It would seem that the battle lines have been drawn. The church, with its ancient might and conservative strictures has hewn its trenches. Seemingly diametrically opposed stands a well-resourced, highly passionate LGBTI social movement.
Shots have been fired and the toll keenly felt by both sides. Few paradigm clashes hold the social and emotional gravitas of those surrounding sexuality, and few hold such high stakes. This paper is seeking to call attention to a small band of individuals who are caught in the crossfire. Unwitting collateral of both sides and injured in a barren no-man’s-land, these people present with the hallmarks of the gay community; attracted to others of the same sex and longing for validation, intimacy and community. And yet for myriad reasons they have found their greatest conviction in the demandingly loving words of the man Jesus and his teachings on sexuality.
This paper presents a pastoral care framework for ministering effectively to same sex attracted young people who, despite great opposition, maintain a faithful biblical sexual ethic as they transition into young adulthood.