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Christianity Today, January (Web-only), 2009 |

An Unlikely Gay-Straight Alliance

Campus Crusade launches HIV/AIDS outreach with campus gay-lesbian group.

Amy Green, Religion News Service | posted 1/13/2009 08:14AM

Josh Spavin knows the stereotypes about evangelical Christians: judgmental, sanctimonious, narrow-minded. He may not buy into the image, but at the same time, he knows how real — and damaging — ...

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Anonymous

Posted: January 21, 2009 2:57 AM

"When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 'Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?' He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prohpets." (Matthew 22:34-40, NRSV)

KR	Posted: January 20, 2009 2:28 PM

Kudos to Campus Crusade for going to where the unbelievers are and showing the love of Jesus to them. They understand what Paul is saying in 1 Cor 5:9-10: "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world." James also speaks to our calling to love the lost where they may be found in James 1:27. God's calling is clear and indisputable: Do not judge the unsaved. That's God's business, not ours. We must go into the world and make disciples and trust the Holy Spirit to give you the power to be a witness and to keep you unspoiled by the world (Acts 1:8) Let's stop wringing our hands over the theoretical Campus Crusader that might smoke dope and focus on the reason we're here. Put on the armor of God and enter the fight!

M.N.	Posted: January 16, 2009 8:18 PM

This article greatly grieves me, but it is a sign of the times and the watered-down 'gospel'. It saddens me on a personal level, because I came to the Lord due to the witness of Campus Crusade back in the early '90's. Over the last decade or so, they have moved away from sound doctrine, and this is the latest "fruit". The world needs to witness of the true Gospel of repentance - it is a narrow road. Instead of trying to find "common ground", they should go back to being salt and light. Jude commends us to warn the wayward and snatch them out of the fire. Vindicating and indirectly condoning homosexuality, which is a sin as surely as alcoholism, drug abuse or eating disorders are, is neither loving nor honest. Just another sad case of Christians abandoning truth and conforming to the (rationalized) evils of this world. WWJS? "Go and sin no more."

peaBee

Posted: January 16, 2009 9:41 AM


Terrific! It is wonderful to see an evangelical Christian group finally taking another step at being Christ-like...It is past time to get rid of homophobia and the hate, and honor their rights as children of God.

d. pierce

Posted: January 15, 2009 10:39 PM

I think if you look at the ministry of Jesus, there is always a humble, understanding approach to the sinner. To me, it is a great beginning to eliminating the farce that somehow being a homosexual is a greater sin than any other (including those we Christians struggle with!) In my humble view, what it happening is similar to the stoning of the adulterer (you who is without sin, etc.). What set Jesus apart (besides being Saviour of the world of course!) is not His realization of people's sins - it was His love for the sinner. God doesn't condemn - He convicts. He loves, He heals. In every way, I believe God will honor this effort!

David J

Posted: January 15, 2009 3:51 PM

Brad. If we don't associate with sinners how do you look at yourself in the mirror? Hate to be the one to break it to you but your a sinner. If you think you aren't you may want to read some scripture including Paul who you are quoting. Christ associated with sinners. In fact he surrounded himself with 12 of them. Not to mention that Christ was the biggest sinner that ever was or will be. Maybe you should read up on that as well. Christ became sin. It doesn't say he wore it or shouldered the burden of it but that he BECAME it. That should get you thinking and praising God.

Brad Stockham

Posted: January 14, 2009 8:39 PM


We are to love the person, but hate the sin. Paul warns against socializing with those who remain in sin. Jesus forgave sins, but also told the forgiven sinner to go and sin no more. There is a danger that in associating with sinners that a Christian may be influenced by their justifications for their sinful behavior.

J.H.	Posted: January 14, 2009 8:32 PM

In 2000 years the only thing that has changed is us. The Bible is filled with believers that were willing to lay down their lives for what they believed. Now we think it is the thing to try and find "middle ground" with un-believers. It is sad also because the ones who lose out on this un-biblical union is both sides. We are commanded to teach the "good news" of Christ death on the cross, and how we are made for more then this world. Not become friends with the whole world to try and protect the planet and prevent poverty. I think we will notice that ALL of the disciples were poor in finance, but not in spirit. God bless, I pray that this world turn toward God and not the things of this world. It seems the "smarter" we get in college, the further we place ourselves above God. We know better then they did 2000 years ago.

tom harvey

Posted: January 14, 2009 7:43 PM


We should remind the homosexual community, in a loving way of coorse, that more than half the cases of HIV transmission is male to male sex, i.e. sodomy.

Joe Chip

Posted: January 14, 2009 4:45 PM


Stars above! Leave it to the Pharisees and the self-righteous to crawl out of the woodwork anytime the dreaded "G" word is tossed around. Surely Christians can minister to the needs of the alcoholic, the divorcee, the adulterer, the greedy and prisoner -- just stay away from those horrible gays! It's contagious, you know!

YA	Posted: January 14, 2009 4:14 PM

The Bible should be our final point of reference when thinking about aligning ourselves with the ungodly. The Bible is clear, "Can to walk together except they agreed?" Amos 3:3. We are commanded to love them, to pray for them, to witness to them, to live the life before them, but we are not to alien ourselves with them. The Bible contains examples of those who desired to alien themselves with God's people without having a desire to change. The results were disastrous. The ungodly's agenda is to change our perception of them. Someone is going to compromise. There are other ways the christian community can help with the fight against HIV/AIDS, but aligning with those whose very lifestyle is a contributing factor to this problem is not wise. The Bible is clear, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion has light with darkness" II Cor. 6:14. Wake up Church!!!

Angel L. Jordyn

Posted: January 14, 2009 3:04 PM

I totally disagree with Ginny. The only mingling Jesus did with the world was to let them know that they were sinners and in need of a Savior. He never made sinners feel comfortable with their sin. Which is what your are trying to tell us we should do. God hates homosexuality and we should too! Ginny, let me give you an analogy: If a truck is about to run over someone, would you be upset if I warned that person of the impending doom he or she is facing? We christians believe the Bible to be the word of God, and in His word it's clearly stated that there will be condemnation for those who do not repent. And Ginny, by side-stepping the matter you are showing no love for these people. Also, you seem to have the unbelievers world perception that Christians feel better than unbelievers; Christians are not better then anybody, but we are the son's of God not by are own merit but by what Jesus did at the cross.

susan

Posted: January 14, 2009 2:33 PM

I think that this is a great movement on the part of Campus Crusade. Go for it but be sure to soak yourselves daily with the Giver of life. Love Him more that anything else and He will bless your work in helping others no matter who works along side. This is our witness. People have been doing this all over the world all through time. There are always going to be differences, but we are to be at peace with each other. God will save, when we are faithful to love. Actually, it may be one of us who is truly saved by such a ministry. God will change a person...even we who are Christians, need to grow in grace and realize our sinfulness. It takes a lifetime for us to learn to not "practice" sin. God takes us and makes those changes in us as we submit and let ourselves be used to do good. If I wait to be 'perfect' to help out others, my life would be a waste. Let Christ live HIS life in us as we commit our acts of kindness and love towards others to our Lord, Savior and God.

John	Posted: January 14, 2009 1:35 PM

First, while I applaude the effort of acting in concert with the Gay/Lesbian group, I am not sure of the value of an "AIDS/HIV outreach" at the University of Central Florida. Presumably most gay (or lesbian even though their risk is minimal) students at UCF in 2009 would understand AIDS, how it is transmitted, current treatment, etc. That aside, I am in agreement with the concept of working with groups that contain people that we may not agree with. Those who have quoted all this "not of the world" stuff fail to reflect on the sort of people Jesus actually hung out with, prostitutes and tax collectors, not exactly the morally pure sort. And we are not talking abortion doctors here, if being gay is a sin (and I think that is subject to debate) it's like drug use, a self inflicted sin. Hardly anyone would recomend church members NOT working with drug addicts or alcoholics because they are "sinners." So good for the Golden Knights Campus Crusade!

Tecumseh

Posted: January 14, 2009 7:49 AM

Regretfully, the article fails to describe the nature of the "outreach" or the specific areas of "common ground" where they will "serve along side with them." I am very interested to see how such an "alliance" is worked out in practice, however, although the article mentions some specifics regarding other "partnerships" at other universities, there is nothing in the article that tells me what this gay-straight joint outreach would look like. In fact, as I look at it again, the article doesn't even tell me if this is something that is a reality or merely something that the gentleman at UCF "wants to launch."

Brent Vermillion

Posted: January 14, 2009 1:09 AM


We should of course reach out to all people. However, our real problem is not that we be perceived as intolerant (we are as evangelical christians intolerant of sin but we love the sinner). It seems that we have a problem with actually preaching the Gospel to all including the homosexual. The Word of God is the power of God to salvation to all who believe.

Anna	Posted: January 14, 2009 12:52 AM

Interesting. There are so many missionary churches and missionaries doing real poverty work, etc. under the worst conditions imaginable and in the worst parts of the world and are begging and actually dying for "help", physically and moneywise, that these young people just have to run and help those who are causing the problems making "help" necessary and making these non-Christians look like the "righteous" ones. Tell these do gooders to put their Christianity where they should be putting it. Helping India Christian families being burned to death and Christian Sudanese where the Muslims are separating that country into a Muslim nation and a non-Muslim nation and causing horrible, massive death and untold pain as they do it. Leave the sinners behind until they really do follow Jesus by abstaining from their sin, just as the rest of us sinners have to do to follow Jesus, just exactly as Jesus himself said to do. Help the Christian needy out there first, the devil followers 2nd.

Rad	Posted: January 13, 2009 8:55 PM


I am sure many Christians will be concerned about "seeking common ground" with Gay and Lesbian groups but just as all truth is God's truth all good is God's good. No matter who does it. Bravo to those who seek peace, justice, and goodness for all and with all regardless of their differences.

chris adkins

Posted: January 13, 2009 8:17 PM


Wow, pretty soon you won't be able to tell them apart!

Deacon Steve

Posted: January 13, 2009 6:34 PM


Wow! What a great initiative. Don't tell me we're really going to start to act like Christians? Some of the comments above reiterate an old line that we really should have jettisoned long ago. Open your eyes, folks and let's witness to the truth of Christ by building bridges and radical ways. God bless you, Josh and those who will work with you on this initiative.

Ginny

Posted: January 13, 2009 5:42 PM

I beg to differ with BR. I believe this kind of outreach is gentle, loving and bold. It's the kind of mingling with the world that Jesus did when He was on earth and still does, through us. I applaud CCC for their efforts. Homosexuality is a sin, like prostitution and tax collecting (taking unfair financial advantage of others), but we are to love the sinners, to sit down and eat with them, to show them Christ's love, and we have to recognize, all the time, that we're no different. We're all sinners on the same scale as they are. Or maybe we're a little lower. I'm sure if we think of ourselves as better than homosexual people we are actually worse. I know BR is well meaning, but there's a ring of "Lord, I thank you I am not like this sinner" in his/her comments.

John	Posted: January 13, 2009 3:22 PM


The premise sounds nice, but if you think about it the duty of all true christians is to help stomp out the rot that is poisoning our country from within, not make people feel better. It's the duty of our christian leaders to condemn the dangerous elements in our society, not to cozy up to them.

rodler

Posted: January 13, 2009 3:01 PM

I think it's great that younger Christians aren't as afraid of their neighbors and are seeking authentic relationships with them, working side by side to serve those in need....like Jesus did, and commanded us to do. There's nothing about condoning immoral behavior here, and I have no doubt that the folks they interact with will be more open to Christ and the Gospel as a result of these activities--instead of automatically hating and fearing Christians. AMEN!

Jeff Fairchild

Posted: January 13, 2009 2:54 PM

You know, why is it that young people are always said to find a better way than their elders? While I can appreciate youthful zeal for the Gospel and it's proclaimation, I have to question "where is the wisdom of the elders in all of this?" To say that older Christians of the past did not care about poverty and social justice issues is absurd. Christians have always been the leaders in social justice movements. Women's rights, the abolition of slavery, the pro-life movement have been a part of the so-called elders of the church. Also, Christians have always cared about the poor. Some of the great denominations like Salvation Army and Church of the Nazarene came into being because they focused on social concerns as well as spreading the Gospel. And they did it not by joining up with those promoting immorality but they worked to convert the immoral. Where is the wisdom of joining up with people who hate Christians and the Gospel by their horrid lifestyles that only lead to death?

Charitas

Posted: January 13, 2009 1:52 PM

At the end of the day there will be an increase of Campus Crusaders smoking dope and becoming more promiscuous, the spiritual impact on homosexuals will be insignificant. Also there will be no improvement because of this in the amount of HIV/AIDS, poverty or the environment. I could be wrong but I doubt it. This article rates a one star because it not only reports but also promotes the accommodation approach. Odd how we are supposed be concerned about Christians being perceived judgmental but not concerned about a probable serious lack of discernment.

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