A Raw Conversation with a Legalistic Gay Christian: Colton Beach
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- Опубліковано 24 сер 2024
- Colton Beach is a Christ-follower who's also a gay New Yorker who grew up secretly ‘struggling with same sex attraction’ in the Independent Fundamental Baptist church. He grew up ignoring his sexual identity for the sake of his Christian identity which allowed sexual sin to fester in darkness until it could no longer be ignored. He is passionate about calling the church to be honest about the reality and extent of our brokenness to invite those around us to do the same.
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I totally get where he is coming from. As a same-sex attracted Christian, I too can attest that the church is very unmerciful and lacks any desire to gain awareness to help those who experience this struggle. It is the only sin, in which the church expects the believer to overcome immediately upon giving their lives to Christ. All other sinners are given grace and time to work through their issues. It’s very disheartening to have to struggle in secret, because other Christians have nothing to offer us but judgement.
So true.
Why do you think you need to struggle?
@elijahmarie77444 Saying you're the literal Elijah of the Bible and Jesus was transgender not only makes you look mentally ill, but it also hurts those like myself who are legitimate scholars of the Word with making the case you can be both a born-again Believer in Christ and be in a Christ-centered, same-sex, marriage.
Please think about what you are claiming and how it would look to others.
That's because you can't be gay and be a true man/woman of Christ because God himself said he made man and woman to reproduce and have fruitful relationships
@elijahmarie77444 that verse is about eunuchs not gays.
This was really amazing. To hear Colton express how he views weddings as he watches the groom tear up as the bride approaches was beautiful. Very moving.
Colton, you are an extraordinary person with a powerful testimony and message to the Church. Believe it or not, there are a lot of us who are the Church and have had the same experiences that you detailed in this conversation, but have not been as courageous as you. I pray that God will use you to transform the thinking and anti-Gospel message of most of the Church! I could go on and on…. Please continue to be a truth teller. Thanks brother! ❤
So much of this resonates with me. It has been comforting to know that I am not alone in the way that I have felt in the past and continue to feel now. Thank you for this.
Colton, thank you for your vulnerability in such a public space. The Church and it’s people need your perspective. I believe great blessing will come from your obedience in sharing even when it’s hard!
❤❤❤
Maria (Chris’ sister)
P.S. I hope we get to meet at Revoice 2024!!
These are my favorite episodes: real, honest, "raw." Really enjoyed this one.
Thank you for being so open an honest of your journey with.Christ. I also was in the gay life and am still on my journey of healing and recovery.
Great testimony! We are all sinners that can be saved by grace if we put our faith in Jesus. 🙌🏼
I thought Colton Beach was a place (when I got an email from revoice). Glad to see you are a person, Brother. 😀
Mary reference was actually marry reference. 😘 God had a guy--Hosea--marry a whore--Gomer--to show us what He is willing to do to be with us. It threw me off too initially but when I went back and listened a second time, I could tell it was marry, not Mary. Catholics not offended! 😁
The prophet was comparing adultery to idolatry. God was willing to be patient. However, the message was always to repent and turn from sin, idolatry, to follow God without looking to the left or the right. It wasn't about outright acceptance without repentance (to change one's mind). That is why judgment came upon Israel and they were spit out of the land.
I have a good friend who is gay and married to another man. He told me last week that he is "in conversation with God" about his sexuality and feels he needs to repent. My heart goes out to him. I told him I'm praying for him and want him to have peace in his heart. As a straight woman, I do not have a full understanding of what it is to be gay, but I love people for them, regardless of who they are attracted to. 😕
I'm excited for Colton that he has moved towards God and pursuing holiness internally, rather than just behaviorally. I hope the growth continues!! One comment about the "straight lifestyle" I'd make is that I have heard plenty of "straight" people say that they struggle with sexual sin/lust etc. I've seen them wrestle with this area and pursue holiness in both behavior and heart desire. The sanctified straight lifestyle--or maybe we should call it sanctified sexuality--is about bringing all of our desires and outward pursuits under the dominion of Christ, considering ourselves dead to sin, and presenting ourselves--regardless of which direction our attractions seem to go--as instruments for righteousness. Rom 6. It's an expected pursuit for every Christian. Heterosexual marriage doesn't cure a sin-sick soul--only the Holy Spirit can do that. This is what those Redeemer men found out, I hope. Blessings to you Colton as you pursue holiness and submit your sexuality to Christ!
I think, maybe, I have decided that there are only two kinds of humans that have ever lived on this planet; perfect and not perfect?
+ He is risen. + I appreciate the witness of Pete Buttegieg, for example, who chooses to humbly live out his Christian faith in Eucharistic community, in partnership with his husband, to love and serve the world. LORD Jesus Christ, Son of G-d, have mercy on us, sinners. amen
Why did you say g-d instead of god?
What gave me eyes to see was, when God gave me the understanding of the image of God and realizing the truth of the Image of God and the birthright He created for me , then I saw the pagan Christian trinity doctrine lends toward gender confusion because they don’t believe God lives in Gender and has a Genders as He created Adam and Eve and their children in His Image and likeness , that what God has revealed in the Eternal Generation and He wants to dwell in us, He wants us to be His temple. Straight is just as corrupt as any if not born again. You have the power to believe and choose.
I am wondering if Preston thinks the closing of Exodus was a positive thing.
They had been around for nearly 40 years.
Was their closing the best evidence of change failure?
What do you mean by change failure in your question? I don’t fully grasp what you are wondering here. I would be interested to hear his perspective too
@@zachorletzkiy Exodus is a very strange chapter in Christian parachurch history IMO.
It started out as a group of Christians wanting to follow God's will as they understood it in the Bible. Not to mention that (I'm going to use the acronym not to offend but for brevity.) LGBT people were once very outcast in worldly society. As one of my friends put it, "Who would choose to be gay?"
How could they not focus on change?
Either on lifelong celibacy or some movement toward heterosexual interest to allow marriage.
Because the other option is literally seclusion from society and other people. I remember one man who was an Exodus leader who said that he would basically just never leave his home, lest he be tempted to have a gay relationship!
Exodus' model was on reparative therapy. When (especially) men came forth and said that they had positive relationships with their dads, and they came from loving homes (think Justin Lee, for example), BAM!
What kind of change *did* Exodus offer?
IMO the change was to call yourself same sex attracted and that you struggled - that was it.
As far as behavioral changes - not so much. Again, I believe that is why they folded.
The Church has never really acknowledged the history of Exodus and what happened (again, IMO).
Before, there *was* a ministry that people were sent to . Now it's a free for all as to what happens with gay Christians.
But never any real answer for real and lasting change.
Sorry for the lengthy explanation, but I wanted to cover thoroughly what I meant, as you asked.😊
I, too, would like to hear Preston's take on Exodus. As they are defunct, there should be no repercussions from any corner as to what he thinks!
@@zachorletzkiy...."Change Failure"...is FAILURE to get Rid of Homosexual Desires and REPLACE them with Straight Opposite Sex desires.
@elijahmarie77444 Perhaps we should include fornicators in your "taken out" narrative.
Are you as robust in condemning them as very few Christians these days make it to their wedding beds as virgins, if they ever bother getting married at all.
As there are so many more opposite sex attracted people on this planet, you've got your work cut out for you.
I hope you are busy telling them of their judgement, too.
Just saying.
@elijahmarie77444 I chose fornication for obvious reasons:. If homosexually oriented people are required to stay celibate for a lifetime, then heterosexually oriented Christians should be willing to keep their clothes on till their wedding nights. And if they don't ever get married, they can repress and suppress like those who never can because they are not able to.
The "piece of paper" argument is very weak. Those who do not get married legally are shacking up. The church has lost the spine to tell folks that.
And why am I not spending my days condemning ministers, etc...?
Because there are better things to do with my time like being light and love with the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Now, if you feel you are to spend your days judging - do so - you're going to do it anyway. Just make sure that you include all sexual sinners in your proclamations.
I think that would be an interesting topic to discuss - if you were the creator of all - who would you be attracted to? He mentioned Jesus had a sexuality??? Did he? Would Jesus be attracted to a "sinner"?
@elijahmarie77444 if Gods preference was same sex - that would be how we would reproduce
Without a doubt I believe we need Jesus to reach God .... but sometimes I struggle with the idea that we are all just broken and fallen... especially when Churches use certain "fallen" parts are used intentionally to discriminate - exclude ... for example saying God doesn't make mistakes - yet agree being gay is "born that way"...
Preston, have you ever considered your infatuation with giving celebration to sexual immorality is exactly who Peter speaks about in 2 Peter Chapter 2? Lot was distressed by the sensual conduct around him. You celebrate it and encourage it because of your theology making sexual sin ok because they 'love' their partner. Unhitched from the OT your theology is unsteady. Jesus is all of it. Severe and loving. He still abhors sexual immorality and you help these lost ones offer sacrifices to this god. The Jerusalem council had 3 demands of gentile believers. Look them up. Acts 15:20. You are wrong to celebrate this.
Preston has a non-affirming view on homosexual sex and gay marriage.
SeenAndKnown, have you watched the video above your comment here?