Few cultural issues are as pastorally pressing as the subject of homosexuality. As we know, the subject itself is much more complex than it might seem on the surface. In God’s kindness, a bevy of resources keep flowing off the press to equip church leaders and members to think through it all with biblical care and compassion.
Due to land on September 25th is Transforming Homosexuality: What the Bible Says About Sexual Orientation and Change from Denny Burk and Heath Lambert. (Am I the only one that finds it fascinating the Baptist men put this out with a traditionally Presbyterian publisher? I’m not intimating anything, just pointing out something unusual.) Read the description below and I think you’ll agree this will be a book worth your attention. If the description isn’t enough to convince you of the book’s timeliness, check out the endorsements from Allberry and Butterfield—their praise is surely worth particular attention.
Description
Faithful Christians today agree that the Bible forbids homosexual behavior. But when it comes to underlying desires, the jury is out. Some Christians view homosexual desire as morally neutral, while others believe it calls for repentance and gospel renewal.
Is same-sex attraction sinful, even if it is not acted on? How we answer this urgent question determines how we counsel brothers and sisters who wrestle with same-sex desires. Denny Burk and Heath Lambert challenge misconceptions on all sides as they unpack the concepts of same-sex orientation, temptation, and desire. They show that ultimately a biblical view gives hope for profound personal change, with patterns remolded and rethought in faithfulness to Christ.
Endorsements
“Denny Burk and Heath Lambert have written a clear, compassionate, and thought-provoking book on how the gospel brings transformation to those struggling with homosexuality. Our hope is not the heterosexuality-or-bust shtick of reparative therapy, but the wondrous prospect of growing in holiness and Christlikeness that comes through repentance and faith. This is essential reading for every pastor and for any seeking to bless and minister to those with same-sex attraction in our churches.”
—Sam Allberry
“In Principles of Conduct, John Murray reminds us that ‘the line of demarcation between virtue and vice is not a chasm but a razor’s edge.’ In Transforming Homosexuality, Denny Burk and Heath Lambert shine scholarly and pastoral light on that razor’s edge, helping Christians to discern the difference between sexual temptation and sexual lust as it bears on same-sex attraction. This is a bold and provocative book. It will also likely be a controversial book. But it is predominantly a loving book that seeks to help people with unwanted homosexual desires be transformed by the full knowledge that God’s grace for us in Christ is sufficient for all our various struggles and sins.”
—Rosaria Butterfield
“Under pressure from worldly trendsetters, many in the church (including several key evangelical leaders) have adopted the position that homosexual desire may in some sense be ‘normal.’ Homosexual acts are sinful, they say, but a homosexual orientation is not inherently unrighteous. In Transforming Homosexuality, Denny Burk and Heath Lambert address that idea with biblical clarity and godly wisdom. This is an important book about an issue that has overwhelmed our culture.”
—John MacArthur