Responding to the transgender movement.
What can pastors do?
We destroy arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. 2 Corinthians 10:5a
As Voddie Bachmann so aptly states in his book, Fault Lines, “The truth is not only to be believed; it is to be deployed.” We cannot love our neighbors well by ignoring or downplaying the truth of God’s Word. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it also has the power to set people free.
Preach expositorily.
God’s Word is a powerful weapon against evil. It has the power to demolish strongholds. How Biblically literate is your congregation? Is their knowledge of Scripture surface-level, topical, and emotion-led, or does it reflect a deep understanding? The ability to distinguish good from evil arises from a mature faith that is built up by continual and intentional study of the Bible.
Take a stand.
Evil thrives in darkness. It thrives when we ignore it - to our own detriment and that of our families and society as a whole. Shining the truth of Scripture on arguments and pretensions that set themselves up against the knowledge of God wages a righteous war on our enemy, the father of lies. LGBTQ activists - promoted, propped up, and protected by corporations, institutions, and at every level of government - will not stop until every individual and entity bends the knee to their ideology. Churches will not be exempt from this targeting. In fact, a captured church is the ultimate win. Rainbow flags are not only commonly displayed in store fronts and public buildings, they are beginning to be prominently draped over more and more churches across the country as well. American Christians need to be spiritually and intellectually equipped if and when Biblical teaching on sexuality is no longer legal as it is in Canada. Will we obey God or will we obey men? That decision needs to be made before persecution happens.
Encourage parents to disciple their children.
Public schools and universities have become ground zero for political and ideological grooming. They are discipling the next generation. If parents don’t make disciples in their home with a biblical worldview, the enemy will actively provide a worldly substitute that leads children down a destructive road. Such substitutes are offered by friendly and seemingly knowledgeable teachers and professors who engage in grooming activities in order to lead struggling children or teens into embracing an LGBTQ identity. Remind busy and distracted parents of their primary responsibility to train up their children in the ways of the Lord. This responsibility cannot be handed off to Sunday school teachers or Christian schools. Children and teens need their parents, first and foremost, to actively engage with them on spiritual and cultural issues and instruct them on the authority of God’s Word on every matter.
Guard against progressivism within the church.
American churches have not been immune to the ever-increasing cultural reverence for feelings over facts which has caused many Christians to neglect a crucial piece of the Armor of God. Not having the belt of truth buckled securely around our waist has left our core exposed and vulnerable to deception and to the false teachings of the social justice movement. Providing biblical clarity on ideologies that easily lead people astray is crucially important in these increasingly confusing times and demonstrates true, biblical love for our neighbor.
Training Our Brains - G3 Ministries
Weaponization of Love and Kindness - NDCAN
Exposing and Opposing Social Justice Theology - Allie Beth Stuckey
Racial Reconciliation? - Just Thinking Podcast
Live Not By Lies - Rod Dreher
Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution - Carl Trueman