Because language really, really matters, we certainly are trying to change some language habits. And when language becomes less hostile, rhetoric driven and compassionate the overall atmosphere begins to change….so we are counting on that. But we are also trying to listen more than we speak, to “preach” less and actually dialogue more. We are working to make sure we don’t have unwritten rules and spiritual measuring sticks for one group of students that we don’t have for others, etc. Baby steps.
Our goal: Church should be the safest place for a teenager to talk about ANYTHING, especially something as important as same-sex attraction.”

I’m not sure, Nick! But I do know that our response would be more gentle, loving and grace-filled today than it would have been in the past.

With friends like the two of you….

Thanks, Joel. Like I said in my post, we’ve done it well and we’ve done it poorly. We are just trying to be a youth ministry that creates a safe place….not perfect, but safe.

GREAT question Mike! Currently we treat every student equally….with the same “rules” and expectations. We have a “no public display of affection” and “no hooking up” policy for EVERY student at camp, so there’s really no need to emphasize sexual identity in the process.

Hi Charlotte, and thanks for the comment. I hope my post didn’t give the impression that I don’t believe teenagers can be homosexual; in fact I allude to that possibility in the post and certainly recognize that many teenagers are. But I think it’s also fair to recognize that not every teenager who feels an attraction to a member of the same sex is homosexual. This post was an attempt to share how we are navigating this terrain in a way that we really do hope is loving to teenagers…no matter where they are in their journey.