knew that 00:07:21.67\00:07:23.00 unless there was some kind of change in my life, 00:07:23.04\00:07:25.14 I only had one life to live. 00:07:25.17\00:07:27.71 Wow. 00:07:27.74\00:07:29.08 And you know, talking about that topic, 00:07:29.11\00:07:30.58 I know that as we're diving into this, 00:07:30.61\00:07:33.15 there may be someone watching or listening to the program 00:07:33.18\00:07:35.45 that may have just turned the volume up, 00:07:35.48\00:07:37.72 or may have just turned the volume down. 00:07:37.75\00:07:39.42 But I want to encourage you that this is a very real topic 00:07:39.45\00:07:43.53 in our world today. 00:07:43.56\00:07:44.89 And I've seen, many years ago, 00:07:44.93\00:07:46.73 there's the burying your head in the sand, 00:07:46.76\00:07:49.03 that is going to go away. 00:07:49.06\00:07:50.40 That's not really going to happen in our world today. 00:07:50.43\00:07:52.20 So that's why we decided... 00:07:52.23\00:07:54.04 And the focus of the program, 00:07:54.07\00:07:55.64 we're going to talk about four things 00:07:55.67\00:07:57.01 that are significant. 00:07:57.04\00:07:58.64 And the four R's, 00:07:58.67\00:08:00.58 I'll tell you what that is in a moment, 00:08:00.61\00:08:01.94 and I'll have Wayne introduce those. 00:08:01.98\00:08:03.48 And we have two books today that we want to talk about. 00:08:03.51\00:08:06.75 And as a pastor, I received a copy of this book, 00:08:06.78\00:08:09.25 one is called Guiding Families. 00:08:09.28\00:08:11.45 And I'll have Wayne talk about that a little bit. 00:08:11.49\00:08:13.49 Do you see it on the screen, 00:08:13.52\00:08:15.06 Guiding Families of LGBT Plus Loved Ones? 00:08:15.09\00:08:18.99 And by the North American Division 00:08:19.03\00:08:20.80 of Seventh-day Adventist, 00:08:20.83\00:08:22.16 and I'm a pastor in the North American Division 00:08:22.20\00:08:23.53 of Seventh-day Adventist. 00:08:23.57\00:08:24.90 So this... Ordained minister. 00:08:24.93\00:08:26.30 Ordained minister for 34 years now, 00:08:26.33\00:08:28.77 in my 35th year. 00:08:28.80\00:08:30.14 Wow, it's amazing. Went fast. 00:08:30.17\00:08:32.01 And this is another book that... 00:08:32.04\00:08:34.58 Wayne was the founder too? Yeah. 00:08:34.61\00:08:36.81 It's called, Line By Line. 00:08:36.85\00:08:38.28 It's a response to the Guiding Families book. 00:08:38.31\00:08:41.65 And it's also a biblical analysis 00:08:41.68\00:08:44.85 of Guiding Families. 00:08:44.89\00:08:46.42 It's a... 00:08:46.45\00:08:47.79 It's another words, 00:08:47.82\00:08:49.16 comparing what this says to what the Bible says. 00:08:49.19\00:08:52.46 And what I want to make very clear as a pastor 00:08:52.49\00:08:55.70 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:08:55.73\00:08:57.20 in the North American Division. 00:08:57.23\00:08:59.20 One other things that 00:08:59.23\00:09:00.57 we want to make very clear at the very beginning 00:09:00.60\00:09:01.94 is there's no blanket statement that all pastors believe this 00:09:01.97\00:09:05.84 or all pastors believe that, 00:09:05.87\00:09:07.61 but in the varying communities 00:09:07.64\00:09:08.98 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:09:09.01\00:09:10.35 and the Christian community in general, 00:09:10.38\00:09:12.01 because this is not something that's just denominational. 00:09:12.05\00:09:14.82 This is across the spectrum in all denominations. 00:09:14.85\00:09:18.05 It's a real issue that people have to confront. 00:09:18.09\00:09:20.49 It has split some congregations, 00:09:20.52\00:09:22.29 some churches have split right down the middle 00:09:22.32\00:09:24.53 and gone off into one direction 00:09:24.56\00:09:26.23 and others have remained. 00:09:26.26\00:09:27.76 Some have become more conservative, 00:09:27.80\00:09:29.53 some have become ultra liberal and accept anything. 00:09:29.56\00:09:33.27 But the key today in the program 00:09:33.30\00:09:34.84 is very simple question. 00:09:34.87\00:09:38.97 If this topic 00:09:39.01\00:09:42.88 is one that the Bible is silent on, 00:09:42.91\00:09:46.11 then it gives us no foundation to address it. 00:09:46.15\00:09:48.65 Then it's an opinion topic. 00:09:48.68\00:09:50.32 But if the Bible talks about this topic, 00:09:50.35\00:09:54.16 then we need to find out what the Bible says about it, 00:09:54.19\00:09:57.89 what God's view is on it? 00:09:57.93\00:10:00.23 And if the Bible puts this in the category of sin, 00:10:00.26\00:10:05.43 the Bible will also put this in the category of showing us 00:10:05.47\00:10:08.50 how people that are embracing this life 00:10:08.54\00:10:12.04 can be redeemed. 00:10:12.07\00:10:13.78 There's not a sin in the Bible that cannot be redeemed. 00:10:13.81\00:10:16.71 And so if we teach that, 00:10:16.75\00:10:18.08 well, the Lord loves you just the way you are, 00:10:18.11\00:10:20.98 and He'll leave you just the way He finds you. 00:10:21.02\00:10:22.95 Then we've lost the power of the gospel. 00:10:22.98\00:10:25.09 So I'm going to just, kind of, throw this back to Wayne on... 00:10:25.12\00:10:28.12 Let's just start with... 00:10:28.16\00:10:29.86 I'll give you a chance to start from 00:10:29.89\00:10:31.33 where you feel comfortable to start from. 00:10:31.36\00:10:33.66 Well, I'd like to start with what, 00:10:33.70\00:10:36.13 for some of the viewers, 00:10:36.16\00:10:37.57 would be a bit of an elephant in the room. 00:10:37.60\00:10:40.50 And that is that I am a retired co-founder 00:10:40.54\00:10:44.81 of Coming Out Ministries, 00:10:44.84\00:10:46.84 a ministry who is a parallel ministry 00:10:46.88\00:10:49.08 of mine. 00:10:49.11\00:10:50.45 I'm sharing about restoration, 00:10:50.48\00:10:52.18 reconciliation and redemption through Jesus Christ 00:10:52.21\00:10:55.02 as it relates to the LGBT issue. 00:10:55.05\00:10:57.89 When I got baptized, 00:10:57.92\00:10:59.49 I didn't go under the water gay 00:10:59.52\00:11:00.99 and come up straight. 00:11:01.02\00:11:02.36 That disappointed a lot of people. 00:11:02.39\00:11:04.23 But if I started chasing women around, 00:11:04.26\00:11:06.23 I don't know that that would be, 00:11:06.26\00:11:07.70 or that would just be a new addiction. 00:11:07.73\00:11:10.87 But in my walk with God, 00:11:10.90\00:11:12.53 the first four years were basically 00:11:12.57\00:11:15.00 a honeymoon with God. 00:11:15.04\00:11:16.57 And then the enemy... 00:11:16.60\00:11:18.94 The more I would speak out, the more the enemy, 00:11:18.97\00:11:21.21 you know, will taunt you, 00:11:21.24\00:11:22.58 because he doesn't want anybody speaking out 00:11:22.61\00:11:24.41 about redemption on this topic. 00:11:24.45\00:11:27.35 And in my walk with Coming Out Ministries 00:11:27.38\00:11:30.15 as a co-founder there, 00:11:30.19\00:11:32.02 I came to a point in the road 00:11:32.05\00:11:33.39 where I did experience moral failure. 00:11:33.42\00:11:36.39 And as a result of that moral failure, 00:11:36.42\00:11:38.23 there was a consequence, 00:11:38.26\00:11:39.59 and that brought about my retirement 00:11:39.63\00:11:41.46 from Coming Out Ministries. 00:11:41.50\00:11:42.83 I would spend the next year and a half on the sofa. 00:11:42.86\00:11:44.87 I was watching crime drama 00:11:44.90\00:11:47.07 and cooking shows on television and saying, 00:11:47.10\00:11:50.14 you know, "God, what do I do now?" 00:11:50.17\00:11:52.71 Because I didn't stop believing Him, 00:11:52.74\00:11:54.98 I had only experienced failure, 00:11:55.01\00:11:58.05 and Satan had taken advantage of my weakness. 00:11:58.08\00:12:01.08 So I want to make a point today 00:12:01.12\00:12:03.45 that regardless of whether I would be sucked back in 00:12:03.49\00:12:06.22 by the LGBT community or not, 00:12:06.25\00:12:08.19 it doesn't change the truth 00:12:08.22\00:12:09.82 and the love of Jesus Christ no matter who you are, 00:12:09.86\00:12:12.49 or what you might suffer from. 00:12:12.53\00:12:15.36 One of the first things I did when I came up off 00:12:15.40\00:12:17.23 of that sofa, I was... 00:12:17.27\00:12:19.10 I met with a phone call that said, 00:12:19.13\00:12:22.17 "Are you familiar with the book Guiding Families 00:12:22.20\00:12:24.41 of LGBT Plus Loved Ones 00:12:24.44\00:12:26.17 that came out of our North American Division?" 00:12:26.21\00:12:28.51 I was not, but I got a copy of it. 00:12:28.54\00:12:30.75 And the pastor that called me said, 00:12:30.78\00:12:32.18 "I see an awful lot of love in here, 00:12:32.21\00:12:34.88 but I don't see any Go and Sin No More." 00:12:34.92\00:12:38.49 So I got a copy and I began to read through it. 00:12:38.52\00:12:40.99 And what I found from the first page 00:12:41.02\00:12:43.09 until the last was a cultural adaptation 00:12:43.12\00:12:46.39 of the LGBT community. 00:12:46.43\00:12:48.56 And as it relates to a church 00:12:48.60\00:12:51.00 whose foundational beliefs are in Scripture as it reads, 00:12:51.03\00:12:55.07 it didn't make sense to me 00:12:55.10\00:12:56.44 because it didn't offer hope and help and healing. 00:12:56.47\00:13:00.68 In the Guiding Families book, 00:13:00.71\00:13:02.21 you will not find the words restoration, 00:13:02.24\00:13:04.41 reconciliation or redemption. 00:13:04.45\00:13:07.12 And that was concerning to me. 00:13:07.15\00:13:09.35 And then I got a call that said, 00:13:09.38\00:13:12.69 "Would you be willing to write an analysis 00:13:12.72\00:13:16.66 of Guiding Families 00:13:16.69\00:13:18.03 as to why it doesn't work for our denomination 00:13:18.06\00:13:23.40 or for Christianity?" 00:13:23.43\00:13:24.77 And I was like, "Ah, man, 00:13:24.80\00:13:26.80 who wants to wade through mud to try to apply the truth?" 00:13:26.84\00:13:31.64 And I really didn't want to write it at all, 00:13:31.67\00:13:33.51 but I said, "You know, I'll pray about it." 00:13:33.54\00:13:37.48 And so I prayed. 00:13:37.51\00:13:39.38 And the next morning, I had an email from somebody, 00:13:39.41\00:13:41.82 who was very close to me, 00:13:41.85\00:13:46.76 who I had talked to about Guiding Families 00:13:46.79\00:13:51.56 about two months earlier. 00:13:51.59\00:13:53.56 And she wrote me, 00:13:53.60\00:13:57.80 she knew all about my departure from Coming Out Ministries, 00:13:57.83\00:14:01.14 and she sent this in this email. 00:14:01.17\00:14:03.07 And the only thing she said was, 00:14:03.10\00:14:05.51 "I believe that 00:14:05.54\00:14:06.88 God still has plans to use you." 00:14:06.91\00:14:09.04 And attach to the email 00:14:09.08\00:14:11.71 was a cover of the front of the Guiding Families book. 00:14:11.75\00:14:16.12 And I went, "Wow, God, I guess that's my answer." 00:14:16.15\00:14:19.79 And so I would take the next year and a half 00:14:19.82\00:14:22.02 in writing... 00:14:22.06\00:14:23.59 And that's why it's called, Line By Line 00:14:23.63\00:14:25.26 because I literally go line by line 00:14:25.29\00:14:27.66 through Guiding Families 00:14:27.70\00:14:29.50 to help the reader understand 00:14:29.53\00:14:31.90 what it is about Guiding Families. 00:14:31.93\00:14:33.80 It doesn't work from a cultural standpoint. 00:14:33.84\00:14:36.50 We need to look at things 00:14:36.54\00:14:37.87 from a biblical redemptive standpoint. 00:14:37.91\00:14:39.44 Amen. 00:14:39.47\00:14:40.81 Now, let me just embrace something here. 00:14:40.84\00:14:42.28 I've heard you say the word, Cultural, a couple of times. 00:14:42.31\00:14:46.72 Why not the word, Lifestyle? 00:14:46.75\00:14:49.32 Lifestyle is a word that is basically detested 00:14:49.35\00:14:53.72 by the LGBT plus community. 00:14:53.76\00:14:56.49 It's a demeaning word to, or a derogatory term 00:14:56.52\00:15:02.20 towards the LGBT community. 00:15:02.23\00:15:04.00 So there may be some in the LGBT community that, 00:15:04.03\00:15:06.53 actually, have a monogamous, same sex relationship. 00:15:06.57\00:15:09.77 Those people don't necessarily go out to the clubs, 00:15:09.80\00:15:12.51 the sex clubs, the bars 00:15:12.54\00:15:14.01 and do all the things that would be associated 00:15:14.04\00:15:15.81 with what would be termed, Lifestyle. 00:15:15.84\00:15:18.18 So when you use the term, LGBT Culture, 00:15:18.21\00:15:21.65 you're meeting people on level ground. 00:15:21.68\00:15:24.89 You're not making an insinuation 00:15:24.92\00:15:26.62 that you're scum, no. 00:15:26.65\00:15:28.32 And so I try very hard today to help people understand 00:15:28.36\00:15:32.83 that what we should be doing 00:15:32.86\00:15:34.43 is referring to the culture rather than to a lifestyle. 00:15:34.46\00:15:39.17 Now, this book, what were your observations 00:15:39.20\00:15:41.57 after reading this book? 00:15:41.60\00:15:43.24 Well, the book tells us that 00:15:43.27\00:15:45.11 we need to accept people for who they are, 00:15:45.14\00:15:48.21 who they say they are, 00:15:48.24\00:15:49.58 that we shouldn't be disappointed in that. 00:15:49.61\00:15:51.01 We shouldn't express our disappointment. 00:15:51.05\00:15:53.18 We shouldn't sit down and talk to them about the position 00:15:53.21\00:15:57.15 that God has or what His Word has to say, 00:15:57.19\00:15:59.69 because that would basically be offensive 00:15:59.72\00:16:01.42 to the person, 00:16:01.46\00:16:03.06 you know, who we're referring to. 00:16:03.09\00:16:04.89 Now, that might be the case 00:16:04.93\00:16:06.26 if you were standing outside of a gay bar. 00:16:06.29\00:16:08.16 You're not, necessarily, going to clobber them 00:16:08.20\00:16:09.70 over their head with, 00:16:09.73\00:16:11.07 "Jesus," as soon as they walk out. 00:16:11.10\00:16:12.43 But to somebody, 00:16:12.47\00:16:13.80 who's been raised in the church, 00:16:13.84\00:16:15.87 or for instance, in our Adventist institutions 00:16:15.90\00:16:18.14 or colleges and academies, 00:16:18.17\00:16:20.31 you should very much be able to talk to them 00:16:20.34\00:16:22.68 about their identity in Christ. 00:16:22.71\00:16:24.55 And that it shouldn't be based upon sexuality 00:16:24.58\00:16:28.05 but who Jesus says that they are. 00:16:28.08\00:16:29.62 That's right. 00:16:29.65\00:16:30.99 That's a good point, because a lot of times 00:16:31.02\00:16:32.75 when you look at the scriptures, 00:16:32.79\00:16:34.12 and having done so for as long as I've been pastoring, 00:16:34.16\00:16:37.13 even before that, Jesus sees the person first. 00:16:37.16\00:16:40.53 Amen. 00:16:40.56\00:16:41.90 You know, we see a blind man. Jesus sees... 00:16:41.93\00:16:46.03 Literally in the story 00:16:46.07\00:16:47.44 about the young man who was born blind, 00:16:47.47\00:16:50.07 see, He saw the man first, who was born blind. 00:16:50.11\00:16:53.34 He sees the person first before He sees their condition. 00:16:53.38\00:16:57.11 And so when we see people in society today, 00:16:57.15\00:17:01.08 for example, we will say, "A man who's an alcoholic. 00:17:01.12\00:17:04.42 A woman who is whatever." 00:17:04.45\00:17:08.32 The connection is to whatever the challenge is in her life. 00:17:08.36\00:17:11.46 And so what I'm hearing you say is, 00:17:11.49\00:17:13.40 if we could see the person first, 00:17:13.43\00:17:15.83 like Jesus saw the person first, 00:17:15.86\00:17:17.90 then we could... 00:17:17.93\00:17:19.27 They will sense that acceptance? 00:17:19.30\00:17:20.64 Right. 00:17:20.67\00:17:22.00 And so, you know the approach that I would take, 00:17:22.04\00:17:23.84 and the approach I take in my book 00:17:23.87\00:17:25.37 is that God loves every single person 00:17:25.41\00:17:27.81 who He's given the breath of life to. 00:17:27.84\00:17:29.78 But in our circumstances, of which there are many, 00:17:29.81\00:17:34.05 and there is a large contingency 00:17:34.08\00:17:36.08 of the LGBT plus community 00:17:36.12\00:17:38.09 that has so much silence even in the church 00:17:38.12\00:17:40.22 for so many years 00:17:40.26\00:17:41.62 that since the 70s have drawn a spotlight 00:17:41.66\00:17:45.63 to the LGBT plus agenda. 00:17:45.66\00:17:47.36 So while you have the spotlight, 00:17:47.40\00:17:49.90 let's talk about it in spiritual ways, 00:17:49.93\00:17:52.57 in godly ways 00:17:52.60\00:17:53.94 of which God wants to offer to you hope, 00:17:53.97\00:17:56.84 healing and restoration in Him. 00:17:56.87\00:17:59.61 So the book, Guiding Families, it just... 00:17:59.64\00:18:04.21 It leaves you where you are. 00:18:04.25\00:18:06.01 It tells the reader that the parents 00:18:06.05\00:18:08.68 and loved ones and pastors, 00:18:08.72\00:18:10.45 you must refer to this person by the gender 00:18:10.49\00:18:12.72 they wish to be referred to as, 00:18:12.75\00:18:16.22 or their sexual identity and their sexual orientation. 00:18:16.26\00:18:19.86 And I think that we've gotten lost, 00:18:19.89\00:18:22.30 because as you look at Scripture, 00:18:22.33\00:18:24.03 Scripture doesn't have a compass in it 00:18:24.07\00:18:26.37 for the sex that you desire. 00:18:26.40\00:18:29.07 What Scripture prescribes is that 00:18:29.10\00:18:31.97 God has given the gift of intimacy. 00:18:32.01\00:18:35.38 Not a sexual orientation, 00:18:35.41\00:18:36.88 but the gift of intimacy between the confines 00:18:36.91\00:18:40.35 of one man and one woman, 00:18:40.38\00:18:42.08 and that's in Genesis all the way to Revelation. 00:18:42.12\00:18:44.52 That's right. 00:18:44.55\00:18:45.89 If God did condone same sex monogamous relationships, 00:18:45.92\00:18:49.72 wouldn't it be mighty unfair of Him to not tell us 00:18:49.76\00:18:52.73 or give us an example of such somewhere in Scripture? 00:18:52.76\00:18:55.06 True. 00:18:55.10\00:18:56.43 So that's a big clue to me, 00:18:56.46\00:18:57.80 because that would be a tricky evil God. 00:18:57.83\00:18:59.17 I couldn't serve a God like that. 00:18:59.20\00:19:00.54 That's right. 00:19:00.57\00:19:01.90 So Satan, as he was able to deceive 00:19:01.94\00:19:04.11 and convinced a third of heaven to leave 00:19:04.14\00:19:06.71 and then starts out with Eve in the garden, 00:19:06.74\00:19:09.78 is doing the same thing to you and to me today to say, 00:19:09.81\00:19:13.42 "You know what? 00:19:13.45\00:19:14.78 God isn't fair on this. 00:19:14.82\00:19:16.15 You can't trust God on this. 00:19:16.18\00:19:17.52 You should be able to go and live 00:19:17.55\00:19:19.05 according to what you think is right. 00:19:19.09\00:19:21.26 You should be able to define love 00:19:21.29\00:19:22.92 the way you want, 00:19:22.96\00:19:24.29 as it relates to someone of the same gender." 00:19:24.33\00:19:27.43 And then God will wink at that. 00:19:27.46\00:19:29.86 God is going to be perfectly fine with that, 00:19:29.90\00:19:32.20 but that's not what Scripture tells us. 00:19:32.23\00:19:34.00 That's right. No. 00:19:34.04\00:19:35.44 Now, in this book, well, Guiding Families, 00:19:35.47\00:19:39.37 there's nothing about the redemptive power of Jesus. 00:19:39.41\00:19:42.94 What are your thoughts on that? 00:19:42.98\00:19:44.48 So this became very personal to me, 00:19:44.51\00:19:46.68 because I recognized 00:19:46.72\00:19:48.42 when I left the LGBT plus community, 00:19:48.45\00:19:51.39 I even asked the person 00:19:51.42\00:19:52.75 who helped with my redemptive process, 00:19:52.79\00:19:55.62 and I said, "So who am I today?" 00:19:55.66\00:19:58.79 And she said, "Oh, you're still gay." 00:19:58.83\00:20:01.23 And I said, "I didn't go through 00:20:01.26\00:20:03.97 all this repentance 00:20:04.00\00:20:05.40 and all this giving up myself for Christ 00:20:05.43\00:20:07.97 to still be called gay." 00:20:08.00\00:20:09.70 And then come to find out, 00:20:09.74\00:20:11.14 as you just read earlier, 00:20:11.17\00:20:12.84 I have an identity in Jesus Christ 00:20:12.87\00:20:14.94 as a new creation in Him 00:20:14.98\00:20:16.31 when I submit my will to Him. 00:20:16.34\00:20:18.35 And that's, whether you're LGBT or some other kind of sinner, 00:20:18.38\00:20:21.68 you can be a new creation in Christ 00:20:21.72\00:20:23.79 as you give your life over to Him. 00:20:23.82\00:20:25.79 You made a point. Go ahead. 00:20:25.82\00:20:27.16 It's like alcohol, AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, 00:20:27.19\00:20:29.12 they say you'll always known as an alcoholic. 00:20:29.16\00:20:31.63 I use that as an example. 00:20:31.66\00:20:32.99 You do? Yeah. 00:20:33.03\00:20:34.36 I say that to audiences where I speak today, 00:20:34.40\00:20:36.06 especially in the church, 00:20:36.10\00:20:37.43 that Jesus doesn't say, "Oh, here comes my alcoholic son," 00:20:37.47\00:20:40.74 when he comes to the foot of the cross. 00:20:40.77\00:20:42.10 He goes, "Here comes my new creature in Christ." 00:20:42.14\00:20:44.34 So let's get the identity correct. 00:20:44.37\00:20:47.11 And let's make sure that when we are offering something 00:20:47.14\00:20:50.08 that is from the Word of God. 00:20:50.11\00:20:51.78 We've been stagnant in our church 00:20:51.81\00:20:54.58 about not having the answers for people, 00:20:54.62\00:20:57.65 who are LGBT plus. 00:20:57.69\00:20:59.65 And we have statements on homosexuality that says 00:20:59.69\00:21:02.36 that this isn't behavior that God condones, 00:21:02.39\00:21:04.89 but what are you offering those people? 00:21:04.93\00:21:08.66 You're so right. 00:21:08.70\00:21:10.20 I mean, the Bible is so replete, 00:21:10.23\00:21:12.80 so filled with the topic of redemption. 00:21:12.83\00:21:15.37 Amen. 00:21:15.40\00:21:16.74 And, you know, when Paul says, 00:21:16.77\00:21:18.11 "Forgetting those things that are behind you, 00:21:18.14\00:21:19.47 reaching to those things that are ahead, 00:21:19.51\00:21:21.01 pressing toward the mark for the prize 00:21:21.04\00:21:22.98 of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." 00:21:23.01\00:21:24.68 In our conversation, when we had lunch together, 00:21:24.71\00:21:27.22 and one of the things that really struck me 00:21:27.25\00:21:28.95 is when you said, "I wanted more." 00:21:28.98\00:21:32.79 I feel like I was robbed. 00:21:32.82\00:21:34.86 Christ is offering so much more, 00:21:34.89\00:21:37.03 but it's like I have not been told, 00:21:37.06\00:21:39.29 but I want to experience that abundance. 00:21:39.33\00:21:41.06 Talk about that for a moment? 00:21:41.10\00:21:45.10 Well, this is, kind of, 00:21:45.13\00:21:46.47 where the four R's come into the picture. 00:21:46.50\00:21:48.57 And, you know, I have been very blessed 00:21:48.60\00:21:52.37 and God has been very generous to me. 00:21:52.41\00:21:55.38 And today, because of the failures that I'm... 00:21:55.41\00:21:57.88 You know, my life has been a combination 00:21:57.91\00:21:59.48 of faith and failure. 00:21:59.51\00:22:01.25 And praise the Lord for stories 00:22:01.28\00:22:03.52 of Mary Magdalene and King David, 00:22:03.55\00:22:06.29 and Samson and others, you know, that God is there. 00:22:06.32\00:22:12.03 Proverbs 24:16 says that a righteous man 00:22:12.06\00:22:14.83 may fall seven times when... 00:22:14.86\00:22:16.77 So who gets him up? 00:22:16.80\00:22:18.13 You know, we should come around people 00:22:18.17\00:22:19.73 and help them get back up 00:22:19.77\00:22:21.60 and walk with them on the journey. 00:22:21.64\00:22:23.14 The journey can be a little bumpy along the way, 00:22:23.17\00:22:25.67 but don't turn and abandon. 00:22:25.71\00:22:27.18 God doesn't abandon us 00:22:27.21\00:22:28.61 so let's not abandon one another. 00:22:28.64\00:22:31.38 I found in ministry that I had reached a point 00:22:31.41\00:22:34.78 that's been somewhat of a plateau. 00:22:34.82\00:22:36.92 I surrender my life to Christ. 00:22:36.95\00:22:39.39 I deny, you know, myself, you know, as I walk with God, 00:22:39.42\00:22:43.02 that temptation thing, the desires that come. 00:22:43.06\00:22:45.36 But there's got to be something more. 00:22:45.39\00:22:47.26 And I discovered that there are what are called 00:22:47.30\00:22:51.47 the four R's 00:22:51.50\00:22:52.83 as it relates to this topic within Christianity. 00:22:52.87\00:22:56.37 We have the Rebel column, which basically says that, 00:22:56.40\00:23:00.94 "Hey, I'm gay. 00:23:00.98\00:23:02.48 I'm transgender. 00:23:02.51\00:23:03.85 I'm fine just the way I am. 00:23:03.88\00:23:05.35 God created me this way 00:23:05.38\00:23:08.22 and He doesn't have a problem with it." 00:23:08.25\00:23:10.29 Then we have... 00:23:10.32\00:23:11.65 And, you know, I would call myself 00:23:11.69\00:23:13.02 a gay Christian at that point, 00:23:13.05\00:23:14.39 in that column. 00:23:14.42\00:23:15.76 Then there's the Resist column that says, 00:23:15.79\00:23:18.16 "Well, promiscuity is not good, incest, abuse. 00:23:18.19\00:23:22.06 All these things, those things aren't good, 00:23:22.10\00:23:24.17 but God doesn't have a problem with me 00:23:24.20\00:23:25.93 having a monogamous, same sex relationship. 00:23:25.97\00:23:28.54 He may condone a same sex marriage, 00:23:28.57\00:23:30.97 but He, you know, He doesn't want us... 00:23:31.01\00:23:34.78 He gives us a little sense of morality there." 00:23:34.81\00:23:37.35 And so we... 00:23:37.38\00:23:38.71 The book, Guiding Families, 00:23:38.75\00:23:40.08 is actually written from a Rebel 00:23:40.12\00:23:42.25 and a Resist perspective. 00:23:42.28\00:23:45.59 Then we arrive at the third R, which would be Renounce, 00:23:45.62\00:23:49.59 and Renounce is where I've kind of been 00:23:49.62\00:23:51.99 in the last 12 years in ministry in that, 00:23:52.03\00:23:55.06 "I don't want a gay label. 00:23:55.10\00:23:56.56 I want who I am in Jesus Christ." 00:23:56.60\00:23:58.50 It says, "I'm a new creation in Him." 00:23:58.53\00:24:00.97 That I would deny myself for Christ. 00:24:01.00\00:24:03.44 I would walk with Him. 00:24:03.47\00:24:04.81 And that, yes, temptations and desires can be, 00:24:04.84\00:24:08.41 they can become sin if we sit 00:24:08.44\00:24:11.21 and consider them for very long. 00:24:11.25\00:24:13.45 James talks to us about, 00:24:13.48\00:24:15.18 you know, when things become sin in our lives. 00:24:15.22\00:24:18.62 But what we don't talk about, 00:24:18.65\00:24:20.22 and much because of the mudslinging 00:24:20.26\00:24:22.26 that has come from LGBT activist, 00:24:22.29\00:24:26.06 is with reference to things 00:24:26.09\00:24:28.00 like conversion and reparative therapy. 00:24:28.03\00:24:30.17 It was recently pointed out, 00:24:30.20\00:24:31.93 brought to my attention 00:24:31.97\00:24:33.30 that conversion and reparative therapy, 00:24:33.34\00:24:34.84 these aversive techniques of shock therapy, 00:24:34.87\00:24:38.27 immersing people in cold, 00:24:38.31\00:24:41.04 ice-cold baths and things like that. 00:24:41.08\00:24:43.08 These, kinds of, things were done 00:24:43.11\00:24:45.28 when homosexuality was still in the DSM, 00:24:45.31\00:24:47.92 which was a diagnostic tool 00:24:47.95\00:24:49.58 for psychologists to use. 00:24:49.62\00:24:51.49 But when the homosexuality 00:24:51.52\00:24:55.09 got removed from the DSM, 00:24:55.12\00:24:58.13 there weren't counselors doing behavioral therapies like that. 00:24:58.16\00:25:01.03 And so Christian therapists and all today 00:25:01.06\00:25:03.50 are seeking to give, 00:25:03.53\00:25:04.87 offer you what Jesus offers you. 00:25:04.90\00:25:07.84 It's a conversion of the heart, not a behavioral approach. 00:25:07.87\00:25:12.07 Okay, wait, say that again. 00:25:12.11\00:25:13.48 I don't want to run past that. 00:25:13.51\00:25:14.98 That's huge. I mean, that's like... 00:25:15.01\00:25:16.64 I know. That's huge. 00:25:16.68\00:25:19.05 It's the conversion of the heart, 00:25:19.08\00:25:21.22 okay, not a pursuit to be any particular... 00:25:21.25\00:25:25.85 Yeah, it's not a seeking out 00:25:25.89\00:25:28.16 to make you straight or heterosexual. 00:25:28.19\00:25:30.89 But God is after your heart to come into a point with Him, 00:25:30.93\00:25:35.30 where you want to live in agreement with Him. 00:25:35.33\00:25:37.93 Now, there's many single people that don't marry. 00:25:37.97\00:25:40.64 There are some people 00:25:40.67\00:25:42.00 that are celibate their entire lives. 00:25:42.04\00:25:43.57 But what I want to point out here, 00:25:43.61\00:25:45.17 sexual orientation wasn't given unto us 00:25:45.21\00:25:47.64 like a compass in the Bible that says, 00:25:47.68\00:25:49.51 "If you prefer this kind of sex, 00:25:49.54\00:25:51.15 go this direction. 00:25:51.18\00:25:52.51 If you like that kind of sex, go that direction." 00:25:52.55\00:25:54.62 It's still within the confines of which God gave it to us 00:25:54.65\00:25:58.19 in the gift of intimacy 00:25:58.22\00:25:59.59 between one man and one woman. 00:25:59.62\00:26:01.22 So let's drop sexual identity 00:26:01.26\00:26:03.46 and sexual orientation right from the get go, 00:26:03.49\00:26:06.73 because I don't know how we as a denomination 00:26:06.76\00:26:10.37 came to a point where we were so considerate 00:26:10.40\00:26:13.10 about somebody's sexual orientation, 00:26:13.13\00:26:15.47 instead of their orientation in Jesus Christ. 00:26:15.50\00:26:18.27 Wow, very good point. 00:26:18.31\00:26:19.64 That's powerful, 00:26:19.67\00:26:21.01 because I want to share something with you, 00:26:21.04\00:26:22.38 and this is, you know, why this topic 00:26:22.41\00:26:24.75 is so vitally important. 00:26:24.78\00:26:26.28 And we're talking to those who are watching the program 00:26:26.31\00:26:28.42 and those who are listening. 00:26:28.45\00:26:30.49 It's because we know in the experience 00:26:30.52\00:26:33.36 of the many years in ministry. 00:26:33.39\00:26:34.72 There are some pastors, who have children, 00:26:34.76\00:26:36.29 who are struggling in these areas of their lives. 00:26:36.32\00:26:38.69 And so the pastor, the clergy, 00:26:38.73\00:26:40.06 the husband and wife 00:26:40.10\00:26:41.43 are in this precarious situation 00:26:41.46\00:26:42.80 as a pastor. 00:26:42.83\00:26:44.17 Well, how do I shepherd my flock, 00:26:44.20\00:26:46.33 knowing that they know that my son or my daughter 00:26:46.37\00:26:48.60 is living a different life 00:26:48.64\00:26:50.01 than what I've proclaimed from the pulpit? 00:26:50.04\00:26:52.61 And so in some cases, some children have been, 00:26:52.64\00:26:55.88 you know, sequestered off stage 00:26:55.91\00:26:57.25 in a soundproof room feeling that 00:26:57.28\00:26:58.61 they've been rejected by their parents 00:26:58.65\00:27:00.58 so that they can be successful ministers. 00:27:00.62\00:27:03.08 Others have taken the next road. 00:27:03.12\00:27:04.65 They have left the ministry to give love and attention 00:27:04.69\00:27:08.29 to their child, whether boy or girl. 00:27:08.32\00:27:11.43 But then some have gone to the other extreme. 00:27:11.46\00:27:13.06 They've left the ministry, 00:27:13.09\00:27:14.43 and they've become proponents of that whole thing, 00:27:14.46\00:27:17.10 you know, the gay marches, the gay rallies. 00:27:17.13\00:27:19.37 And endorsement, yeah. 00:27:19.40\00:27:20.74 And endorsement, they went from acceptance 00:27:20.77\00:27:23.74 to endorsement to campaigning and saying, 00:27:23.77\00:27:26.98 "Well, this is who they are, 00:27:27.01\00:27:28.34 accept them as they are, and don't try to change them." 00:27:28.38\00:27:30.75 But I just heard you say is this whole shock therapy, 00:27:30.78\00:27:34.35 sticking needles, trying to brainwash people, it's... 00:27:34.38\00:27:37.52 It's obsolete. 00:27:37.55\00:27:38.89 That doesn't happen. 00:27:38.92\00:27:40.69 So, let's talk about things from a redemptive standpoint. 00:27:40.72\00:27:44.33 Let's talk about how we grow in Christ 00:27:44.36\00:27:47.13 and what Christ asked for us. 00:27:47.16\00:27:48.93 And, you know, so I was... 00:27:48.96\00:27:51.43 I was like a bulldog at the door of the church 00:27:51.47\00:27:53.70 when I first was converted. 00:27:53.74\00:27:55.20 I was like, "Let the gay people come in 00:27:55.24\00:27:58.27 and don't try to make them heterosexual." 00:27:58.31\00:28:00.01 You know because that's what they're so sure 00:28:00.04\00:28:02.81 that the church wants to do. 00:28:02.84\00:28:04.35 But the church has not been educated on this. 00:28:04.38\00:28:06.55 And most people think, 00:28:06.58\00:28:07.92 "Oh, the opposite of homosexuality 00:28:07.95\00:28:10.12 is heterosexuality." 00:28:10.15\00:28:11.92 So I tried to say today that you know, 00:28:11.95\00:28:16.02 the opposite of homosexuality is holiness. 00:28:16.06\00:28:19.39 Now we have... 00:28:19.43\00:28:20.76 We actually... Say that again. 00:28:20.80\00:28:22.13 The opposite of homosexuality or any sinful behavior 00:28:22.16\00:28:25.00 is holiness. 00:28:25.03\00:28:26.37 Okay. 00:28:26.40\00:28:27.74 Now, I just heard recently through LGBT activists 00:28:27.77\00:28:30.21 that are ministerial graduates 00:28:30.24\00:28:32.67 from one of our universities say, "Holiness." 00:28:32.71\00:28:37.38 "What in the world are you talking about? 00:28:37.41\00:28:39.05 What is holiness?" 00:28:39.08\00:28:40.42 And I was like, "Whoa, wait a minute. 00:28:40.45\00:28:42.45 So you went through years 00:28:42.48\00:28:44.05 in seminary and study of the Word 00:28:44.09\00:28:46.09 and you don't know what it is to be drawn to holiness?" 00:28:46.12\00:28:49.29 Wow. That is... 00:28:49.32\00:28:50.66 That is heartbreaking to hear that 00:28:50.69\00:28:52.53 because they're scoffing at ministries like 00:28:52.56\00:28:54.93 Know His love and Coming Out Ministries, 00:28:54.96\00:28:57.20 when what we're seeking to do 00:28:57.23\00:28:59.03 is put people in a relationship with Jesus Christ, 00:28:59.07\00:29:02.60 where He brings about hope and healing. 00:29:02.64\00:29:05.81 Now, what we've done, and I'm guilty of this too, 00:29:05.84\00:29:09.91 is I stopped, I did stop 00:29:09.94\00:29:12.08 at surrendering and repentance to Jesus 00:29:12.11\00:29:15.02 as though there wasn't any more available for me. 00:29:15.05\00:29:18.19 And now, I learned about the fourth R. 00:29:18.22\00:29:21.92 Okay, don't go to it yet. 00:29:21.96\00:29:23.73 I want to segue into that with this scripture. 00:29:23.76\00:29:25.09 Sure. 00:29:25.13\00:29:26.46 Because as people are listening, 00:29:26.49\00:29:27.83 somebody might say, "Well, 00:29:27.86\00:29:29.20 could you give me some Bible?" 00:29:29.23\00:29:30.57 Yes, let's get some Bible. Yes. 00:29:30.60\00:29:31.93 And some people say, "Well, not the Old Testament." 00:29:31.97\00:29:33.30 For some reason, some people have an aversion 00:29:33.34\00:29:34.67 to the Old Testament. 00:29:34.70\00:29:36.04 I think, well, that's how it was under the Jewish system. 00:29:36.07\00:29:37.97 Let's go to the New Testament. I want to read... 00:29:38.01\00:29:40.18 I'm reading now Paul's writings in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 00:29:40.21\00:29:46.15 and listen to this list. 00:29:46.18\00:29:47.62 And what I want to read is... 00:29:47.65\00:29:48.98 What I want you to listen to, 00:29:49.02\00:29:50.35 as I read this list is Paul is not singling out 00:29:50.39\00:29:52.55 any particular challenge in any person's life. 00:29:52.59\00:29:55.16 He's putting all these... 00:29:55.19\00:29:57.43 It's inclusive, not exclusive. 00:29:57.46\00:29:58.89 And he's putting all of the categories 00:29:58.93\00:30:01.96 that he lists here as places 00:30:02.00\00:30:05.17 where you can be redeemed from. 00:30:05.20\00:30:07.27 Listen to this, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 00:30:07.30\00:30:09.50 "Do you not know 00:30:09.54\00:30:11.51 that the unrighteous will not inherit 00:30:11.54\00:30:14.01 the kingdom of God?" 00:30:14.04\00:30:15.48 And he says, "Do not be deceived." 00:30:15.51\00:30:18.35 That's what you're saying, 00:30:18.38\00:30:19.71 "Don't be deceived." 00:30:19.75\00:30:21.08 Listen to the list, "Neither fornicators, 00:30:21.12\00:30:23.62 nor idolaters, nor adulterers, 00:30:23.65\00:30:26.62 nor homosexuals, nor sodomites," 00:30:26.65\00:30:30.46 verse 9, now verse 10, "Nor thieves," look at... 00:30:30.49\00:30:33.63 He goes from, now, sexual sin to other types of sin, 00:30:33.66\00:30:37.57 "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, 00:30:37.60\00:30:40.94 nor revilers, nor extortioners 00:30:40.97\00:30:44.01 will inherit the kingdom of God." 00:30:44.04\00:30:45.84 But he doesn't stop there. 00:30:45.87\00:30:47.54 How many did you count? Ten of them. 00:30:47.58\00:30:48.91 Ten, but some people single out one and say, 00:30:48.94\00:30:51.15 "No, this one is special. 00:30:51.18\00:30:52.51 Let's leave this one alone." 00:30:52.55\00:30:53.88 That's what's happening today. 00:30:53.92\00:30:55.25 But now, look at the next verse, verse 11. 00:30:55.28\00:30:56.82 And this is what you're going to talk about now 00:30:56.85\00:30:58.32 on the fourth R, 00:30:58.35\00:31:00.46 "And such were some of you. 00:31:00.49\00:31:04.83 But you were washed, but you were sanctified, 00:31:04.86\00:31:10.23 but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, 00:31:10.27\00:31:15.84 and by the Spirit of our God." 00:31:15.87\00:31:19.64 That's huge. 00:31:19.67\00:31:21.21 That's what you're saying, Wayne. 00:31:21.24\00:31:23.11 Why are we not saying that? 00:31:23.14\00:31:24.91 Yeah, exactly. We're not saying... 00:31:24.95\00:31:26.28 And can you imagine 00:31:26.31\00:31:27.65 if a thief come to our church and say, 00:31:27.68\00:31:29.02 hey, he's a thief. 00:31:29.05\00:31:30.39 We want him to be our treasurer. 00:31:30.42\00:31:31.75 And I say, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 00:31:31.79\00:31:33.19 He just said he's a recovering thief, 00:31:33.22\00:31:34.86 why would we make him a treasurer, right?" 00:31:34.89\00:31:37.23 He could say... 00:31:37.26\00:31:38.59 Well, we're here, waiting for him to say is, 00:31:38.63\00:31:40.63 "You know that was what I used to do. 00:31:40.66\00:31:42.93 I've been so redeemed 00:31:42.96\00:31:44.33 that doesn't even come to my mind. 00:31:44.37\00:31:45.70 You can trust me 00:31:45.73\00:31:47.07 with the finances of the church." 00:31:47.10\00:31:48.44 Because the Apostle Paul, 00:31:48.47\00:31:49.80 what was he before he became 00:31:49.84\00:31:51.17 the strongest proponent in the New Testament? 00:31:51.21\00:31:54.81 He consulted to the persecution and the killing of Christians. 00:31:54.84\00:31:59.75 But when he met Jesus, such was some of that. 00:31:59.78\00:32:03.45 Amen. 00:32:03.49\00:32:04.82 Okay, now, let's go to the fourth R. 00:32:04.85\00:32:06.19 Yeah. 00:32:06.22\00:32:07.56 So I just want to put out quickly 00:32:07.59\00:32:08.92 that there are smokescreens 00:32:08.96\00:32:10.49 within our own denomination 00:32:10.53\00:32:12.33 to keep us from seeing what God really has to offer. 00:32:12.36\00:32:15.40 And so LGBT Christians or Adventists, even today, 00:32:15.43\00:32:18.90 put up what is called Queer Theology. 00:32:18.93\00:32:21.70 That we can go outside of Scripture 00:32:21.74\00:32:24.21 that we can go and do some historical background 00:32:24.24\00:32:26.61 to find out that 00:32:26.64\00:32:27.98 what God really had a problem with 00:32:28.01\00:32:29.34 were molesters and rapists, 00:32:29.38\00:32:31.38 and these kinds of things, 00:32:31.41\00:32:33.25 but that God doesn't have any problem with monogamous, 00:32:33.28\00:32:35.88 same sex relationships. 00:32:35.92\00:32:37.59 And again, this is, kind of, 00:32:37.62\00:32:39.05 what the Guiding Families book kind of goes down 00:32:39.09\00:32:41.92 that same type of smokescreen. 00:32:41.96\00:32:44.96 But when I go to Scripture alone, 00:32:44.99\00:32:47.26 and I believe that you can trust God 00:32:47.30\00:32:49.10 from beginning to end, 00:32:49.13\00:32:50.47 from Genesis to Revelation, 00:32:50.50\00:32:51.97 from first breath until last 00:32:52.00\00:32:55.27 that He offers me something so much more 00:32:55.30\00:32:58.57 if I walk with Him and surrender to Him. 00:32:58.61\00:33:00.74 Amen. 00:33:00.78\00:33:02.11 And so the fourth R... 00:33:02.14\00:33:03.48 Is the Rebuild. 00:33:06.45\00:33:09.92 In Rebuild, the Lord takes you, 00:33:09.95\00:33:12.82 and literally He does the work for you. 00:33:12.85\00:33:15.22 He makes you into someone new. Beautiful. 00:33:15.26\00:33:17.59 He doesn't say that, "I promised you 00:33:17.63\00:33:21.00 that I will give you opposite sex attraction." 00:33:21.03\00:33:23.63 But He does show that if we will go to His Word, 00:33:23.67\00:33:26.97 and if we combine this 00:33:27.00\00:33:28.34 even with mental health specialists 00:33:28.37\00:33:30.41 that are in agreement with God's Word, 00:33:30.44\00:33:33.04 that sometimes we can find out 00:33:33.07\00:33:34.78 some of the reasoning 00:33:34.81\00:33:36.14 for why we've had some of the weaknesses 00:33:36.18\00:33:38.21 that we have. 00:33:38.25\00:33:39.65 And when we do that, from... 00:33:39.68\00:33:41.15 You know, there's AA 00:33:41.18\00:33:42.52 and things outside of the church 00:33:42.55\00:33:43.89 for various types of problems, 00:33:43.92\00:33:45.59 drug addicts and various things. 00:33:45.62\00:33:47.39 But we should be coming inside the church, 00:33:47.42\00:33:50.86 where the true healing is, 00:33:50.89\00:33:52.23 where James 5:16 says, 00:33:52.26\00:33:53.60 "Let's confess our weaknesses to one another 00:33:53.63\00:33:56.40 and experience the healing that God has promised us." 00:33:56.43\00:33:59.80 So when you go to someone, 00:33:59.83\00:34:01.24 who might have a better understanding, 00:34:01.27\00:34:03.07 who is trained to help you to get in the mud 00:34:03.10\00:34:06.17 and wallow with you through the dirt to say, 00:34:06.21\00:34:08.11 "Hey, you know, let's look at that your childhood. 00:34:08.14\00:34:11.71 Let's look at various things along the way." 00:34:11.75\00:34:14.18 That when we begin to dissect some of those things 00:34:14.22\00:34:17.32 that we might, 00:34:17.35\00:34:18.92 a health professional 00:34:18.95\00:34:20.29 or a mental health professional, 00:34:20.32\00:34:22.36 somebody of the Word 00:34:22.39\00:34:24.13 maybe able to put tools in your hands 00:34:24.16\00:34:27.00 that help rebuild you as a person 00:34:27.03\00:34:29.46 to get all that Jesus has promised you. 00:34:29.50\00:34:31.90 I love that. 00:34:31.93\00:34:33.27 Why wouldn't you want everything that God intended 00:34:33.30\00:34:36.24 if you've surrendered and given your life to Christ? 00:34:36.27\00:34:38.87 Are you putting up a roadblock and saying, 00:34:38.91\00:34:40.71 "Oh, I only want to go this far. 00:34:40.74\00:34:42.78 I don't want anything more 00:34:42.81\00:34:44.15 or I don't believe anything more as possible"? 00:34:44.18\00:34:46.58 Or are you open to receiving 00:34:46.61\00:34:48.95 what God has in store for you? 00:34:48.98\00:34:51.02 I don't know. 00:34:51.05\00:34:52.39 Maybe that is somebody of the opposite sex. 00:34:52.42\00:34:54.49 Maybe it's not. 00:34:54.52\00:34:55.86 But if I don't discover it, 00:34:55.89\00:34:57.23 if I don't walk further along the path, 00:34:57.26\00:34:59.59 I'll never know. 00:34:59.63\00:35:00.96 And I want everything that Jesus has promised me. 00:35:01.00\00:35:04.33 That's beautiful. 00:35:04.37\00:35:05.70 We're all on a journey. 00:35:05.73\00:35:08.14 You know, honey, you know, that was my favorite scripture 00:35:08.17\00:35:11.04 in the Bible, 1 John 3:1-2. 00:35:11.07\00:35:15.21 It's so beautiful. 00:35:15.24\00:35:16.58 You know, 1 John 3:2, 00:35:16.61\00:35:18.01 "Beloved, now, we are children of God, 00:35:18.05\00:35:22.28 and it has not yet been revealed 00:35:22.32\00:35:23.99 what we shall be." 00:35:24.02\00:35:25.35 That's the journey you're talking about. 00:35:25.39\00:35:26.72 Yeah. 00:35:26.76\00:35:28.09 "But we do know that when He is revealed 00:35:28.12\00:35:29.46 we shall be like Him 00:35:29.49\00:35:30.83 for we shall see Him as He is." 00:35:30.86\00:35:32.19 So the Lord meets us where we are, 00:35:32.23\00:35:33.86 and He doesn't immediately reveal to us 00:35:33.90\00:35:35.73 what we're going to be. 00:35:35.76\00:35:37.10 But He says, "When I'm done," Philippians 1:6, 00:35:37.13\00:35:39.27 "He who has begun a good work will complete it." 00:35:39.30\00:35:41.00 Amen. 00:35:41.04\00:35:42.37 Okay, so that's what you're talking about? 00:35:42.40\00:35:44.04 Yes. Yeah. 00:35:44.07\00:35:45.41 And John 10:10, 00:35:45.44\00:35:46.84 "The thief comes, not but to steal, 00:35:46.88\00:35:48.74 to kill and destroy." 00:35:48.78\00:35:50.11 But what you're saying is, 00:35:50.15\00:35:51.48 "But I've come that you might have life 00:35:51.51\00:35:52.85 and have it more abundantly." 00:35:52.88\00:35:54.22 Amen. Am I hearing you say that? 00:35:54.25\00:35:55.58 Yes. So whether... 00:35:55.62\00:35:56.99 I've been studying, you know, recently about, 00:35:57.02\00:35:59.29 you know, the parable about the sower of the seed 00:35:59.32\00:36:03.46 and where the seed has fallen. 00:36:03.49\00:36:05.29 You know, if the seed falls on rocky ground, 00:36:05.33\00:36:09.30 and there's a certain amount of rebellion... 00:36:09.33\00:36:10.83 And you don't want... 00:36:10.87\00:36:12.40 God is not going to force you into anything you don't want. 00:36:12.43\00:36:14.70 That's right. 00:36:14.74\00:36:16.07 And so is the soil within me fertile 00:36:16.10\00:36:20.18 for what God wants to do? 00:36:20.21\00:36:22.04 Has He planted a seed in me that's going to grow 00:36:22.08\00:36:24.55 or have I stopped the growing? 00:36:24.58\00:36:28.28 Have I stopped watering the seed myself? 00:36:28.32\00:36:30.05 I have to be in this Word every day. 00:36:30.09\00:36:31.99 I need to be in the presence of Christ every day 00:36:32.02\00:36:35.06 in order to get the healing that He has promised me. 00:36:35.09\00:36:38.23 And so in ministry today, my focus is now, 00:36:38.26\00:36:41.63 kind of, switching to all that Jesus has promised. 00:36:41.66\00:36:45.10 And I'm not going to live in fear of the accusation 00:36:45.13\00:36:47.97 of conversion and reparative therapy. 00:36:48.00\00:36:49.84 But I am going to pull and hold up a big capital C 00:36:49.87\00:36:53.44 for the conversion of the heart 00:36:53.48\00:36:54.98 that Jesus intends for all of us. 00:36:55.01\00:36:57.85 And, you know, I used to be that 00:36:57.88\00:36:59.55 my focus was on leadership, which is really, 00:36:59.58\00:37:02.78 you know, where the book Guiding Families, 00:37:02.82\00:37:05.29 kind of, came from. 00:37:05.32\00:37:06.65 And I think that people were either ignorant, 00:37:06.69\00:37:12.26 or perhaps even willfully blind 00:37:12.29\00:37:15.00 to not want all that Jesus offers. 00:37:15.03\00:37:17.40 So that's why I wrote Line By Line again, 00:37:17.43\00:37:21.67 for the viewer. 00:37:21.70\00:37:23.04 And, you know, you can go to knowhislove.org 00:37:23.07\00:37:26.51 in order to get your copy of this. 00:37:26.54\00:37:28.34 You can also go... 00:37:28.38\00:37:29.71 I want you to have the Guiding Families book, 00:37:29.74\00:37:31.58 because I think it's important that you read the book, 00:37:31.61\00:37:34.65 read the two books together. 00:37:34.68\00:37:36.22 And you can go to adventsource.org 00:37:36.25\00:37:39.02 to get a free copy of Guiding Families 00:37:39.05\00:37:41.32 then read them together. 00:37:41.36\00:37:42.76 I can't make the this... 00:37:42.79\00:37:44.13 I'm not Holy Spirit Junior. 00:37:44.16\00:37:45.49 So I don't bring conviction upon your heart. 00:37:45.53\00:37:48.13 Only you and asking the Holy Spirit to guide you 00:37:48.16\00:37:52.03 in between these two books 00:37:52.07\00:37:53.90 can understand and see 00:37:53.94\00:37:55.60 what it is that Jesus has to offer all of us. 00:37:55.64\00:37:59.11 So my focus today is in providing an education 00:37:59.14\00:38:02.34 from God's trusted Word to parents, 00:38:02.38\00:38:05.18 to family, to pastors, and most of all, 00:38:05.21\00:38:08.02 to the person who struggles. 00:38:08.05\00:38:09.92 It's not that God is trying to turn you 00:38:09.95\00:38:12.02 into a raving heterosexual, 00:38:12.05\00:38:14.72 but that He wants your heart for Him. 00:38:14.76\00:38:17.63 He knew you before you were born. 00:38:17.66\00:38:19.59 He wants only the very, very best for you. 00:38:19.63\00:38:22.53 But if you have these brick walls up, 00:38:22.56\00:38:24.57 and He can't get through to you. 00:38:24.60\00:38:26.87 So yes, lots of things have been done 00:38:26.90\00:38:30.11 that are not good, 00:38:30.14\00:38:32.51 even from within Christianity today. 00:38:32.54\00:38:35.04 I think we're sharing with you yesterday 00:38:35.08\00:38:36.44 what my pipe dream is. 00:38:36.48\00:38:38.18 And my pipe dream is this. 00:38:38.21\00:38:39.71 I believe that is our church 00:38:39.75\00:38:42.38 should look towards the LGBT people 00:38:42.42\00:38:45.39 into their families and apologize 00:38:45.42\00:38:47.92 for only having had a statement on homosexuality, 00:38:47.96\00:38:53.13 and to say, "We haven't known how to minister to you, 00:38:53.16\00:38:56.30 but you are precious in God's sight. 00:38:56.33\00:38:58.73 And you are valued in God's sight 00:38:58.77\00:39:00.67 and we want only the best for you also." 00:39:00.70\00:39:03.44 And then the LGBT community or even LGBT Adventists 00:39:03.47\00:39:07.74 would step back and go, "Wait a minute, 00:39:07.78\00:39:09.71 I was not expecting an apology." 00:39:09.74\00:39:12.35 But humbling ourselves before God and saying, 00:39:12.38\00:39:16.75 "We accept your apology. 00:39:16.79\00:39:18.99 Could we come together at the foot of the cross? 00:39:19.02\00:39:21.76 Can we study this out together? 00:39:21.79\00:39:23.53 Can we see what it is that God does desire 00:39:23.56\00:39:26.23 and expect of me 00:39:26.26\00:39:27.60 so that I can be whole in Him?" 00:39:27.63\00:39:29.73 Amen. 00:39:29.76\00:39:31.10 That's well said, beautiful. 00:39:31.13\00:39:32.47 I can't even break in. That was so beautifully said. 00:39:32.50\00:39:33.84 No, you said it so beautiful. 00:39:33.87\00:39:35.20 Now in your book Line By Line, you have 21 testimonies. 00:39:35.24\00:39:40.54 Yeah. Why 21? 00:39:40.58\00:39:42.98 Amazing testimonies, why 21? 00:39:43.01\00:39:45.81 Well, I was just about finished writing the analysis, 00:39:45.85\00:39:51.19 and I was on my way to take shower one morning, 00:39:51.22\00:39:53.22 and God got my attention. 00:39:53.25\00:39:55.26 And I said, "You know, Lord." 00:39:55.29\00:39:57.89 I said, "There's a lot of people 00:39:57.93\00:39:59.26 that know Wayne Blakely's opinion." 00:39:59.29\00:40:00.63 I said, "This is not about me. 00:40:00.66\00:40:02.50 This is about You. 00:40:02.53\00:40:04.00 Would You give me something to help the reader know 00:40:04.03\00:40:07.64 that this is honoring and glorifying Jesus." 00:40:07.67\00:40:11.07 And I got this impression that, 00:40:11.11\00:40:12.57 "Well, Wayne, you know there's a lot of people 00:40:12.61\00:40:14.28 on the Adventist Church that just think, 00:40:14.31\00:40:16.14 you know, there's Coming Out Ministries 00:40:16.18\00:40:17.51 and there's you." 00:40:17.55\00:40:18.88 And that's basically all there is 00:40:18.91\00:40:20.25 and that's the narrow sight on this. 00:40:20.28\00:40:23.05 But when you know 00:40:23.08\00:40:24.42 that this is not a denominational issue. 00:40:24.45\00:40:27.52 This is a faith issue, 00:40:27.56\00:40:28.96 and it goes well beyond Adventism. 00:40:28.99\00:40:31.19 And there are multiple ministries 00:40:31.23\00:40:33.29 in the world today 00:40:33.33\00:40:34.66 about leaving the LGBT plus culture for Jesus Christ. 00:40:34.70\00:40:37.70 And He says, "Why don't you get their testimonies 00:40:37.73\00:40:40.30 and add them to your book." 00:40:40.34\00:40:41.84 So in the book, there are seven testimonies 00:40:41.87\00:40:44.11 from Adventists. 00:40:44.14\00:40:45.47 But there are 14 testimonies 00:40:45.51\00:40:46.84 that are in agreement with Scripture 00:40:46.88\00:40:48.84 that are from non-Adventists as well, 00:40:48.88\00:40:50.78 because we are God's people and God's people are universal, 00:40:50.81\00:40:54.85 certainly, not just from one denomination. 00:40:54.88\00:40:57.52 But you also deal with pornography too? 00:40:57.55\00:41:00.12 Yes. Yeah, they're... 00:41:00.16\00:41:01.52 One of the testimonies in the book, 00:41:01.56\00:41:03.76 particularly, Kezia, 00:41:03.79\00:41:05.99 who is with Coming Out Ministries, 00:41:06.03\00:41:08.70 and often you don't expect to hear this type of testimony 00:41:08.73\00:41:11.73 coming from a female. 00:41:11.77\00:41:13.30 And so she shares about her walk 00:41:13.34\00:41:16.07 within the world of pornography 00:41:16.10\00:41:17.91 and how it captivated her life for a very long time. 00:41:17.94\00:41:20.81 And then how God brought about freedom to her, 00:41:20.84\00:41:24.21 actually, through Coming Out Ministries, 00:41:24.25\00:41:25.75 which is an amazing testimony. 00:41:25.78\00:41:27.58 And I highly recommend Coming Out Ministries 00:41:27.62\00:41:30.99 for a resource of speakers and people 00:41:31.02\00:41:33.05 who are willing to speak out on redemptive ways, 00:41:33.09\00:41:35.49 to leave the LGBT world, 00:41:35.52\00:41:37.53 as well as from my own ministry, 00:41:37.56\00:41:39.26 I Know His Love ministries, who I'm... 00:41:39.29\00:41:42.73 I've spoken around the world on this topic, 00:41:42.76\00:41:45.10 to pastoral retreats and to churches today. 00:41:45.13\00:41:49.17 I think that it's something that 00:41:49.20\00:41:50.54 we need not hide from anymore. 00:41:50.57\00:41:52.87 These are current issues. 00:41:52.91\00:41:54.44 This topic has divided many churches, 00:41:54.48\00:41:56.71 most recently the Methodist Church, 00:41:56.75\00:41:58.81 but it's done the same with Presbyterian 00:41:58.85\00:42:00.75 and Lutheran and others. 00:42:00.78\00:42:02.32 And questions have come about 00:42:02.35\00:42:04.29 will it split the Adventist Church? 00:42:04.32\00:42:06.92 You know, it has the potential to do that 00:42:06.96\00:42:09.46 unless we get the education 00:42:09.49\00:42:11.33 that we should have in order to reach out and help people, 00:42:11.36\00:42:15.03 who are finding themselves in the struggle. 00:42:15.06\00:42:17.73 Go through those four Rs very quickly. 00:42:17.77\00:42:20.57 The first is Rebel. 00:42:20.60\00:42:22.10 Rebel, so basically, I'm fine just the way I am. 00:42:22.14\00:42:24.77 I don't need to do anything. 00:42:24.81\00:42:26.14 Okay, Resist. 00:42:26.17\00:42:27.71 Resist is well, I understand how God doesn't want me 00:42:27.74\00:42:31.98 to just be openly gay 00:42:32.01\00:42:33.35 and to be promiscuous and those kinds of things, 00:42:33.38\00:42:36.25 but He will honor my monogamous relationship 00:42:36.28\00:42:39.09 before Him. 00:42:39.12\00:42:40.46 Okay, Renounce. 00:42:40.49\00:42:41.82 Renounce is letting go of the world terminology 00:42:41.86\00:42:45.26 of being gay or LGBT, 00:42:45.29\00:42:47.00 and accepting an identity in Christ. 00:42:47.03\00:42:49.53 But now you, kind of, have this albatross 00:42:49.56\00:42:51.60 around your neck that you're going to walk 00:42:51.63\00:42:53.03 with these temptations and desires, 00:42:53.07\00:42:55.30 and you're just kind of stuck there. 00:42:55.34\00:42:57.34 You arrive at a point of walking with Christ, 00:42:57.37\00:43:01.14 but you're not necessarily looking beyond to see 00:43:01.18\00:43:03.61 what else He might have to offer, 00:43:03.65\00:43:05.65 which is in... 00:43:05.68\00:43:07.22 Rebuild. Rebuild. 00:43:07.25\00:43:09.12 And Rebuild is where I plan to stay 00:43:09.15\00:43:12.95 until Jesus comes 00:43:12.99\00:43:14.32 because I want everything that He promises me. 00:43:14.36\00:43:17.49 He who has begun a good work in you will complete it. 00:43:17.53\00:43:20.60 You know, if anyone is in Christ, 00:43:20.63\00:43:22.20 he is a new creation. 00:43:22.23\00:43:23.57 And in Isaiah 1:16 say, 00:43:23.60\00:43:24.93 "Cease to do evil, learn to do good." 00:43:24.97\00:43:26.77 And that's what you're talking about. 00:43:26.80\00:43:28.20 A lot of people have not been exposed to the learning. 00:43:28.24\00:43:31.14 The Bible even tells us that 00:43:31.17\00:43:32.51 "Parents train up your child on the way he should go." 00:43:32.54\00:43:35.64 And so we as pastors, when we baptize people... 00:43:35.68\00:43:39.25 And, honey, you know that we have a baptismal class. 00:43:39.28\00:43:41.85 We have a continual ongoing class 00:43:41.88\00:43:45.42 because there are some people that come in, 00:43:45.45\00:43:47.12 that come from different denominations, 00:43:47.16\00:43:48.49 different doctrine of beliefs, and they say, 00:43:48.52\00:43:49.96 "Okay, I understood then they'll say, 00:43:49.99\00:43:51.36 see you next Sunday. 00:43:51.39\00:43:52.83 I mean, see you next Sabbath." 00:43:52.86\00:43:54.46 And there's some who have been doing that for years. 00:43:54.50\00:43:56.67 And they say, "You know I have to be in that way 00:43:56.70\00:43:58.13 for a long time." 00:43:58.17\00:43:59.50 It takes a while to get it out of your head. 00:43:59.53\00:44:01.70 But they said they're learning that. 00:44:01.74\00:44:03.54 Am I hearing you say that? Yes. 00:44:03.57\00:44:05.34 Wait, wait, wait, after being 00:44:05.37\00:44:07.14 in the LGBT plus community for over 40 years, 00:44:07.18\00:44:13.11 I like this question, 00:44:13.15\00:44:14.48 have you struggled with your past? 00:44:14.52\00:44:16.92 Well, clearly, failure has indicated that, 00:44:16.95\00:44:20.32 yes, it has been a struggle. 00:44:20.36\00:44:21.89 I believe this that, 00:44:21.92\00:44:24.09 you know, none of us need to have entered 00:44:24.13\00:44:27.53 into the depths of sin. 00:44:27.56\00:44:28.90 And there have been many who have walked with God 00:44:28.93\00:44:31.23 throughout their entire lives, 00:44:31.27\00:44:32.83 and we know that that's possible. 00:44:32.87\00:44:35.17 But if you've been derailed and you find 00:44:35.20\00:44:38.11 that you have walked in the depths of sin, 00:44:38.14\00:44:42.08 it can be a real challenge when you walk back with God 00:44:42.11\00:44:46.48 because Satan's not so readily relinquishing you. 00:44:46.51\00:44:50.09 And so, today it is often a struggle 00:44:50.12\00:44:53.32 I'm reminded of how my past used to define me. 00:44:53.36\00:44:58.59 And so I have to keep reminding the enemy as like, 00:44:58.63\00:45:00.86 "I'm not there anymore. 00:45:00.90\00:45:02.23 I'm here with a new identity in Jesus Christ." 00:45:02.26\00:45:04.93 I love that. 00:45:04.97\00:45:06.30 Galatians 6:1, 00:45:06.33\00:45:07.67 the Bible is filled with redemptive scriptures. 00:45:07.70\00:45:09.74 Here's another one. 00:45:09.77\00:45:11.11 "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, 00:45:11.14\00:45:14.94 you who are spiritual, 00:45:14.98\00:45:17.01 restore such one in a spirit of gentleness, 00:45:17.05\00:45:21.58 consider yourself less you also be tempted." 00:45:21.62\00:45:25.22 Paul is talking about the frailty of humanity 00:45:25.25\00:45:27.62 but the brotherhood of redemption and restoration. 00:45:27.66\00:45:30.39 He says, "You're just as weak as he is, 00:45:30.43\00:45:32.53 don't think you're not. 00:45:32.56\00:45:33.90 But be spiritual when you work with this person, 00:45:33.93\00:45:36.10 help restore that individual." 00:45:36.13\00:45:37.87 Why is that not being taught in the context of 00:45:37.90\00:45:41.50 helping people in the LGBTIQ community? 00:45:41.54\00:45:45.11 You know, I've often heard today, 00:45:45.14\00:45:48.71 even in congregations today is like, 00:45:48.74\00:45:51.01 "Well, you know, I'm a sinner too. 00:45:51.05\00:45:53.15 And my, your sin is no worse than mine." 00:45:53.18\00:45:55.55 And so people aren't getting what God promises. 00:45:55.58\00:45:58.49 And we go to church and we hear each... 00:45:58.52\00:46:00.32 You hear messages, and you go to potluck 00:46:00.36\00:46:02.92 and it's just been a routine. 00:46:02.96\00:46:04.86 But I want to reach out to anybody 00:46:04.89\00:46:07.26 who thinks that they're lost, 00:46:07.30\00:46:09.66 and that they're not redeemable. 00:46:09.70\00:46:11.40 If you're sitting in a church pew today 00:46:11.43\00:46:13.60 and you struggle, or in a pulpit today, 00:46:13.64\00:46:16.67 and you struggle with pornography, 00:46:16.71\00:46:20.31 God still has His hand on you 00:46:20.34\00:46:22.71 and redemption is possible through Him. 00:46:22.74\00:46:25.28 Do not give up. 00:46:25.31\00:46:26.65 Reach out and talk to somebody often. 00:46:26.68\00:46:28.42 The question is, who do pastors... 00:46:28.45\00:46:29.98 How can... 00:46:30.02\00:46:31.35 Who does a pastor have that they can talk to, 00:46:31.39\00:46:34.26 otherwise they may get kicked to the curb 00:46:34.29\00:46:36.76 and alienated and pushed away? 00:46:36.79\00:46:38.76 Get in touch with Coming Out Ministries. 00:46:38.79\00:46:40.53 Get in touch with Know His Love Ministries. 00:46:40.56\00:46:42.73 Talk to somebody, 00:46:42.76\00:46:44.10 who will help you along the way, 00:46:44.13\00:46:45.60 who will pray with you, 00:46:45.63\00:46:46.97 who will encourage you and let you know 00:46:47.00\00:46:48.60 that God is not done with you. 00:46:48.64\00:46:50.71 This is... 00:46:50.74\00:46:52.07 We want to walk with people today 00:46:52.11\00:46:53.71 that are in the journey. 00:46:53.74\00:46:55.08 There can be stumbling along their journey. 00:46:55.11\00:46:57.01 If we were all converted and ready for Jesus to come 00:46:57.05\00:47:01.12 when we were baptized, 00:47:01.15\00:47:02.48 well we'd be in heaven already. 00:47:02.52\00:47:03.89 That's right. You know, but this is... 00:47:03.92\00:47:05.95 It can get a little dirty along the way, 00:47:05.99\00:47:08.16 but Jesus has answers and solutions. 00:47:08.19\00:47:11.13 And that's what sanctification is all about. 00:47:11.16\00:47:13.43 It is a growing, rebuilding process. 00:47:13.46\00:47:16.80 It has not yet been revealed what you will be, 00:47:16.83\00:47:19.83 but we know that when the Lord is done 00:47:19.87\00:47:21.47 it's going to be complete. 00:47:21.50\00:47:22.84 What are you thinking, honey? What about Queer Theology? 00:47:22.87\00:47:25.21 What is that? 00:47:25.24\00:47:26.57 So Queer Theology, you know, I mentioned... 00:47:26.61\00:47:28.14 I alluded to it a little bit earlier. 00:47:28.18\00:47:29.68 And there's lots... 00:47:29.71\00:47:31.05 There's even a Bible called, 00:47:31.08\00:47:32.45 The Queen James Version of the Bible. 00:47:32.48\00:47:33.82 Queen? 00:47:33.85\00:47:35.18 The Queen James Version of the Bible. 00:47:35.22\00:47:36.55 It's removed all the references to homosexuality 00:47:36.58\00:47:39.29 in order to prevent homophobia in the church. 00:47:39.32\00:47:42.86 And I'm like, "Well, if God wrote had His Word 00:47:42.89\00:47:45.53 written for Him under His divine pan, 00:47:45.56\00:47:47.50 I don't think that we need to be removing any text." 00:47:47.53\00:47:50.90 And I don't see that the texts that deal with homosexuality 00:47:50.93\00:47:56.17 to be clobber text but to be guardrails, 00:47:56.20\00:47:59.04 to keep us from falling off the cliff. 00:47:59.07\00:48:01.64 God wants to keep us in His care. 00:48:01.68\00:48:04.55 I also want to say to parents and loved ones out there today, 00:48:04.58\00:48:08.88 it's important to emphasize the power of prayer. 00:48:08.92\00:48:11.65 I think my parents must have gone through 00:48:11.69\00:48:13.52 a number of kneepads 00:48:13.56\00:48:14.89 over the course of 40 years, 00:48:14.92\00:48:16.46 because they didn't clobber me with, 00:48:16.49\00:48:20.20 "You're living a life that's wrong 00:48:20.23\00:48:21.73 and you're going to burn for it." 00:48:21.76\00:48:23.26 But they continued to love me 00:48:23.30\00:48:25.20 while they didn't endorse my life. 00:48:25.23\00:48:27.57 They reached out and showed love... 00:48:27.60\00:48:29.54 They showed love to me. 00:48:29.57\00:48:30.91 They showed love to my gay friends 00:48:30.94\00:48:33.54 that would come and spend time in their home. 00:48:33.58\00:48:36.31 And, you know, those prayers came and got me. 00:48:36.34\00:48:39.45 They paid off. 00:48:39.48\00:48:40.82 But today parents are praying 00:48:40.85\00:48:43.42 and they're wanting results tomorrow morning. 00:48:43.45\00:48:45.75 And, you know, God doesn't necessarily work like that 00:48:45.79\00:48:48.36 because He needs to wait upon the person 00:48:48.39\00:48:51.76 that is going to be receptive to the Holy Spirit, 00:48:51.79\00:48:55.33 letting the Holy Spirit work in their lives 00:48:55.36\00:48:57.87 as they're ready to receive Him. 00:48:57.90\00:48:59.23 That's right. 00:48:59.27\00:49:00.60 "Wait upon the Lord 00:49:00.64\00:49:01.97 and He will renew your strength." 00:49:02.00\00:49:03.34 Yes. 00:49:03.37\00:49:04.71 That's that waiting that a lot of us 00:49:04.74\00:49:06.07 are fearful of doing. 00:49:06.11\00:49:07.44 I want to also bring out... 00:49:07.48\00:49:09.68 If you were at a place where you're saying to people, 00:49:09.71\00:49:13.31 what is the next step in this rebuild process? 00:49:13.35\00:49:17.82 I want to, once again, 00:49:17.85\00:49:19.19 talk about the book Line By Line. 00:49:19.22\00:49:21.22 And let me just make the statement. 00:49:21.26\00:49:22.99 As a pastor in the North American Division, 00:49:23.02\00:49:26.49 we are in a pool of wanting people 00:49:26.53\00:49:30.50 to know Christ. 00:49:30.53\00:49:31.87 You know, when the Bible says, 00:49:31.90\00:49:33.23 "Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden 00:49:33.27\00:49:35.27 and I will give you rest." 00:49:35.30\00:49:36.91 Rest is for the person who was a thief, 00:49:36.94\00:49:39.37 an adulterer, a liar, a profligate, 00:49:39.41\00:49:42.41 whatever the category maybe, 00:49:42.44\00:49:43.78 struggling with drugs or alcohol, whatever it is, 00:49:43.81\00:49:45.98 and also LGBTIQ issues. 00:49:46.01\00:49:48.58 But what has happened in America, 00:49:48.62\00:49:50.45 and what's happened around the world, 00:49:50.49\00:49:52.19 is because we have been told that 00:49:52.22\00:49:54.22 as it was in the days of Lot, 00:49:54.26\00:49:56.59 which when the men showed, 00:49:56.62\00:49:58.19 tried to break down the door to get to the guest of Abram, 00:49:58.23\00:50:02.20 they wanted the men instead of the women. 00:50:02.23\00:50:04.43 And Romans 1 says, "Men with men doing that, 00:50:04.47\00:50:08.00 which is unseemingly, 00:50:08.04\00:50:09.40 and women burned in their lust one toward another." 00:50:09.44\00:50:11.77 Not Abram. Was it Abram? 00:50:11.81\00:50:15.58 I think Lot, my mistake. 00:50:15.61\00:50:17.21 Thank you, honey. Yeah. 00:50:17.25\00:50:18.58 And so when we look at those issues in the Bible, 00:50:18.61\00:50:20.42 we see that the Lord is not condoning any of that. 00:50:20.45\00:50:23.32 But the Bible is continually saying, "My yoke is easy. 00:50:23.35\00:50:26.82 My burden is light. I could rebuild you. 00:50:26.86\00:50:28.52 I could change your life." 00:50:28.56\00:50:29.92 If that weren't the case, we would have no gospel. 00:50:29.96\00:50:32.33 The gospel is good news, not fearful news. 00:50:32.36\00:50:35.16 How do you speak to that as we... 00:50:35.20\00:50:36.73 Before we go to the news break? 00:50:36.77\00:50:40.30 Well, you know, I, kind of, want to point out this is that, 00:50:40.34\00:50:44.47 you know, it's important that we, as individuals, 00:50:44.51\00:50:50.28 put our faith and our trust directly in the Word. 00:50:50.31\00:50:55.98 I know I grew up 00:50:56.02\00:50:58.35 really looking up to corporate entities. 00:50:58.39\00:51:03.39 And so I know that today that it's difficult... 00:51:03.43\00:51:06.49 You know, I think as a denomination, 00:51:06.53\00:51:08.36 certainly we've had some mistakes along the way, 00:51:08.40\00:51:11.37 but it becomes extremely difficult 00:51:11.40\00:51:13.44 to apologize or ask for forgiveness 00:51:13.47\00:51:17.51 for having made mistakes. 00:51:17.54\00:51:19.47 You know, we're... 00:51:19.51\00:51:21.44 Not everyone in every position within our denomination 00:51:21.48\00:51:25.71 has the ability 00:51:25.75\00:51:28.98 to not be 00:51:29.02\00:51:32.89 stepping off in a direction 00:51:32.92\00:51:34.32 that may not have been exactly what God intended. 00:51:34.36\00:51:37.13 And so I want to be sure to bring it to a point 00:51:37.16\00:51:40.46 that we're looking to Christ 00:51:40.50\00:51:42.13 and not always to, necessarily, 00:51:42.16\00:51:44.30 the literature that's in front of us 00:51:44.33\00:51:45.80 that makes sure that literature agrees with God's Word. 00:51:45.83\00:51:47.77 That's right. 00:51:47.80\00:51:49.14 And we're going to take a short break. 00:51:49.17\00:51:50.51 And on the other side of the news break, 00:51:50.54\00:51:52.44 we're going to have a few closing thoughts 00:51:52.47\00:51:53.81 about this vitally important topic. 00:51:53.84\00:51:55.81 Don't go away. 00:51:55.84\00:51:58.51 If you would like to contact 00:51:58.55\00:51:59.88 or know more about Know His Love Ministries, 00:51:59.91\00:52:02.58 you can do so in the following ways. 00:52:02.62\00:52:04.55 You can write to them at P.O Box 701, 00:52:04.59\00:52:08.06 Battleground, Washington. 00:52:08.09\00:52:10.19 You can also call them 00:52:10.23\00:52:11.56 at 360-936-8514. 00:52:11.59\00:52:16.56 That's 360-936-8514. 00:52:16.60\00:52:22.07 You can also visit their website 00:52:22.10\00:52:23.57 at knowhislove.org 00:52:23.61\00:52:26.51 That's knowhislove.org 00:52:26.54\00:52:29.98 You can also send them an email at 2knowhislove@gmail.com 00:52:30.01\00:52:35.58 That's the number 00:52:35.62\00:52:36.95 2knowhislove@gmail.com 00:52:36.99\00:52:40.86