Do you experience unwanted same-sex attraction?
At Alive in Christ, we’ve worked with many Christian men and women who have experienced what you are feeling. Many have prayed for years that God would change them and take away their struggles, only to wake each day with the same temptations and desires.
Alive in Christ has given me an additional place to be accountable and continue pursuing my own journey. It has also provided me the opportunity to help and encourage others—an aspect of what I feel God has called me to. Several of the teachings have given me additional thoughts and insights into this journey.
A male participant in our weekly strugglers group in Boston
You are not alone.
God does care about your struggle with same-sex attraction, and He deeply desires to see you walk in the freedom that Jesus died to bring.
My first meeting at Alive in Christ had shown me things that I did not really expect. I didn’t expect to be one of three new people joining that night. I didn’t expect to have so much in common with the people who had already been attending long before me. As the days past, I began to notice that I was changing spiritually. I began to be on fire for God, and got deep in scripture whenever I could. That first meeting did not take my struggles away, but being with other like-minded people who understood what I was going through really helped me grow in the Lord. As I continue to progress and grow, I have learned to trust God more and not rely on myself so much. I still may have struggles with sin and temptation, but I have confidence that God is on my side. If I submit my struggles to him, he will not lead me astray but bring me closer to him.
A male participant
At Alive in Christ, we believe healing happens in the context of community. Learning to walk in freedom isn’t something we can do alone. In James 5:16, it says “Confess your sins to one another (notice it doesn’t say “to God alone”) and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” Nowhere in the Bible are we called to confess our sins to God in private, thinking He’ll take care of the rest.
I realized through coming to this group that our temptations with same-sex attraction is just the same as any other struggles we have. I used to heavily identify myself as dirty and unworthy of God’s grace because of my sin, but being able to share with this group has helped me to recognize the redemptive qualities of my God. It’s one thing to have an accountability at my church and with sisters, but it is another thing to experience it with others that struggle the same way you do.
A female participant
Perhaps God does not answer our solitary prayers because He wants our weaknesses to drive us to the church He established. This is why Alive in Christ offers two discipleship support groups for Christian men and women who experience same-sex attraction; these groups meet virtually. Please contact us for more details.
It’s amazing how God sends just the right people our way, at just the right time. I was led to Alive in Christ several years ago by a counselor’s referral. Initially, I was nervous and intimidated and uncertain about how I would fit in, or even begin to open up, as I had always been so private about my struggle, especially in a church context. I soon realized that when God leads us to a place, He also provides the resources that we need. Attending the Alive in Christ groups each week, being lifted up in prayer by the leaders, worshiping together, has all provided me with the support, accountability, and healing that I so desperately needed. My journey with Alive in Christ ended as a result of moving out of state, but my journey of healing continues. I believe that God worked through the ministry to encourage me to embrace my identity as a woman, as well as to help me to establish healthy, same-sex friendships. I continue to see God working in my life and I see how Alive in Christ helped me to begin the process of ‘laying aside the old self.’ It continues to be a blessing in my life.
A female participant
We also have gathered some resources below that we hope will be helpful to you.
Articles
Do I Still Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction? by Brenna Kate Simonds
An article written by our director concerning her personal experience and what healing and freedom look like
Is It a Sin to Be Gay? by Dan Delzell
Life. Support. by Brenna Kate Simonds
In spite of iPhones and Facebook, we’re more disconnected than ever. Learn about the importance of other believers coming alongside you as you learn to walk in freedom.
Craving Egypt by Brenna Kate Simonds
When things get rough and disorienting, the predictability of the past starts looking pretty good.
Books
Learning to Walk in Freedom by Brenna Kate Simonds
A discipleship guide addressing same-sex attraction and other life-controlling issues
Breaking Free by Russell Willingham
Willingham discusses how to live in holiness in a world saturated with sexually charged media. In this book, he shares real-life stories of those struggling with sexual addiction and the essential and practical steps that can help people begin to break free.