I’m 71 and “old school.” I’m proud of that in some ways, like having a good work ethic, being courteous and loyal, my love for God and having trust in the Bible. But being old school has its downsides. Until five years ago, I didn’t realize how archaic both my language and ideas were regarding homosexuality and LGBT+ people.

I love hanging out with college and post-college young people, including our own grandchildren. I do that every week to either introduce them to the gospel or to help shape their worldview. So, five years ago, when I was having conversations about LGBT people and with LGBT people, I had to unlearn some old school ideas and learn some new ones if I was going to be relevant, event to our own grandchildren. So here is what I learned from my good friend and co-worker Dr. Preston Sprinkle.

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In May, my son Tyler and I headed off to Washington to attend an event sponsored by the Colson Center. The topic for the conference to consider was “Is Christianity Good for the World?” “Of course it is!” is what we Christians say. But John Stonestreet, the president of the Colson Center said that many non-Christians are no longer asking if Christianity is true, but if it’s even good.

I found this article from Thinkapologetics.com helpful as I meet with younger Christian and non-Christians some of whom are wrestling with this idea as well.

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In 1964, Bob Dylan wrote this powerful and prophetic warning to parents in a song:

Come mothers and fathers throughout the land.
Don’t criticize what you can’t understand.
Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command.
Your old world is rapidly aging.
So please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand.
For the times, they are a-changin

I just read Gen Z by Barna Research. It’s a short, but frightening guide book to this new world our teens are living in – what they believe and what they no longer believe.  

But why in the world would a 71-year-old guy read it?

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A year ago, I met with the presidents of two well known denominational seminaries. I was introducing them to the ministry of The Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender, www.centerforfaith.com. The Center’s ministry is educating pastors and their people to be more kind and understanding of LGBT+ people and their families, while still holding the Bible’s historical teaching of marriage and sex.

Each of the denominations these seminaries represent had a number of churches who were affirming. That is they believe the Bible allows same-sex marriage. The lines were being drawn, with churches were being encouraged to join with one camp or another and these seminary presidents could see trouble coming. Their question for me was, “How can we reconcile these two opposing views in our denomination?” My answer surprised them.

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