I still struggle with lust, and there's been progress!
During a recent Ask Me Anything, someone asked me how I refrain from gay sex and gay pornography. As I've shared consistently on this platform and when I speak publicly, I am not perfect. Years ago I struggled mightily with sexual addiction, and while I have experienced significant progress over the past five years, I am still a sinner in desperate need of a savior. But we are not without hope.
Called, not Conscripted (to Celibacy)
Missio Alliance published a piece I wrote about volunteer versus conscription armies and the similarities to called versus involuntary celibacy.
Temptation is predictable
When I recently taught Ecuadorian high school students at a Christian school about God's wisdom for our sexualities, we concluded with advice for resisting sexual temptation. We explored how the Enemy's schemes are actually pretty predictable, and as such, how we can reverse-engineer a good defense.
Making lifetime commitments to vocational singleness & NFOB
After five years of intentional discernment, I am confident that God is calling me to permanently commit to vocational singleness and to the Nashville Family of Brothers. On Saturday, September 30th, I'm gonna make those commitments!
How did God call me to vocational singleness?
I went on the Adventures in Theology podcast with Brayden Brookshier to talk about vocational singleness, including how God called me to vocational singleness. By the end of college I had experienced multiple long periods of singleness and studied Jesus & Paul's words about lifetime singleness for the sake of the kingdom…
You gotta start w/ straight sex ethics
At a recent campus minister training, I urged them not to bring up gay sex ethics with students until they first covered God's wisdom for everyone's sexual stewardship (and addressed ways straight Christians often fall short). Why? Consistency and effectiveness.
Gay sin isn't worse than straight sin
For nearly a decade I was burdened by crushing shame, in large part because I was told gay sexual sin was worse than straight sexual sin. Sometimes explicitly (but often indirectly) I was led to believe that whatever sins I committed, they were even more despicable in God's eyes because I was gay.
Christ's dating advice for college non-Christians
At a public theology seminar hosted by the Charleston Anglican Cathedral Church, I got to encourage non-Christian college students to trade their hookup apps for more friendship and more public service…
Vocational Singleness is a Gospel Cornerstone
Some who know Jesus experience crippling doubt. Others who don’t yet know Jesus see a Creation in chaos. Christ’s promises seem to ring hollow, the kingdom is coming too slowly, the gospel feels feeble. Thankfully a potent vehicle of kingdom work and kingdom hope for the early Church is available to God’s people today, if we will only embrace and nourish it. Amid Christ’s ministry on earth, he instituted a vocation meant to give us hope for the kingdom to come and to bring forth that kingdom with undivided attention: the vocation of singleness.
Do Christians Have ‘Respect for Marriage’?
As the Respect for Marriage Act is set to pass, some Christians will mourn the further entrenching of secular values. Others will cheer the loosening grip of the Religious Right. To those of us holding tightly to God’s Word and praying that godly marriage would bless our country, can I ask an honest question:
Do we have respect for Christian marriage?
Exploring the Gift of Singleness in the Bible
Read this interview with RENEW.org exploring what Jesus and Paul taught about vocational singleness. Plus learn how our churches can better support those called to abstinent singleness for the sake of the kingdom.
The Ascetic Fetish
Christian celibacy is a tragically misunderstood concept. Depictions of kingdom singleness, from Renaissance paintings to modern television shows, often misrepresent Christ's invitation and early Church practices, tempting some ordinary Christians to ignore their calling and others to indulge in a caricature of the vocation of Jesus. These thoughts swirled through my mind as I took up an invitation to spend a holiday weekend at a friend’s house in the land of 1000 lakes…
Should Christians attend gay weddings?
Should Christians attend gay weddings? I recently joined Pastor David Hannah for a conversation with parents at the Church at West Franklin, a campus of Brentwood Baptist Church. We fielded lots of questions, including the perennial question about whether Christians should attend gay weddings.
Recognizing & Responding to Romance Idolatry
What does idolatry of romance look like? How can Christians respond by right-sizing expectations of marriage, raising expectations of friendship, investing in thicker family in the body of Christ, and offering greater support for vocational singleness?
A Pandemic of Romance Idolatry
Tiger King. Schitt's Creek. Perhaps the most popular shows of covid-times tells us something about what we value. Perhaps it reveals that we've suffered from a pandemic of romance idolatry long before masks and vaccines.
Gay Christian Victim Mentality (on the Rick Lee James Podcast)
Help protect gay Christians from victim mentality. I went on the Voices in My Head Podcast with Rick Lee James to talk about faith and sexuality, including the barriers to gay Christian face to thriving according to God's wisdom.
“Coming out” during Pride Month
Many choose to "come out"—to share with others about their sexual orientation for the first time—during pride month. What does it mean for someone to come out? Why do they come out? And how can Christian respond with God's love and wisdom?
HOW to discern vocational singleness & Christian marriage
In previous posts we established that Jesus and Paul are particularly commending permanent singleness in Matt 19 and 1 Cor 7. Later we explained WHY every Christian young adult should open-handedly discern between vocational singleness and Christian marriage, seeking God's preference for each of our lives. But HOW can we discern?
Does vocational singleness reflect the Trinity?
I joined Vanderbilt Medical Christian Fellowship for a conversation about intimacy needs and vocational singleness. We recognized how Christian marriage reflects the complementary, intimate, permanent, life-promoting, sacrificial, and hospitable nature of the God's love. But what about vocational singleness?!