Gender Confusion 1

Our friend, Nicholas Black, recently wrote an article for the HarvestUSA ministry that offers wise counsel on what to say when a child or friend expresses gender confusion. Nicholas says that of course, we want to be sure to talk about the bible’s teaching on gender, that God created humanity as male and female. However, we must also recognize that we are dealing with someone living in our broken and confused Genesis 3 world. This week, I want to unpack Nicholas Black’s five broad principles a parent, pastor, and church can pursue. The first is this: Affirm and recognize how hard this is. Ask good questions so that you can begin to grasp what his or her life is like and why they feel so strongly the need to transition to the opposite gender. Begin by getting to know the individual’s story, along with what cultural stories are being heard and followed. This is great advice, that we seek first to understand before seeking to be understood. It’s important that we listen first.