By guest blogger, Shannon Bond.

What would a biblically grounded sexuality look like? First, a biblically grounded sexuality redeems gender. God created men and women to be different physically, emotionally, and psychologically. He created them to complement and complete each other. However, there are those who purport the lie that gender is not important to one’s sexuality. According to Scott Davis:

Maleness and femaleness are no longer seen as precious aspects of our beings, inestimable gifts from God to His creations, but are now the incidental leftovers of blind evolutionary processes. All that remain are odd gender stereotypes and sexual organs that can be manipulated for pleasure. [Scott Davis, “From Pimp to Pure via Youth Ministry,” Youth Worker Journal, September 4, 2007, http://www.youthworker.com/11553168 (accessed May 21, 2008).]

This line of thinking opens the door to all types of aberrant sexual behaviors.

Those who do not practice heterosexuality justify their behaviors in two ways. One way is to say that God does not exist. Without an objective moral authority, people are free to go wherever their ideas of love and pleasure take them. Another way is to say that the biblical passages concerning aberrant sexual behaviors have been misinterpreted or taken out of context. For example, some assert that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their inhospitality. Others say that when Paul referred to homosexuality, he was not condemning the practice as is practiced today within loving, committed relationships. Instead, Paul was condemning pederasty or homosexual prostitution. These verses, they assert, would not apply to those who are born homosexual.

Youth workers and parents combat this lie by unashamedly declaring what the Bible says about gender. Christians believe that God exists and that He reveals Himself personally through Scripture. Christians believe in God’s goodness and that He wants the best for all of humanity. Therefore, what God has to say about gender in the Bible is the definitive standard. According to the Bible, gender is a part of the gift of sexuality, intended to be discovered through relationships, through love, and ultimately, through heterosexual sexual intercourse in a marriage relationship. The Bible is clear about the heterosexual marriage relationship as the highest realization of human love and sexual expression. Youth workers will do well, though, to act with sensitivity toward those struggling with their sexual identity.

Furthermore, youth workers combat this lie by reinforcing the goodness of gender outside of sexual activity by declaring that it is okay for boys to act like boys and for girls to act like girls. Organized “Girls Only” or “Guys Only” events where activities are gender specific (without trying to reinforce gender stereotypes) are wonderful ways of reinforcing positive ideas about gender and sexuality. Positive adult role models will add to the experience.

Read the other posts in this “Teaching Teen Sexuality” series.

—————————————————————————–

Shannon Bond is in his first year as the youth minister at First Baptist Church in Bangs, TX. He is married to the former Stephanie DeBoom of Copperas Cove, TX and has three children: Raegan (6-year-old daughter), Sydnie (4-year-old daughter), and Joey (2-year-old son). He is a student at Logsdon Seminary in Abilene, TX. Before becoming a youth minister, Shannon spent 13 years as a teacher and coach.

Posted on June 18, 2008