Would your church permit a transgender to join?

[righteousdude2]

The recent news on former Olympian Bruce Jenner's decision to have a sex-change operation has the media ablaze and Twitter buzzing.

With that said, I wondered if you were to discover that a member of your congregation had undergone sexual reassignment surgery prior to joining the church or after joining the church, what the church would do, and how they would approach this gender identity issue?

Afterall, the LGBT community does not look favorably upon transgendered people. In fact that community is somewhat prejudice and judgmental when it comes to people who have sex reassignment surgery! Saying they are not true to the homosexual cause.

http://www.salon.com/2007/10/08/lgbt/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-beyer/gay-vs-trans-cultural-influence_b_3118538.html

With that said, what is your view on how the church should handle a "born-again" transgendered individual either in your church, or wanting to be a member of your church?

 

[Revmitchell]

No....................

 

[Rolfe]

Does the individual still justify his/her action, or have they repented of it?

Everyone has committed sins that have worldly consequences.

 

[padredurand]

Afterall, the LGBT community does not look favorably upon transgendered people. In fact that community is somewhat prejudice and judgmental when it comes to people who have sex reassignment surgery! Saying they are not true to the homosexual cause.

Like one side's sick, twisted perversion would somehow cheapen the other's sick, twisted perversion? I met a feller (or was it a girl?) last summer who had reassignment surgery so he could be a lesbian. I'm rarely speechless but I certainly was then.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Does that person need to know Jesus?

Would you allow them to come to your church on a regular basis so that they may find Christ?

What other people do you not allow to join or to find Christ?

 

[Deacon]

I don't think this thread conforms with the rules of the forum regarding s*xuality.

That being said, I've met a few of these people as I work in the medical profession.

Those that I've met were needy people, searching for identity, generally ill (but why else would they be coming to the doctor), and compromised.

These are people that only the love of Christ can help!

It would require a continuous, devoted love of a congregation to reach and serve them.

Rob

 

[The Biblicist]

Does that person need to know Jesus?

Would you allow them to come to your church on a regular basis so that they may find Christ?

What other people do you not allow to join or to find Christ?

Attending church is one thing, accepting them as members is quite another thing. Their continuance in coming would be according to how much condemnation of their life style they can endure because in our church sin is frequently preached, explain, defined and applied in regard to repentance as the prequisite to faith in the gospel.

If the MAN publicly RENOUNCED being a woman, stopped dressing like a woman, stopped playing the role of a woman as the fruit of repentance - that confession of faith we would accept and rejoice in baptizing them into the membership of our church.

 

[blackbird]

Like one side's sick, twisted perversion would somehow cheapen the other's sick, twisted perversion? I met a feller (or was it a girl?) last summer who had reassignment surgery so he could be a lesbian. I'm rarely speechless but I certainly was then.

So Jenner "went south" on us, huh????!!! I don't got nothin' to say, neither!!!

 

[righteousdude2]

I don't think this thread conforms with the rules of the forum regarding s*xuality.

That being said, I've met a few of these people as I work in the medical profession.

Those that I've met were needy people, searching for identity, generally ill (but why else would they be coming to the doctor), and compromised.

These are people that only the love of Christ can help!

It would require a continuous, devoted love of a congregation to reach and serve them.

Rob

Sorry Rob, if this offends you. But I came across a born again, baptized truly converted person that if you didn't know their background you'd not know where they had come from, and that they seemed to be genuine in their love for Jesus. So, would you kick them out, or let them stay after they shared their testimony in a men's retreat?

 

[Gib]

So Jenner "went south" on us, huh????!!! I don't got nothin' to say, neither!!!

 

[convicted1]

What if "John" became "Joan" and married Roy? Later on they seek to join your church. How would your church view their 'marriage'? I see no way a church, through the secular lens, comes out in a favorable light.

In reality, you have two men married, just one has 'rearranged' parts.

 

[salzer mtn]

Maybe Jenner as a woman wants to enter the Olympic games again to win more gold medals.

 

[nodak]

Sad to see so many with opinions when they may know nothing of which to speak.

Now, yes, there are trans claiming people who are doing so because it is a current "victim status" and they seek that, or because it is a fad right now. We would give them the left boot of fellowship in a New York minute.

But ya'll should know by now that many "trans" people were born with ambiguous plumbing, and the doctor and dear old mom and dad got to choose the gender. Often they chose wrong, and the so called trans person is simply seeking to right the wrong.

And you should know by now that not everyone is born with xx or xy genetics. In that case, should they come to our church, show evidence of salvation, quietly explain the reason they were in transition, and make appropriate effort to not offend until transition is complete, I would surely hope and pray we would welcome them.

But here is the kicker for you: I would bet, if I were a betting person, some of you most vocal about not accepting them have completely transitioned trans people in your congregation. See, those with a medical problem tend to just quietly get it taken care of as rapidly as medical treatment will allow, and then relocate to where they were never known by the old gender.

For those with a more mental illness driven transgender problem, I would treat them just as a bi polar or schizophrenic person. That is, offer truth, love, hope, and accountability not to act upon their false or delusional beliefs.

Now, if a person comes to your fellowship and is obviously corpulent, you find out they never work out and eat like a glutton, but are otherwise healthy, would you let that sinner still sinning join your church?

 

[Deacon]

But I came across a born again, baptized truly converted person that if you didn't know their background you'd not know where they had come from, and that they seemed to be genuine in their love for Jesus. So, would you kick them out, or let them stay after they shared their testimony in a men's retreat?

I don't know the whole story. I'd need to know more specifics.

The elders would have to examine the individual as they do every potential member. I'd guess a celebate lifestyle would encouraged with such a case.
I'd be a tough decision.

"For there are eunuchs who were born as such from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by people, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”
Matthew 19:12 LEB

And I'll repeat myself ...

These are people that only the love of Christ can help!

It would require a continuous, devoted love of a congregation...

Rob

 

[Aaron]

Does that person need to know Jesus?

What if he was married to his sister?

 

[Alcott]

What if he was married to his sister?

Maybe we can ask Abraham some day.

 

[Alcott]

What other people do you not allow to join or to find Christ?

I don't know of such a case, but are you condemning Paul for writing what he did in I Corinthians 5 about the man who "had his father's wife?" Or do you agree with Paul to remove him from your fellowship?

 

[salzer mtn]

Bruce Jenner has a teenage daughter with the Kardasian woman so was he a man then or not. Some men his age goes through a change of life thing, maybe that's his problem.

 

[Jerome]

Deut. 23:1

 

[Deacon]

Isaiah 56:3-5