The breakout session I attended at lunchtime was on the topic of "Effective Counseling and Ministry Practices." Peter Swanson was the moderator, and Ron Woolsey, Carlos Fayard, and Inge Anderson were the panelists. The panelists and moderator gave general advice on how to help homosexual Christians live chaste lives, given the presuppositions of the conference, and how to make the church a more welcoming place for homosexuals. It was pointed out that the church is often not welcoming for people who deviate from its norm in general, but that special education of church members is needed to help them become welcoming to homosexuals. The importance of both pastoral and psychological care in a team setting was emphasized. Acceptance, listening, and befriending homosexuals was promoted over and against immediately turning to the confrontational texts of scripture.
Disclaimer: I have summarized the views of the presenters to the best of my ability, however my summary should not be conflated with their actual views. For this reason, any attempt to debate the presenters views in the comments section will be deleted. Comments that seek clarification are welcome.
Blogging the Homosexuality Conference (other posts)
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