Life is full, isn’t it? Often, in a good way. It’s good to work hard, it’s good to occupy your time and energy with family life, to volunteer hours in the community, to maintain the home God’s given you. But that leaves many of us sleep-deprived and a little the worse for wear. And here’s another side effect of our busy-ness: sometimes we have very little time or mental space to think, to have substantive conversations about important things, to study and consider. And in the absence of deliberate thought and study and dialogue, something happens that is not good: rather than working questions through, we simply absorb other people’s opinions as our own. Our culture shapes us in its own image, without our even being aware of it.
Sometimes we have to stop and say, hang on, this is too important not to engage. I simply must take the time to give this some consideration. And this is true for us as individuals, and for communities, too. This is why New Life is planning an eight-week, church-wide discussion on matters of sex and sexuality. Beginning April 27, during both education hours at 9:00 and 10:45, we’ll be taking up topics related to sexuality in our changing society. As you know, pornography has grown exponentially in its pervasiveness and availability. That has had numerous effects on countless individuals and marriages, and has created a whole multi-million dollar industry founded on the exploitation of people. At the same time our nation is also undergoing a massive transformation of public opinion regarding homosexuality. This, too, is not just an intellectual matter, but one that affects real people—people in our church, people in our families, people we love. The impact of both these trends on our children and young people is tremendous. It’s all just too important for us not to give our attention to—and that not just in passing, but with great care, with love for those who experience same-sex attractions and with concern for Christ’s kingdom.
Would you please make a point to join us for as many of these sessions as you can? Many of you don’t normally participate in Adult Education, but this is important. Our ability to function in a healthy way as salt and light in our community really depends on it–and likewise our ability to love one another well as we each seek to navigate the challenges of our own sexuality with integrity before God.
MANY thanks to Nicholas Black for being the visionary behind this series. The complete schedule of topics and dates is available here. And please be in prayer for these classes, that the Lord would instruct and guide us as we seek him for wisdom in these things.
