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It's pretty rare I link to something on Challies.com, but... :)
I have talked to quite a number of gay men now—almost all of them white and middle aged. Many of them came out of the closet after having been married with kids. For whatever reason, 85% have come from Catholic backgrounds. That means that much of my evangelistic groundwork has already been covered. There is no need to explain that the bible has two testaments, or who Moses or Abraham were, or convince them of the historic factuality of the resurrection; for the most part, they believe it. I’m finding it’s the authority of scripture that I need to deal with the most.
When I first meet someone at the coffee shop and they ask me what I do (which is a natural “in” to introducing the gospel) they assume that I must be a liberal gay Baptist minister, because otherwise what would I be doing in their coffee shop? (The first man I talked to had only just broken up with his boyfriend, a Methodist pastor.) I begin by asking them questions. I get them to do all the talking for the next 45 minutes. I ask them about their job, their background, their family life, their personal life and what they believe and why so I can get a picture of their epistemology and worldview. Needless to say, I frame my questions in an inquisitive, slightly naive, polite fashion, not in an interrogative, formal way. Gay men love to talk (at least the ones in this coffee shop seem to) and people in general today enjoy discussing “spirituality”. Then, out of politeness, they will inevitably ask me what I believe. So I tell them the gospel, starting with Genesis 1, laying out for them the biblical storyline and worldview.
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I do all this because I love the LGBT community. They are a community comprised of individual eternal souls. Sadly, they are culture that has almost no contact with biblical Christianity in any form. How many drag queens can count a born again Christian amongst their friends? Very few, to our shame.
A few years ago I wrote an article called Why You Should Plant a Church. It's gotten around the interwebs a bit, and I'm still regularly encouraged by folks I meet who tell me that article was a big piece of their story, their journey towards planting a church.
Each chapter includes a spiritual practice to ensure your soul gets the nourishment it needs. Forging and maintaining a life-giving connection with God is the best choice you can make for yourself and for those you lead. " Highly recommended
David Allen: Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life
Eugene H. Peterson: The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction
Timothy Ferriss: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
William H. Willimon: Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry

Shane Hipps: Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith
Brian McLaren: Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices
Eugene H. Peterson: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society
Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity Without Hierarchy
Alan Hirsch: The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church
Joseph R. Myers: The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groups
Michael Frost: The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church
William J. Webb: Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis

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