Tough Questions: What Should Churches Do When Homosexuals Visit?

A few months ago a family visited the church where I work. When they arrived they were greeted by an individual on the “welcome committee” and encouraged to fill out a C.A.R.E. card (welcome card) so we could have a record of their visit and follow up with them. They filled out the card and left it with the greeter. When I arrived to work on Monday morning the C.A.R.E card was sitting on my desk for me to follow up with the family. I visited their house and thanked them for coming and told the family about all of the ministries which we had at our church. This would’ve been a typical follow-up visit except for one minor detail. The family consisted of two moms and three children. That’s right the women were homosexuals who had moved in close to the church and were looking for a church family.

Homosexuality is all but accepted as normal within mainstream society. As more and more individuals choose to embrace a homosexual lifestyle it logically leads to more visitors visiting churches who are homosexuals.  How should the church respond if an open homosexual couple visits the church? Below is a list of five appropriate responses…

1) We should rejoice! The church should rejoice that visitors would visit who need to hear the message of the Gospel. It is true that all visitors are sinners who need to hear the Gospel but homosexuals appear to be especially turned off to the message of the Gospel; therefore, we should rejoice that they are joining us in worship and are able to hear the Gospel made visible in welcome, announcements, songs and the preaching of the Word. The church on a typical Sunday morning should look more like a hospital waiting room and less like an interview room. The church should be filled with seekers seeking after God and saints whom God has found.

2) We need to make them feel welcome. We should go out of our way to welcome them to church. We should not point at them or whisper about them behind their back but should go up and introduce ourselves, invite them to sit with us, answer any questions they may have and afterwards invite them out to lunch to get to know them. The homosexual community does a great job at welcoming individuals and a lot of homosexuals whom I have talked with talk about a desire to belong and finding it within the homosexual community. We as the church, should go out of our way to welcome them and love them to the cross. If they do not feel welcomed they will not return and we miss out on an opportunity to watch God show His power and His grace.

3) We must remember that we are ALL sinners in need of grace. No sin is worse than another. None of us were worthy of salvation. Regeneration is a process which occurs before salvation and as followers of Christ we must patiently, humbly and with much grace walk sinners down the path of regeneration to the cross. We must remember that sinner’s sin. Homosexuals will continue to live in a sinful lifestyle; therefore, we must be patient and loving. We should share our beliefs about their lifestyle but we should focus more on the Gospel rather than emphasizing one particular sin over another. We should take them to the 10 Commandments and open for them God’s holy law in order for them to understand that they have broken God’s law. Once they understand they are sinners, the good news of the Gospel will not be foolishness but they will receive it with gladness.

4) We do not compromise. Homosexuality is a sin. As long as individuals are living in an unrepentant homosexual lifestyle they cannot join the church or serve in leadership positions. The Bible and church history is clear on the sinfulness of homosexuality and the need for homosexuals to repent and trust in Christ. “Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality…And some of you used to be like this. 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 6:9&11

5) We should rejoice when God saves them. No one is outside the saving arm of Jesus Christ. As long as there is breath in the body there is hope for the soul. If homosexuals attend church, are welcomed by church members, and the church does not compromise but preaches and sings the Gospel with boldness it should not surprise us when God saves homosexuals. We should rejoice at God’s power to save sinners & after they become Christians we should lovingly and patiently disciple them teaching them to obey all things Christ commands.

In conclusion, by God’s grace more and more homosexuals will attend our churches, hear the Gospel, repent and be radically transformed by God’s grace. We should not fear or worry when sinners visit our churches but instead should rejoice, welcome them, be patient, never compromise and rejoice when God saves them.