JD Greear Shares 7 Tips for Pastors Before Preaching on Homosexuality
J.D. Greear, who was nominated last week as a candidate to become the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention, is sharing seven tips for pastors to follow before preaching about homosexuality.
In a blog post on his website titled "7 Points to Consider When You Preach About Homosexuality," authored by Brad Hambrick, pastor of Counseling for the Summit Church of Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, where Greear serves as lead pastor.
"The tone of the pastor will be the tone of a church and the emphasis of the pastor will be the emphasis of a church," wrote Hambrick.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"The greatest impact of any sermon is not in the one hour service with God's people gathered, but in conversations and applications during the other 167 hours of the week when God's people scatter."
The seven points Hambrick gives to pastors include:
- Become friends with someone who experiences [same-sex attraction] first;
- View your message as something that will open conversations;
- Be intentional and consistent with language;
- Remember people are never called an abomination, only behaviors are;
- Avoid applause lines and humor for self-comfort on stage;
- Be intentional about providing resources and outlets for conversation;
- Invite Feedback.
"I pray these suggestions allow a sermon you preach or lesson you teach about homosexuality to provide not only an accurate biblical theology of sexual ethics, but also to equip your congregation to become better ambassador-friends of the Gospel to members of your congregation who are struggling in silence," explained Hambrick.
An author and pastor, Greear is credit with having grown Summit Church from a congregation of about 300 when he became lead pastor to at least 8,000 members presently.
Speaking about his name being placed in nomination to become the next SBC president, Greear commented on his website: "When I was approached by several older SBC leaders asking me to consider this role, quite honestly, it took me by surprise. I know that the Holy Spirit often speaks through His Church, (Acts 13:2), so we took their counsel seriously."
"Pray for me over the next weeks and months. I am first a husband and father and second a local church pastor. These have been and will remain my primary assignments." Greear wrote Thursday.
