I recently posted a clip from a conference I was speaking at in December 2022. I knew the clip would get some attention but I didn’t realize how interesting and concerning the response would be from people.
Clips are very hard to post sometimes because you’re only given 90 seconds and you have to make that make sense. Sometimes the context can be hard to convey, but most people aren’t watching long-form videos as much as they are watching the 90-second reels/tik-toks/shorts. So that’s the dilemma that most ministers are faced with.
Nevertheless, the response was concerning. People just hear what they want to hear. Even if you listen to every word of a video you can take something and project your own ideas upon it and then use that as an excuse to not really hear what’s being said.
What I said was important and so here’s a “more than a soundbite” teaching moment.
You can watch the video here:
I’ve spoken many times leading up to 2023 and I did an entire youtube series at the beginning of the year also, saying that this year would be a year of Identity. There are so many prophetic signs that this is the case. You can watch that here.
In the clip above, during a leadership panel discussion, I heard a word from the Lord very clearly saying, “We in the church use titles like the LGBTQ+ community uses pronouns.” And that “this issue, originated in the church.”
Now, I prefaced that with the statement “All of the issues that we see in the world first originate in the church. We are the gatekeepers.” This is where most people were confused. While I admit I could have said it better, the statement still rings true. Yes, I know that sin originated with Satan and that sin was introduced to man through Adam. Yes, I know what happened in the garden. I also understand that our modern idea of the church came after Christ. So historically does all sin originate in the church? No. But that’s not what I said. I said, “All the issues that we see in the world first originate in the church.”
Firstly, if we look at the man and woman in the Garden (Adam), they were in a relationship with God. They had a secure identity…that is until they were talked into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That’s where they experienced an IDENTITY CRISIS. In fact, that’s where we all inherit our identity crisis from.
Romans 5:12,18-19
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…18 Therefore, as through [d]one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one[e] Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
I encourage you to read all of Romans 5. This chapter and many others point to the fact that sin originated with Adam meaning that the first sin came through people of God! People who were made in God’s image and likeness. Now that doesn’t mean we are left with bad news. Our hope is that we are made new through the blood of Jesus and our identity is now established in him.
So you can blame the devil all you want, but sin was man’s choice. Adam and Eve were gatekeepers…and I believe that the church of Jesus Christ is a gatekeeper as well. And guess what? If we are dealing with sinful, immoral behavior, or an identity struggle in the church, then what do we expect to be happening in the world?
1 Peter 4:17 says, “17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?””
So the word of the Lord to the church is to stop searching for your identity outside of Christ! Your identity isn’t found in the titles you demand to be called, the positions you hold, or through fame and notoriety. Your identity is in Christ! It’s time to stop acting like orphans. Why? Because many in the LGBTQ+ community are and will continue to be saved and delivered. When they come into the church they will need to see a clear depiction of what it means to be a believer with a secured identity in Christ.
Long before this trend of “Neo-pronouns” in the world, people in the church have been using titles like Apostle, Pastor…Bishop and positions of authority to mask their insecurities as well. So when I say it started in the church, that’s what I mean. Just read 1 Peter 4 again if you need additional clarity on that.
Furthermore, there is a revival happening in the LGBTQ+ community. This was the second point of confusion for a lot of people. Especially the religious ones. They assumed that by me saying there is a revival coming to that community, I somehow affirm their lifestyle and the struggles that they have accepted as a normal way of living. Absolutely not. But can we get out of our religious box for a minute and actually think critically about what I said? They have an identity issue that needs to be dealt with too! And they will be transformed by the power of Christ!
I am seeing it already! Many who professed to be gay or transgender or the other labels…are being saved and delivered! Shouldn’t we rejoice about this fact? Praise God that people are being set free. Maybe that just makes certain religious people scared about what that might mean to their comfortable churches.
Now, I am an adamant outspoken voice against the progressive Christianity movement. I do NOT think that the church is or should be inclusive. We are exclusive to followers of Christ. So let’s set the record straight here.
However, I love and pray for those in the LGBTQ+ community and want them to experience the life-changing power of God. Shouldn’t every believer want this? I want them to come into the church, I want them to hear the good news, and I will embrace them in the church and help them walk through that discipleship process.
We as leaders must have these discussions now or we are going to be totally overwhelmed by the next generation. For instance, what happens when a transgender person who has had all the surgeries is saved and comes to our church? What happens next… logistically? What if they want to serve? That’s just one question…there are many more.
What about gay couples who have children? When they get saved what happens next? I’m not saying we affirm that lifestyle, but I am saying we should prepare for their arrival into our churches and have a plan in place to love them and walk with them through the process.
I have more thoughts on these challenges but I think those thoughts would be better expressed in a separate forum or blog.
Just to close out this discussion, let’s think about the story of the prodigal son. While the prodigal is certainly an important character in the story, who was Jesus telling the story to? According to Luke 15, it was a group of Pharisees and scribes. In other words, Jesus was talking to “church” people who were criticizing the fact that he was eating with “sinners.” In fact, I think the main character was not the prodigal son in the story. I believe the main character was the son who stayed at home. At least to that particular audience.
That’s right, the son who seemingly did all the right things and became infuriated when the prodigal was embraced, that’s who Jesus wanted them to hear about. The story shows how the Father came to this son and revealed his ignorance. Though you are in the house and serving well…you too don’t know who you are. YOU ARE MY SON. This is a picture of those who are in the church. Those who are in the house but who are still living as orphans. You have an identity crisis to deal with just as much as the prodigal does!
What more is to be said? 1. It’s time to deal with our identity issues. Only a revelation of Christ can resolve this. 2. We must prepare for those in the LGBTQ+ community to be saved and have a plan in place to disciple them.
I’m reminded of the scripture where Jesus says, “those who have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15) Do you have an ear to hear?
God Bless!
Ryan Cole