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?Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!?

? Isaiah 5:20


EQUIPPING CHRISTIAN LEADERS


As our society continues to plunge into the morass of sexual immorality and the breakdown of the family unit, we in the Christian church have looked at this decline with sadness and unfortunately sometimes with a sense of fatalism. However, God?s Word exhorts us not to give up and retreat from a hurting world. We are not to be of the world but very much intended to be in the world. Instead, our Lord tells us to be a light on top of a hill, to actively go out and do good works, so that the Lord may be glorified (Matthew 5:14).


However, what do we do when glorified and celebrated patterns of sin and dysfunctions so prevalent in our society come boldly into the church? What is a pastor or Christian leader supposed to do when confronted by many of these same things within their own congregation?


How does a leader lovingly continue to preach God?s Word and hold the line on Biblical morality while still bringing the love of Christ to the people within his flock who are struggling with their own sexual sin, gender confusion or, for that matter, any of the many bondages so prevalent today ? even within the church?


The mission of Love & Truth Network is and has always been to help all Bible-believing churches become many healing hospitals, equipping church leaders to help restore relational and sexual wholeness for themselves and those in their care.To that end, Love & Truth Network will be hosting four church leadership summits in September and October, along with one session specifically for lay leaders within your various congregations, to address these very questions?



All these questions and more will be addressed at these leadership summits. You will be given the teaching and tools necessary to lovingly minister to the hurting souls within your church, while not compromising God?s loving truth regarding sexual purity, especially within the church. This will not be an angry, condemning presentation, nor will it be the false gospel of compromise and encouraging people to remain in their sin in the name of ?love?, ?tolerance,? and ?being inclusive? that many churches unfortunately have succumbed to. Instead, this will be a time of equipping you as a helper or leader in your church, shepherding your flock toward repentance and holiness while demonstrating practical compassion and love toward deeply struggling men, women and youth. For further in-depth information as well as dates and locations please visit https://www.loveandtruthnetwork.com/events/. We look forward to seeing you there!



POLITICAL NEWS


We previously reported on the nefarious ironically named ?Equality Act? that fortunately (this time) failed to pass the United States Congress. However, in the state of California, another bill was put forward in much the same vein. Last year California Assembly Evan Low put forward a proposed bill (AB2943) against not just so- called ?conversion therapy? but all goods or services sold within the State of California that holds to a Biblical view of human sexuality.


For reasons that can only be described as the grace and mercy of God, on the final day the bill could have been voted upon in 2018, he pulled it, even though he had more than enough votes for passage. However, this year he introduced and California passed a resolution, ACR99. This resolution among other things states:


Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon religious leaders to counsel on LGBTQ matters from a place of love, compassion, and knowledge of the psychological and other harms of conversion therapy; and be it further

Resolved, That in addressing the stigma often associated with persons who identify as LGBTQ, we call on the people of California?especially its counselors, pastors, religious workers, educators, and legislators?and the institutions of California with great moral influence?especially its churches, universities, colleges, and other schools, counseling centers, activist groups, and religious centers?to model equitable treatment of all people of the state; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. [emphasis added] 1


Though not legally binding, this Resolution will apply pressure to pastors and others to only speak ?affirmation? toward LGBT persons, as well as muzzle any minister or healthcare professional who is attempting to help a person address their unwanted same-sex attractions, according to their right of self-determination.


The resolution?s proponents are quick to point out that this resolution is non-binding. Granted, for now. Since they recognized that the authoritarian version they put forward last year met too much opposition. However, the fact remains that there is now a resolution on the books in California moving the government that much closer to violating the First Amendment rights of Christian pastors and others, leaving as their only recourse an appeal to the courts which have increasingly shown hostility to religious freedom.


A city ordinance passed in 2018 in Austin, Texas was even more extreme. This measure blatantly stated that churches would be forced to hire practicing homosexuals and transsexuals as part of its quest to eradicate ?discrimination.? 2 


While this measure is currently tied up in litigation, it is another example of the radical left using the power of the government as a cudgel to force their agenda and ideology on the general population.


As members of the body of Christ it is our responsibility to stand up and ?defend without attacking? (as Joe Dallas has communicated) these and other measures. We cannot afford to be complacent or to trust the courts and elected leaders to fight for our rights. We must make our voices heard at the local and national level. Because while the federal cases tend to make the most headlines, there are a plethora of local ordinances such as the Austin bill that could become law unless we stand for the religious freedoms and freedom of speech of all people.


CHURCH NEWS


The United Methodist Church is still dealing with the fallout of its decision to uphold traditional marriage within its congregations as well as uphold the requirements of Biblical morality for its clergy that it has had since its inception, and we are aware that many other churches across all denominations are experiencing the same kind of inner strife about this issue and many others in the area of sexuality.


Unfortunately, far from quelling the controversy, the decision to uphold the ?Traditional Plan? for the UMC seems to have emboldened the activists who are now bent on collapsing the church from within. Prior to the vote the emphasis was on trying to force the worldwide church to be accepting and affirming of homosexual behavior. Now these same proponents speak very frankly about a possible schism within the church.


Reverend Adam Hamilton recently gave an interview with the Religion News Service. Among other things, he discussed how after being disheartened with the adoption of the Tradition Plan, he hosted a meeting with around 600 Methodists from all over the country to discuss the next steps which he called UMC Next. Their agenda includes looking for any and all ways to resist the Traditional Plan being implemented, up to and including splitting the UMC into three separate branches and withholding apportionments to the denomination in retaliation for their adoption of the plan. 3


While Rev. Hamilton is popular in some quarters of the UMC he clearly does not speak on behalf of the millions of Methodists worldwide. What is truly heartbreaking about this turmoil happening within the UMC, and in many other churches all across the western world, is the lack of discussion regarding the authority of the Holy Scriptures and the commands of God Himself, as well as the real hope and transformation Jesus provides for those who surrender their lives to Him.


There is much debate around the plight of LGBTQ individuals, their rights, their feelings, their need for acceptance. Nothing at all is said on behalf of those who have broken ranks with that identity and have chosen to align with God?s design rather than the popularity of LGBTQ identity.


At the conference where the Traditional Plan was adopted, progressives made passionate speeches about the need for the church to evolve. The onus is on the church, not the LGBTQ community, to change its stance. As sexuality and self-fulfillment become enshrined as our latest cultural god, the Body of Christ is being pressured from within to become a more ?affirming,? ?inclusive,? ?loving? church where Christ and His commands are rendered meaningless, while the god of the self is takes center stage.


Missing from all this dialogue however are the words of Christ Himself. When asked what were the greatest of the commandments, He responded there were two: ?You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets?. In John 14 He stated ?If you love me, keep my commandments.?


It is easy for us to become weary with the fighting, the nonstop activism of the militants and heretics intent on bringing down the church, along with the busyness of life itself. But we must not falter. Too much hangs in the balance.  


We must renew our resolve each and every day to be the disciplines of Christ that He has called us to be. If we are truly obeying those two great commandments, if we are honestly loving Him by obeying His commands and living accordingly, then we, our families, and our churches will never crumble.


It starts with us. Not a committee. Not a gathering of delegates. Not even our local pastors and leaders. We as individuals in the Body of Christ, each and every part indispensable and dearly loved, need to serve our Savior in love and gratitude. We need to love each other enough to walk in transparency and truthfulness. That is the true answer to what is besetting us.


?Choose this day whom you will serve. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord? (Joshua 24:15).


I hope you will be encouraged to read Linda?s testimony, below.

  1. http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200ACR99
  2. https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2018/december/christian-groups-fight-back-against-nbsp-austin-texas-city-code-that-could-force-churches-to-hire-lgbtq-employees
  3. https://religionnews.com/2019/06/04/adam-hamilton-on-methodists-in-the-middle-and-whats-next-for-the-denomination/

PARTNERSHIP

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For those reading this update, but have not yet linked arms with us in ministry, will you join with us and become

Testimony:  Linda Seiler?s Story

 

The Early Years 

From my earliest memory I wanted to be a boy instead of a girl. Somehow I just knew that if I had male genitalia, my life would be complete. As a child, I prayed repeatedly for God to make me into a boy and became obsessed with my pursuit. However, I never told my family. Though I was a tomboy growing up, no one ever knew the depth of my struggles. It was my little secret that I kept for decades.

Around fourth grade, I heard about sex reassignment surgeries and vowed I would have the operation as soon as I was old enough and had the money. About the same time, some playmates introduced me to pornography, which developed into sexual addictions that would span the next 20+ years. Unbeknownst to my parents, I would spend hours alone in my room feeding my sexual fantasies, always envisioning myself as the male counterpart rather than the female.

Junior High 

In junior high, when all the other girls were interested in makeup and boys, to my horror, I found myself attracted to women?especially older teachers who were strong yet nurturing.

I desperately wanted to be held and comforted by a woman, which then progressed into sexual fantasies. I was distressed by my attractions, but I dared not tell anyone.

Around seventh grade, I started to consider the logistical difficulties of having sex reassignment surgery. Where would I get the money? How would I tell my family? You can?t just be Linda one day and David the next. I considered running away as soon as I reached adulthood to have the surgery without ever telling my family, but I loved my family, and I didn?t want to live without them. I made a conscious decision at that point to try and conform to society?s expectation of me to look more like a girl in order to fit in. But inside, I still longed deeply to be a man, and the attractions to women became increasingly difficult to resist.

Going Through Changes 

When my body began menstruation, I could have sworn my life was over. I envied the boys around me whose voices were beginning to change, and I mourned the fact that mine would never change like that. Instead, I had to submit to wearing training bras and being inconvenienced by monthly periods. Being female was a curse, not a blessing.


I committed my life to Jesus during my junior year in high school, but within days, I began doubting my salvation experience because my struggles didn?t go away like I thought they would. Yet, I knew Jesus had done something in my heart, and I wanted to follow Him. I got involved with my church youth group and, for the first time in my life, felt like I had friends who loved me. But the closer I got to females, the more I struggled with my attractions and sexual addictions. I was miserable but couldn?t tell anyone. I tried growing my hair out and even dating guys?thinking that being physical with a boy would ?cure? me?but it just made me want to be male all the more. I tried to conform and even wore dresses on special occasions, but inside it always felt like I was wearing a costume, like dressing in drag.

College 

In college, I got involved with a campus ministry and developed a deeper relationship with God, praying and reading my Bible regularly, even sharing Christ with the lost. I eventually became a student leader despite the fact that I was deeply attracted to women who mentored me and was enslaved to sexual addictions behind closed doors. I hated the double life I was living. At one point, I knelt down on my dorm floor and prayed earnestly for God to please take my transgender desires away, hoping no one would ever know.


My senior year in college, I attended a campus ministry talk on overcoming habitual sin. The speaker quoted James 5:16, ?Confess your sins one to another and pray for each other so that you may be healed,? stressing how important it is to get your sin in the light in order to be free. I was deeply convicted and knew I had to confess my secret to my campus pastor if I was ever to experience freedom.


It took all the courage in the world to finally tell my campus pastor my lifelong secret I had kept for 21 years. In fact, I seriously considered suicide as a way out, but I knew that would devastate my family, and I couldn?t do that to them. When I finally confided in my campus pastor, I expected him to react with shock, horror, or condemnation because I was a leader in the ministry living a double life. But instead, he responded to me in love, assuring me that he was committed to finding me the help I needed. I couldn?t believe it. I walked away from that conversation with a fresh revelation of God?s grace. I had always felt God hated me and condemned me for my sin. My campus pastor?s reaction was a living illustration of the Father?s heart towards me. For the first time, I discovered that being completely transparent with another person was very healing. I didn?t have to hide anymore.


That day in 1994 was my first step in what would be an eleven-year journey towards freedom.


My campus pastor met with me a few times and eventually connected me with a professional counselor. The next decade was full of ups and downs as I sought healing. I read every book I could find on homosexuality, listened to tapes, attended conferences, and met with multiple counselors from both ex-gay ministries and general Christian counseling. It was a slow process, as there were not a multitude of resources at that time to help women struggling with transgender issues. In fact, well-meaning Christian counselors told me they had seen homosexuals and lesbians set free but never anyone transgender, so I should do my best to cope this side of heaven and know that I will be totally free when I die. Despite their discouragement, the Lord gave me supernatural assurance that He would completely heal me and that the transgender issues would be a thing of the past. Nevertheless, I thirsted so deeply for nurture, I seemed to get worse before I got better, falling into sexual immorality with another woman from my church. I eventually repented and broke off that relationship, realizing my fantasy of being a man who slept with women would never fill the deep void in my soul. By God?s grace, I resolved to tug at the hem of His garment and not let go until I experienced the freedom Jesus died to give me.


As I continued to pursue healing, the Lord put a spiritual mother in my life who was only a few years older than I but spiritually much more mature. I was deeply attracted to her, yet she wasn?t phased by my struggles and began to invest in me relationally in a wholesome way. I found myself wanting to be just like her (much like a daughter might want to emulate her mother), so she helped me buy more feminine clothes and gave me advice concerning makeup and mannerisms. My outward appearance began to change, but inwardly, I still believed the lie that it was better to be a man, and I was still battling attractions to women.


In the fall of 2005, the Lord led me to meet with Mark Sandford, an inner healing prayer counselor at Elijah House. Over the course of a week, we spent hours praying through a lifetime of deep emotional wounds that were at the root of my issues. I forgave those who hurt me, let go of bitterness, renounced inner vows, and repented for my wrong responses towards those who had wounded me. I embraced the cross, and we closed every door I had opened to give the enemy legal ground to influence my life. I cried and cried as the Lord spoke graciously to me, and for the first time in my life, I saw a tender, compassionate side to the Father that I wasn?t aware existed. It?s as if I could literally feel His hands holding my heart. My lifelong yearning to be held and comforted by a woman was met in the tender arms of my heavenly Father.

The New Me 

After that powerful encounter with God, I had a newfound contentment in being a woman and was set free from my sexual addictions, which were essentially a counterfeit to the comfort I could only find in my Father?s arms. As I continued to walk out my healing, I eventually started experiencing genuine attractions towards men. It was as if I was going through delayed puberty in my mid-thirties, which was both awkward and thrilling to finally experience the mystery of sexuality according to God?s design. God had transformed me from the inside out and accomplished the impossible. I still feel like I?m living a dream!


Though I wanted to share my testimony immediately after everything happened in 2005, the Lord had me wait. I see His sovereignty in that now, as I needed time for my healing to be tested and to prepare me for the warfare that lay ahead. I stayed silent for eight years until the Lord gave me the green light to go public upon my eighth-year anniversary of freedom, a ?new beginning? of sorts. I am finally coming out of the closet in a redemptive way, sharing my story with others to bring hope and restoration. I?m grateful for all the pastors, counselors, faithful friends, and especially my supportive parents who walked with me during the healing process. The eleven-year journey towards transformation was totally worth it. The length of the journey itself has given me empathy for those who are currently struggling to break free from similar issues and sometimes feel hopeless. Healing from sexual brokenness is rarely instantaneous?it?s more like peeling back layers of an onion one at a time?but if we will hold fast to the truth of God?s Word and determine never to give up, we will experience transformation to the point that the sin which once characterized our lives ceases to dominate us. God promised: such were some of you. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Learn more at https://lindaseiler.com/