Choices – parents please read

Dear Parents,

You are invited and ENCOURAGED to join us for Resonate the next few Wednesday night’s!

6pm – 7:30pm
Youth Worship Room

Over the next 5 weeks we are going to walk through some pretty sensitive and difficult topics; the least of these this Wednesday night.  Here are our topics for the rest of the series:

  • April 17 – Culture
  • April 24 – Vices (alcohol, marijuana, drugs)
  • May 1 – Sex, Lust, Dating
  • May 8 – Homosexuality
  • May 15 – Pornography (Guest Speaker from Hope Unlimited)

I wanted to let you know this in advance because I wanted to give you the option for your teen to “opt out” or “opt in” to these discussions.  I hope you will “opt in.” There is no one who is immune from these issues and no one that hasn’t been impacted by them in some way. 

To say these topics are difficult is an understatement. To say they are important is also an understatement.  Our teens are being bombarded daily by culture on what to believe, how to feel, and what’s acceptable as it relates to these topics.  And parents it’s your job, not cultures, to help shape and direct your teenagers beliefs on these and many other important topics. Sound like a tough job? It is. But we want to help.

Your involvement over the next few weeks will help communicate to your students that you care what they think about these important topics. Encouraging your teens to come, or even forcing them, will also help communicate that you care what the Bible has to say about these topics. And that matters, because believe it or not, you are still the greatest influence in your teenager’s life when it comes to their beliefs on sexuality.

Let me say that again, what you believe and encourage is the #1 influencer in your teenager’s life about what they believe and actually do.

Navigating these issues is a tough job.  We want to give you a place to start a conversation. Each week I will also provide some follow-up discussion questions so you will know what was said and a few questions to ask. You can get those from this website.

We hope you will take this opportunity to continue or start these important conversations with your students. 

God Bless,

Patrick Greer

Same Sex Attraction and Homosexuality

Dear Parents,

I’m just going to get right to the point. Wednesday night we are talking about homosexuality.

I wanted to let you know this in advance because I wanted to give you the option for your child to “opt out” or “opt in” to this discussion. I hope you will “opt in.” There is no one who is immune from this issue and no one that hasn’t been impacted by it in some way.

One of my goals is to equip your son or daughter to be able to engage the culture around them from a Biblical viewpoint; a culture that is increasingly favorable to same-sex relationships. By equipping your child to engage culture, we are creating opportunities to share the Gospel through a viewpoint of homosexuality that is based out of love and the truth of God’s Word.

A few things you might want to know:

  • We will frame the discussion from the aspect of “Same Sex Attraction” as opposed to “Being Gay.” I think this is an important differentiation of the issue, one that speaks to where we find our identity and what we call sin.
  • We will call homosexual activity a sin.
  • All main points will be taken directly from God’s Word. I will not be sharing my opinion on the subject, but rather communicate what I see clearly from God’s Word.
  • The Main Points are:
    • Homosexual desire is not what God originally intended.
    • Our distorted desires are a sign that we have turned away from God.
    • Homosexual sin is serious.
    • Homosexual sin is not unique.
    • Homosexual sin is not inescapable.
    • Homosexuality is contrary to biblical teaching and the Gospel
  • There will be an emphasis on grace and love for those struggling with this issue and an encouragement for Christians to approach the issue with the same sensitivity. Often times it’s not just what is said, but also how it’s said.

In an ever changing culture, it is important to be able to give a defense to the hope we have in Christ. As Peter states in 1 Peter 3:15-16,


“Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.”


It is our desire to present this hope and this message with gentleness and respect, ultimately pointing people toward Jesus and away from their sin.

If you have further questions or would like to talk with me personally, feel free to contact me at pgreer@loneoakfbc.org.

In Him,

Patrick Greer
Minister of High School Students
Lone Oak FBC