Holy Sexuality: A Christian Response with Dr. Christopher Yuan

by Abby Marino in News, Recordings. Posted October 17, 2016

Dr. Christopher Yuan has a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness, grace and ability to personally transform one’s life.

As a formerly agnostic gay man who became a Moody Bible professor, God freed him from the bondage of drugs and promiscuity, ultimately turning his unbelief into belief.

Watch Dr. Yuan share his personal testimony
Dr. Yuan shared with more than 300 people at Hope Community Church on how his life experience and spiritual transformation taught him how Christians need to respond to homosexuality in a compassionate, redemptive manner.

“The best place to be working through issues of sexual identity is in the body of Christ, not the world, and yet we are not creating that healthy atmosphere,” said Dr. Yuan.

Watch Dr. Yuan’s full talk “A Christian Response to Homosexuality”

cy-4 — Packed community session at Hope Community Church

“The true Christian response is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That must be our foundation,” said Dr. Yuan. “If you’re not giving a redemptive message, you are not getting at the heart of the Gospel.”

According to Pastor Cor Chmielseski of Hope Community Church, Dr. Yuan’s message was spot on with what the young adult at his church need to hear.

“It is rare to find a high-quality speaker, capable of balancing the Bible and culture while delivering an engaging message. Dr. Yuan struck the right balance while equipping our church to carry forward this conversation and seek out responses that possess both conviction and compassion,” said Pastor Cor Chmielesk.

Dr. Yuan offers practical suggestions on how to minister to Christians with homosexual feelings & how to share Christ with those in the gay community.

cy-2 — Morning pastors session at New Hope Church

Ministering to Christians with Homosexual Feelings:

Thank them. – “It’s one of the hardest things for a Christian to do is to open up about their sexuality,” said Dr. Yuan.

When people are in need, what they need most are not experts, but a friend.

Tell them they are not alone.

Help them be sure of their identity in Christ. – “We need to separate who we are from what we experience. We are not what we do. We are image-bearers of a holy God. Our identity needs to be in Christ above anything else,” said Dr. Yuan.

Be realistic. – it’s not an easy task to navigate this new reality.

Don’t focus so much on the externals. – “Don’t focus on things like mannerisms, how they dress, walk, talk. Focus on the heart. The Gospel is about heart-change. I want to focus on the inside-out, not the outside-in,” said Dr. Yuan.

Encourage God-honoring, intimate same-sex friendships. – “I needed to relearn what it meant to love men in God-honoring, non-sexual ways,” said Dr. Yuan.

How to Share Christ with Those in the Gay Community:

Do not compare it to addiction, pedophilia, murder etc.

Do not say “lifestyle” or “choice.” – “Too many gay people believe this is not a choice or a lifestyle, they believe it is who they are; what I see as a false identity,” said Dr. Yuan.

Do not say “love the sinner, hate the sin.” Just love them.

Do not debate them (aka “defend the truth”). – “There is a time for truth when their heart is open,” said Dr. Yuan.

Pray and fast. “Are you praying and fasting for those people in your life who you want to know Christ?” asked Dr. Yuan. Christopher’s mother Angela prayed and fasted for him for 6 years until he accepted salvation through Jesus.

Listen.

Be intentional. – “Don’t be afraid to invite your gay friends/neighbors to dinner/coffee etc. Christ had dinner with sinners. You are just eating with them, you are not sinning with them,” said Dr. Yuan.

Be patient and persistent. Be in it for the long haul.

Be transparent. – “People cannot argue with you about what God has done in your life. None of us should be the same as we were. We are all transformed by God. We should talk about the work God is doing in our lives,” said Dr. Yuan.