How Well Will You Suffer?

I’ve wrestled with a lot lately and this same-sex marriage debate has brought up a lot of past feelings and memories. How tempting it has been to let those thoughts take over and how difficult it has been to not give in to my desires. But I have one Desire in my life these days that always comes first. As much I want to go back, I can’t…no matter how hard I try to convince myself that I should. I pray for wisdom and for the power of His Spirit to guide me and direct me…and He always comes through.

Many of my gay friends think I’m a crazy closet-case who’s afraid and many of my straight friends simply don’t understand what goes on inside of my head and it’s probably going to be this way for the rest of my life.

My life is not my own anymore. Christ gets me, He understands me, He feels my pain, my hurt, my loneliness, my guilt, my struggle. He knows every thought that I can’t express with words and He holds my hand when I attempt to walk on a tightrope. He saved me and He continues to save me every single day.

I’m not gay…I’m a child of God. A child who desperately needs His Father.

I am washed, I am sanctified, I am justified in the name of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of my Father. I’m loved unconditionally. I’m His…a sinner, yet saved.

My equality on this earth has suddenly become trivial.

I posted the above statement on Facebook a couple of days ago and the response has been overwhelming.  I’ve received public messages of love and support from brothers and sisters and private messages…some with sincere questions and others with sincere contempt.  It’s all a part of the life of a believer.

The world around me is changing.  With gay marriage rights on the horizon and more members of the LGBT community gaining the confidence to step out into the public eye, I’m faced with a dilemma.  When I lived my life as an active homosexual, I longed for the day when I would see this type of change.  To be able to wave the flag of equality while holding the hand of a husband seemed an impossible dream.  Now it’s a possible reality.

Ironically, the dream I once desired to be realized is now within my reach and I must deny it. I must deny myself and pick up my cross, as the Savior says.  I’m always reminded of what a wise mentor told me about suffering:  As Christians, we will suffer.  Everyone suffers, but there is a distinct difference between the suffering of one who is a believer and the one who does not believe.  Christians suffer…but we suffer with hope.  We have the ability to reach out to our Savior and ask Him to use our suffering in a way that reaches out to others.  We can minister to others through our suffering.  Our suffering becomes a blessing.

As a child of God, you will suffer…but how well will you suffer?

I find it to be incredibly beautiful that a week such as this will be concluded by Resurrection Day.  He lives.

Mistaken Identity

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted a new entry here and to those who have so lovingly encouraged me to post more, I apologize for my absence.  I have been on an incredible–and sometimes painful–journey since my last post.  Every journey, every trial, every obstacle, every cut, scratch and bruise I have ever endured in my life…the outcome is always the same:

God is good…and I am His.

The majority of my previous posts were my way of trying to better explain the struggle of same-sex attraction from a first-person point-of-view.  My goal isn’t for everyone to be an expert on this issue.  My goal is for believers in Christ to have compassion for those, who in the eyes of our Lord, are no different than anyone else.

I was, however, finding myself becoming more focused on the sin rather than the Savior–forgetting what my true identity was.

There is a debate among Christian circles concerning what believers who deal with same-sex attraction should be called.  Do we call them gay Christians?  Ex-gays?  Ex-gay Christians?

I say we call them Christians–followers of Christ and children of God, saved by the same blood which saved you.  When we call them gay Christians or ex-gay Christians, we identify these people with their struggle and that is exactly what I found myself doing with my own identity.

If 1 Corinthians 6:11 rings true in our lives…if I am washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Christ Jesus and by the Spirit of our God then the only identity I need to embrace is the identity He has given me because of His grace.

 

I am a Christian.

 

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point-of-view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  

~2 Corinthians 5:16-17

 

My passion to reach homosexuals is fueled by my new identity…not my past one.

 

God of the Broken

The Heart Is the Heart of the Matter

I hope those of you who watched Dr. Williams’ lecture enjoyed it and most importantly, now have a better understanding of homosexuality and what it entails.  I realize not everyone has the time to sit down and watch an hour-long video, so I’d like to touch upon a few of the terms of which Dr. Williams spoke.

At the conclusion of my previous post, I mentioned if I were to describe my feelings or my sexual orientation in secular terms, I would consider myself to be gay.  When someone says, “I’m gay,” however, this tends to have a negative connotation, especially when heard by my fellow Christians.  This does not in any way mean these Christians are hatemongers or bigots…it simply means they are not informed.  I find most often when people are misinformed or not informed at all about a sensitive subject, fear tends to take over.  We fear what we do not understand.

For those of you with questions or reservations and concerns on my behalf (and I know for a fact, some of you do),  it’s probably best for me to explain the deeper meaning behind, “I’m gay.”  Know, however, I will not explain everything in each post…concluding each post with a cliffhanger.  This is not intended for “shock value”.  I do this because I want my readers to think.  Think about how you are feeling after reading each post…for instance–how did you feel or what went through your minds when I declared that I was gay?

My goal is not just to inform and educate–it is for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to examine your hearts.  One of the primary reasons for why we do not reach out to the gay community as we should (and have been commanded to by our Lord) is a problem with the heart.  This is the heart of the matter, so to speak.  Unless our internal struggle with and fear of gay people is put to rest within each of our hearts, ministry will never be possible.

“I’m gay…”

What does this mean for me and how does it fit in to my journey as a Christ-follower?  In his lecture, Dr. Williams mentioned three terms I believe are crucial for our understanding of homosexuality (these are from his lecture, “A Christian Psychology and Biblical Response to Homosexuality”)

Same-Sex Attraction (SSA): a descriptive term–describes the direction of a person’s sexual desire.  Varies in strength, durability and longevity.  It can be weak, moderate, or strong.  Can be temporary or always there.  Does not describe how a person feels about their sexual attraction or about what a person does with their sexual desires.  SSA does not describe a person’s identity–who they are.  Approximately 6% of men and 4.5% of women report experiencing at least some degree of SSA.

Same-Sex Orientation (SSO): some people experience SSA in such a manner that it is predominant compared to OSA (Opposite-Sex Attraction).  It is strong and durable and persistent and never goes away and is never as strong as OSA.  Approximately 2% of men and 1% of women report a same-sex orientation, wherein their primary and predominate sexual attraction is to the same sex.

Gay (used as one’s identity): this is more than a description.  Some people who have a same-sex orientation choose to adopt a homosexual identity.  A key feature of their identity is this SSO and along with it, a lifestyle.  Approximately 4 million Americans identity themselves as gay.

*These three categories are not to be confused with one another and are not coterminous.  

**One may experience SSA or SSO, but a gay or homosexual “identity” is not an experience…it is a decision.  It is a value-based choice.  Identities do not happen to us…they come from us.

Yes, I have a same-sex orientation (SSO)…but I do not identify myself as gay.

Instead of making the choice to equate my same-sex orientation with a gay identity, I chose to lay my same-sex orientation at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ.  I do this every single day and will continue to do so until the day I die.

I no longer boast in myself.  I boast in my Savior.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” ~1 Corinthians 1:26-31

We Must Apologize Before We Evangelize

Before I go any further with this blog, I think it’s time that we, as Christians, come to terms with where we are in our ministry (or lack thereof) with the gay community.  There are certainly wonderful ministries out there that provide gospel-driven help and support…but in general, we have not even begun to scratch the surface.  This “homosexual ministry thing” is a new concept for most of us…it shouldn’t be.

When someone voices the idea that homosexual activity, in God’s eyes, is the same as any other sin, our ears perk up…as if this is some revolutionary idea.  This life-saving, life-giving truth is not new.  It is as old as the time 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 was written.  It is due to our inexcusable neglect…our misinformed upbringing…our ignorance…our prejudice…and our blatant laziness that we are just now coming to this realization.

There is a massive dividing line between the gay community and the Church.  I believe it is high time that we, as the body of Christ (every denomination included), before we even attempt to share the love of our Savior, apologize for our behavior and our neglect.

 

The Village Church, in Greenwich Village (NYC), has done a tremendous job in vocalizing this apology on behalf of the Church as well as ministering to the gay community in the surrounding area.  I am adopting their apology…

~I feel compelled to apologize, on behalf of the Church at large, for the demonization of homosexuality and the shunning or rejecting of any individuals for their same-sex desires. I affirm, in the strongest possible way, that those of us who are heterosexual in desire are not more righteous or more entitled to the grace of Jesus Christ than those of us who are homosexual. Nor are heterosexuals in less need of that grace.  I stand against any form of evil, including prejudice, bigotry and violence. I believe that moral disagreement is not a license for slander or harassment of any contrary group.~

 

My previous post surprised a few people (I was counting on it).  Some of you probably thought I was coming out of the closet (AGAIN) after I stated, “I’m gay.”

“I’m gay…”   

…a phrase that when uttered, for many people, has life-changing consequences…unfortunately, those consequences are usually negative ones.  Thrown out of the house, introduced to some form of therapy that is supposed to “cure,” perhaps they are disowned by parents, ostracized by friends, family and church family…and the list goes on and on.

It is crucial for all of us to educate ourselves so that we can understand those who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.  There are several terms we must become better acquainted with…there are levels of psychology and spirituality we must introduce ourselves to in order to minister.  This may actually require us to roll up our sleeves and work.  We might have to learn, research, watch and read, read, read!

If you are not willing to do these things…then do not minister, plain and simple.  Our Lord never said it would be easy.  There is much work to be done.

Here’s another head-scratcher to leave you with…(and yes, I’ll explain in later posts!)…

 

I previously stated that I’m gay.  In secular terms,  I stand by that statement, however, I will also say that I am someone who has a same-sex orientation (SSO).  Again…terms you should familiarize yourselves with.

How?  Here’s a video of a man who I have much respect for: Dr. Sam Williams.  Dr. Williams is a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (where I’m a student).  PLEASE WATCH.  Much of what he speaks on lays the foundation for this blog.  Time to get to work.

 

http://vimeo.com/30850212

 

 

 

To Be Gay or Not to Be Gay? What a Confusing Question.

Welcome to The 6:11.

I remember a time, not too long ago, when I would come across a blog just like this one and I would immediately, in a fit of anger and disgust, write it off as one of those “crazy, Christian, Bible-thumping, out-of-touch with reality” kind of blogs at first glance.  Never did I think I would be typing a blog like this with the intent of ministering (as a Christian) to people who are just like I was…just like I am. 

…like I am?  You might be scratching your head, saying, “Wait a second…didn’t this guy just say he’s a Christian?  Can “gay” and “Christian” go together?”  I ask you this…can “sinner” and “Christian” go together?  Absolutely.  That’s the whole point of being in desperate need of a Savior, isn’t it?

Hi…my name is Christopher Broskie.  I’m a young man who has surrendered everything that He is and everything that He will be to Jesus Christ.  I’m a seminary student…learning, training, equipping, experiencing and utilizing everything I possibly can to be a more effective minister.

I’m gay.

WAIT!  I know this first post is going to be read by several of my fellow Christians, so before you bust out your knives and pitchforks, let me explain (although many of you may have finished reading and closed the window after “I’m gay,” because you felt your man cards expire) so…

…I will explain!…but not in this post.  The title of this blog doesn’t say, “a journey,” for no reason.

This is a journey.  This is my story.  You are NOT alone.

~And such were some of you.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. ~1 Corinthians 6:11