How to evangelize to the LGBT community or couples

[Curiousmind]

Hi,

Just want to discuss this, how to evangelize a LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) couple. If have never evangelize to this group, but would be interesting to talk about this.
We all know this to be a sin, but maybe we should just show them love first, not that we agree with their lifestyle, but we should think like this, love them, respect them, don't try to convince them yet that their lifestyle is a sin and that God is not ok with it, love them first. Sometimes there are reasons why they are in LGBT relationship, sometimes it is because of abuse. If it is abuse and we confront them to early that they are wrong and should change without first showing love, it will backfire, they will actually get repelled by your behavior. Love them first, slowly with guidance of the Holy Spirit convince them that their lifestyle is a sin.

So I listened to a testimony of a girl, she experienced domestic abuse when young age, not that she got raped, but her father harmed her mother, but not so that she would die, but he did slap her or something I guess. So that propably turned her Lesbian propably, she saw how a man harmed her mother.

Br,

 

[PloverWing]

I would talk about God's presence in my life, and God's tremendous love for the whole world, just as I would if I were talking to a straight couple. I don't generally presume to point out sin in other people's lives. I've got enough work getting the planks out of my own eyes; I don't need to go finding specks in other people's eyes. Instead, perhaps, tell them how very much God loves them.

 

[Uriah S]

Pray for them. 100% show love, share your own testimony. Be honest. Know and understand the what the scriptures say. Don't expect overnight miracles, give the Holy Spirit space to work in them. Let them open the subject of LGBT when they are ready. Pray more, show more love.

 

[1Tonne]

I have told the Gospel to several LGBT people and the conversations went well. I first create a quick conversation with them, but I quickly change it from casual talk, to talk where the person's conscience will convict them. So, I bring the Law of God to them. After all, the Law of the Lord is perfect at converting the soul. If it is perfect, why would I not use it?
When doing this, I try to keep off the topic of homosexuality. Instead, we can show them that they have fallen short of God's standards simply by asking them, "How many lies have you told," or "Have you ever stolen something? Have you ever used God's name as a cuss word? Or have you ever hated someone?" Then, once you have said these questions to the person, say that you have broken them all as well. This puts you in the same position as them. So, you too are guilty and deserve hell and this should help bring some of their defences down.
They already know that God does not agree with homosexuality and so, the law can convict them of other sins. Once they see their need for a saviour, we can bring the Gospel to them. Then, if they see the truth in what you've said, they will also realise that their lifestyle does not agree with God's word. They need to change.
If the topic of Homosexuality does come up, say that since you were young, you too have had a desire to sleep with many people of the opposite sex. So, you wanted to fornicate with as many people as possible (especially if you are a man). But just because we desire it, does not mean we should do it. In the bible, it says that we need to take up our cross and follow Him. This means that we need to start to honour God by choosing to leave our fleshly evil desires and follow Him.

By sharing the bad news and the good news, you are doing it in a very loving way. It would be unloving to leave them in their sin. Because we love them, we should warn them of the condemnation that they are under.
Also, Proverbs 27:5 says, "Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed." So, in other words, if a friend genuinely loves a person, he will not refuse to correct him. Genuine love, paired with humility, compels a person to correct his friend when necessary. A "love" which stays hidden because it lacks the courage to call out sin or danger is a weak form of love.
So, do not be afraid to love him by warning him. We should love everyone we meet if possible.

This is one of the best interactions that I have seen on the internet. In this interaction, the person speaking (Ray Comfort) does talk about homosexuality and the results still work out well. But I prefer to stay off the topic unless they bring it up.

also

and

 

[Bones49]

Yes this lifestyle is sin, but all have sinned. So what is the difference? I guess perhaps just that it is more obvious to us, or that we can empathize wit someone who would lie, but not someone who is gay?

It is the Holy Spirits job to convict of sin not yours. So yes you can talk about how sin is rebellion against God (or however you would put it) and talk about sins that everyone commits, lying, stealing etc.

Also it depends on what you mean by evangelize, if your talking about street evangelism where you might never meet the person again, or more involved long term, developing a friendship. I suspect that it may be wise in the latter case at some point as the friendship develops to let the gay person know how you view their lifestyle.

 

[Curiousmind]

I have told the Gospel to several LGBT people and the conversations went well. I first create a quick conversation with them, but I quickly change it from casual talk, to talk where the person's conscience will convict them. So, I bring the Law of God to them. After all, the Law of the Lord is perfect at converting the soul. If it is perfect, why would I not use it?
When doing this, I try to keep off the topic of homosexuality. Instead, we can show them that they have fallen short of God's standards simply by asking them, "How many lies have you told," or "Have you ever stolen something? Have you ever used God's name as a cuss word? Or have you ever hated someone?" Then, once you have said these questions to the person, say that you have broken them all as well. This puts you in the same position as them. So, you too are guilty and deserve hell and this should help bring some of their defences down.
They already know that God does not agree with homosexuality and so, the law can convict them of other sins. Once they see their need for a saviour, we can bring the Gospel to them. Then, if they see the truth in what you've said, they will also realise that their lifestyle does not agree with God's word. They need to change.
If the topic of Homosexuality does come up, say that since you were young, you too have had a desire to sleep with many people of the opposite sex. So, you wanted to fornicate with as many people as possible (especially if you are a man). But just because we desire it, does not mean we should do it. In the bible, it says that we need to take up our cross and follow Him. This means that we need to start to honour God by choosing to leave our fleshly evil desires and follow Him.

By sharing the bad news and the good news, you are doing it in a very loving way. It would be unloving to leave them in their sin. Because we love them, we should warn them of the condemnation that they are under.
Also, Proverbs 27:5 says, "Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed." So, in other words, if a friend genuinely loves a person, he will not refuse to correct him. Genuine love, paired with humility, compels a person to correct his friend when necessary. A "love" which stays hidden because it lacks the courage to call out sin or danger is a weak form of love.
So, do not be afraid to love him by warning him. We should love everyone we meet if possible.

This is one of the best interactions that I have seen on the internet. In this interaction, the person speaking (Ray Comfort) does talk about homosexuality and the results still work out well. But I prefer to stay off the topic unless they bring it up.

also

and

I saw this a few years ago, forgot about this, but read some of the comments on these youtube, some of them don't repent, they have hardened their hearts.

 

[1Tonne]

Yes this lifestyle is sin, but all have sinned. So what is the difference?

There is no difference between us and them. We have also lusted and so therefore we are guilty. Sadly, many of these people have hard hearts and so they love their sin too much to give it up.

I guess perhaps just that it is more obvious to us, or that we can empathize wit someone who would lie, but not someone who is gay?

We can empathize with them too as we also have a strong desire to be with as many of the opposite sex as possible, and this is wrong. So, we are very similar.

Also it depends on what you mean by evangelize, if your talking about street evangelism where you might never meet the person again, or more involved long term, developing a friendship. I suspect that it may be wise in the latter case at some point as the friendship develops to let the gay person know how you view their lifestyle.

Yes, it is wise to let the person know the truth early on. The longer you leave it the harder it may get but, when saying this, be humble and not judgemental. It is good to use the 10 Commandments and even say the words "The 10 Commandments". Many people just think of sin as sin. They think, "Everyone sins and so we are all the same. It can't be that bad if everyone does it". But when you mention the words, "The 10 Commandments", people realise that it is not just sin, but it is sin against God. And if it is against God, then we are in big trouble.
Also, if you truly loved someone, you would warn them as soon as possible of the judgement they are under. Many people create friendships and then it takes them years to speak the truth to them. This is not good. If you truly believe something bad is going to happen to someone, then you should warn them as soon as possible. Just like if you saw a house on fire and the person inside did not know that it was on fire. You would yell and warn them as soon as possible. You would not think to yourself, "I love this person so much that I am going to become their friend and bless them by mowing their lawn and then I will tell them their house is on fire." There is an urgency to the Gospel and so we need to tell people.

I saw this a few years ago, forgot about this, but read some of the comments on these youtube, some of them don't repent, they have hardened their hearts.

I have told many people the Gospel and many of them have hard hearts. No matter what walk of life they are from, many of them are hard. We are simply called to share the Gospel and then it is God who creates the growth. We cannot force someone to believe.
But once you have shared the Gospel with a person, do not continue to bombard them with it day after day. Use wisdom when saying it. Instead, bless them and love them and then let the Holy Spirit work in them. Be Christ to them.

 

[linux.poet]

I’ve tried to do this a few times over the years. LGBT is usually from wounds from childhood: wanting to hurt other women (L), absent dad and controlling mom (G), permissive family that lets anything go, no authority (B), and implying that one or another sex is unacceptable (T). These are just sample wounds that could be contributing to these disordered sexualities: each person’s wound is different.

I’ve found that talking about my abusive father and my masculine hobbies as a woman (Bionicle, chess, percussion, theology, woodworking) helps to establish a friendship and break down barriers. What many of these people need is awareness of how their childhood is contributing to their current destructive patterns of sexuality. These childhood wounds are powerful forces that drive them into sin, and these people need to be empowered to face these psychological roots in order to tear out the tree.

Talking about someone’s childhood is much less contentious, and can rather easily be arrived at through small talk. Then you can ask them about whether they think a childhood event contributed to their sexuality, talking their way through their orientation and childhood and how they disobeyed God’s laws when they were younger, what they believed about religion, etc, and that segways into the Gospel and relevant Scriptures, etc.

 

[1Tonne]

Spoke to a lesbian couple today. I asked them, have they lied, stolen, used God's name as a cuss word and have they ever hated someone? From there I was able to take them to the Gospel and they stayed and listened to the whole thing. They didn't bring up their lifestyle either. So, it was very easy.
As they left, I could see them snigger quietly at each other. I think they were sniggering because they knew that their lifestyle was also an issue, but I never brought it up with them.