Grace-Filled Wisdom for Church Leaders Navigating LGBTQ+ Realities Part 2

Proverbs 11:2, "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."   

wis•dom \ˈwiz-dəm\ noun 

[Middle English, from Old English wīsdōm, from wīs wise] before the 12th century 

b: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships: insight 

c: good sense: judgment 

Face Yourself

Our most powerful act of Christian leadership comes in our example (1 Peter 5:3). We need to wrestle with our own past and present sexual ethics, including our prejudices, wounds, sins, and confusions. When we have personally received the grace of Christ and felt the Father’s loving hands cleansing our sins, then we can lead others as wounded healers and washed sinners.

Healthy spiritual leaders honestly face their sexuality. Their first job is to “keep watch over themselves” (Acts 20:28) to set an example. A leader sets the pace. When we courageously face our own sexual sin, embrace the Father’s gracious forgiveness, and forgive others, we grow in Christ and are able to lead with humble authenticity as we invite people to follow our example.

Paul told the spiritual leaders of the Ephesian church: “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). The Holy Spirit gave you spiritual leadership over the people to whom you are ministering, so your calling is to shepherd the blood-bought people of God. This is weighty! This is not your class, group, or church. It is God’s, bought by Jesus’ blood, and for whom the Spirit gave you responsibility for his people.

In all arenas, including the sexual realm, we are to be examples to the flock, to those who are entrusted to us (1 Peter 5:3). The Greek word used in 1 Peter 5:3 for “examples” is typoi, which refers to types or patterns, so we serve as models for the people to follow. How can we serve as typoi in the sexual arena?

We start with a confession, facing the truth about ourselves. King David prayed,

“Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23–24)

Ask God to know your heart in sexual matters, to test you, and to know your thoughts in this realm. See if there is any sexually offensive way in you. And ask him to lead you in his ways about sex.