Men in Womens Bathroom: A Reality now in CO

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Sam

I prayed with a young man several years ago that was having sexual identity problems. He was leaving for college and was not going to be around this area. I asked him if he was physically a male and he answered in the affirmative. He said he just felt like he was female inside. I realize that some folks can have outward sex organs of one sex and have internal organs of another. Also I realize that some folks have gender identity problems because they have been made to feel like the sex they are is not pleasing to a parent. Like the family that wanted a boy but when a girl was born she was always made to feel like she was a disappointment because she was a girl and the parents wished shee was a boy. He told me that his problem was not because of parental disappointment. He didn't know about his internal organs. All I could do was assure him that God loved him and he had to love himself. I told him that when he went to college to talk to a counselor there and they could find out to a greater degree why he felt like he was really a girl in a boy's body. I don't know what ever happened. He moved away.

Sounds to me like you reached out to Him in pureness. We need more of that.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Rico

It's a good thing that some people are starting to wake up and see the need for these types of ministries. It would be nice if the church as a whole would follow suit.

One man who came with his family had his male companion with him. Basically what Jerry said was that he believed the homosexual lifestyle was wrong, but if a person believed it was OK and if he/she was OK with being gay, Prodigal ministries could not help them. He did this in a very kind way with no condemnation or holier than thou attitude.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Sam

One man who came with his family had his male companion with him. Basically what Jerry said was that he believed the homosexual lifestyle was wrong, but if a person believed it was OK and if he/she was OK with being gay, Prodigal ministries could not help them. He did this in a very kind way with no condemnation or holier than thou attitude.

There's another ministry I heard about once. I can't remember the name of it. Lighthouse something or another.........

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Rico

Sounds to me like you reached out to Him in pureness. We need more of that.

There's a lot we don't know about problems like that, and being older, I'm probably a lot less knowledgeable than others. What I told him to do and hope he did is to find out why he really felt like he was a girl trapped in a boy's body and then take the appropriate steps; whether that was counseling to accept and live with his maleness or if it meant pursuing his femaleness all the way even to the surgery if he could. I told him he had to do what he had to do even if his parents did not approve.

That's probably a different answer than he would get from lots of evangelical church people but it's what I thought was right for him.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Rico

There's another ministry I heard about once. I can't remember the name of it. Lighthouse something or another.........

There is Exodus International
http://www.exodus-international.org/

[bkstokes]

Jim

I was reading in one of my church history books today about John Wimden (sp?) -- Vineyard founder -- teaching a class a Fuller Theological Seminary and practicing the gifts in the class. Did you ever hear him preach personally and what was your impression?

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Sam

There's a lot we don't know about problems like that, and being older, I'm probably a lot less knowledgeable than others. What I told him to do and hope he did is to find out why he really felt like he was a girl trapped in a boy's body and then take the appropriate steps; whether that was counseling to accept and live with his maleness or if it meant pursuing his femaleness all the way even to the surgery if he could. I told him he had to do what he had to do even if his parents did not approve.

That's probably a different answer than he would get from lots of evangelical church people but it's what I thought was right for him.

Brother, for all you know those seeds of kindness you sowed that day have grown into what will cause Him to turn to God for the answers he needs. When I was in prison ministry I made a point of never, even secretly, holding their crimes against those men. Some of them literally had sentences for hundreds of years, so I knew their crimes had to be heinous. I let the devil trip me up on some stuff, and ended up having to walk away from ministry, but I always tried seeing those men for who they could be in Jesus, rather than who they were in this world.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by bkstokes

Jim

I was reading in one of my church history books today about John Wimden (sp?) -- Vineyard founder -- teaching a class a Fuller Theological Seminary and practicing the gifts in the class. Did you ever hear him preach personally and what was your impression?

I never saw John Wimber in person.
Years ago I saw a VHS recording of him giving his testimony.
He was quite a guy. The copy I saw was borrowed. I'd like to get one of my own some time. He did believe in the gifts of the Spirit and from what I understand, some were manifest in his life. The pastor who founded the Vineyard where I went from 1992 until 2006 was mentored by him at the California (I think it was Anaheim) Vineyard. Steve Sjogren came to Cincinnati in the nineteen eighties and began a Vineyard in an apartment with another couple. The Cincinnati/Springdale Vineyard has grown to several thousand on a weekend and there are about 20 or so Vineyards in this area of Ohio that were launched from this one. In some cases, this Vineyard has paid pastor's salaries and given away many, many members to get other Vineyards going. Steve Sjogren has recently move to Florida to plant a Vineyard there. That church web site is
http://outflowchurches.com/coastlandtampa/

[SDG]

bump

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

This is absurd....what If I, a Heterosexual male, say I am most comfortable in a womans bathroom? Do I get the same rights as Transgender freaks?

Apparently yes and no.