Dwelling in the Land

Jeanette Howard

Description

Dwelling in the Land considers what it means for Christians, who are attracted to other members of the same sex, to live fully under the lordship of Christ. Author Jeanette Howard, believes that homosexuality is not part of God's plan for His world, and has chosen to remain celibate despite experiencing same-sex attraction. She has come to believe that to identify herself as 'gay' does not do justice to what God has been doing in her life. Instead of being identified by your sexuality, as a Christian you are identified by the fact that you belong to Christ. Some gay Christians have sought healing. Others have turned away from a conservative interpretation of the biblical texts. Others have remained celibate and invested their lives in Christian service. All have found that their sexual orientation has strongly influenced who they perceive themselves to be, and how others perceive them. Allowing God to dismantle your false identity permits you to live out of your authentic self. As you grow in Christ you are able to perceive true goodness and health; you rid yourself of old habits of thinking; you learn to recognise what is holding others back; and discover new areas of ministry. You do not have to accept the labels that the world ' and the church ' attach to you.

Sujets

• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: Lion Hudson
• Date de parution: 15 octobre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780857216243
• Langue: English

Extrait

“Jeanette Howard has laboured in ministry dealing with asexuality for decades, and is well qualified to speak to the current issues and ministry challenges involved. To read Dwelling in the Land is to soak in reasoned, clear, biblically based principles, lessons learned from a woman who’s been there, done that, and is doing it well.”
Joe Dallas, author and pastoral counsellor
 
 
Jeanette Howard is the Director of Bethany Life Ministries in the UK. While living in California back in the late 1980s Jeanette began to address a number of personal issues, including gender dysphoria, same-sex attraction, and familial relationship problems, bringing each area into the light and truth of the Bible. For many years Jeanette has spoken and ministered in this difficult area. She is author of Out of Egypt and Into the Promised Land .

 
 
Text copyright © 2015 Jeanette Howard This edition copyright © 2015 Lion Hudson
The right of Jeanette Howard to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published by Monarch Books an imprint of Lion Hudson plc Wilkinson House, Jordan Hill Road, Oxford OX2 8DR, England Email: [e-mail] www.lionhudson.com/monarch
ISBN 978 0 85721 623 6 e-ISBN 978 0 85721 624 3
First edition 2015
Acknowledgments Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton, a member of the Hodder Headline Group. All rights reserved. “NIV” is a trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. Scripture quotations marked “AMP” are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked “J. B. Phillips” are taken from The New Testament in Modern English , Revised Edition, translated by J. B. Phillips. Copyright © 1958, 1960, 1972 by J. B. Phillips. Reprinted with permission of Simon & Schuster. Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. Scripture quotations marked “NASB” are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked “NCV” are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked “NLT” are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation , copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked “The Message” are taken from The Message . Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked “NKJV” are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All right reserved. Extracts pp. 34, 43, 44–45 taken from Understanding Sexual Identity: A Resource for Youth Ministry by Mark A. Yarhouse © 2013 by Mark A. Yarhouse. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com Extract pp. 39–40 taken from “The Three Tier Distinction” by Mark A. Yarhouse, http://www.sexualidentityinstitute.org/archives/13237. Used by permission. Extract pp. 64–65 taken from Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality by Wesley Hill © 2010 by Wesley Hill. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com Extract p. 68 taken from “You and Me Together” by Peter Ould © 19 April 2007, Peter Ould. An Exercise in the Fundamentals of Orthodoxy: Blog Available from: www.peter-ould.net/2007/04/19/you-and-me-together. Used by permission. Extract p. 262 taken from Gold Cord: The Story of a Fellowship by Amy Carmichael, © 1932 by The Dohnavur Fellowship. Used by permission of CLC Publications. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved. Maps pp. 116, 227, 228 © Lion Hudson/Tim Dowley Associates Ltd.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Cover image adapted: Shutterstock/lupulluss
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Introduction
SECTION 1
Where have we been? Where are we now? And what is happening in Christendom?
1 Post Exodus
2 Sexual Fluidity, Identity, and Generational Differences
3 Different Voices, Different Hymn Sheets
SECTION 2
What do we actually believe? How does our thinking influence our Christian walk? Are our expectations in keeping with biblical teaching, or have we allowed worldly reasoning too much influence?
4 Prisoners of Hope
5 Who are You?
6 Expectations, Wants, and Needs
SECTION 3
Through the testimonies of Phil and Sonia we see that God gradually modifies our focus from self to Him. Submission and thanksgiving are key components in the life of a disciple and are critical if our same-sex attraction is to come under the Lordship of Christ.
7 Questions, Questions, Questions
8 Submission
9 Thanksgiving is a Weapon of Warfare
SECTION 4
How we view God and understand His sovereignty will determine our readiness to obey, irrespective of how we feel. Our attitude towards Him determines the potential depth of our relationship with Him.
10 Privileged People
11 She Did What She Could
12 The Danger of Distraction
SECTION 5
The “land” we have been allocated may not be what we had hoped for, but it is still our inheritance. If it is flat and fertile, then we plant crops. And if it is rugged and hilly, we shepherd sheep. It is what we make it.
13 Perseverance is a Sign of Maturity
14 Scarred but Steadfast
15 At Peace in the Land of Promise
 
Bibliography
Useful Contacts
About Bethany Life Ministries
 
 
Dwelling in the Land is dedicated to my friend Tony Ives who sat on the Bethany Life Ministries Board of Trustees. It was his hard work and dedication that enabled the ministry to be built on a sure foundation and later obtain charitable status. But he was so much more. Primarily, Tony was my friend who loved, supported, and encouraged me at all times and in so many ways. Both he and his wife Pam opened their house to me so often that the guest room was known as Jeanette’s room! They let me treat their garden as my own and, over the years, Tony learned to see it as a colourful expression of our multi-faceted Father and enjoy it in all its seasonal beauty. Much of the first draft of Dwelling was written whilst sitting in Jeanette’s Room overlooking my garden. Thank you, my friend.
Acknowledgments
This book would never have arrived at the point of publication without support and help from: The Bethany Life Ministries Board of Trustees; the ongoing financial support given generously by those who believe in me and the message God chooses to convey through my writing and speaking; Living Stones Community Church (especially the members of my Life Group); numerous friends who have intentionally been there for me both in person and/or through the social media; and Brad Sargent, who is not only a dear friend but is also capable of turning my creative expression into real sentences: a true hero to all who know him.
The following people have not only graciously allowed me to share parts of their story within the Dwelling narrative, but they have also read the first draft of the manuscript and were able to offer invaluable suggestions resulting in what you have before you. They are: Meleah Allard, Sonia Balcer, Phil Barnett, Nathan Collins, Carla Harshman, and Bob Ragan.
I also want to thank Tony Collins and Jessica Scott at Monarch Books for their behind-the-scene efforts.
Finally, based on the principle that the last shall be first, I want to thank our awesome triune God for His unrelenting love, acceptance, and enabling. I cannot manage a day without You and for that I am eternally grateful.
Introduction
In today’s world the subject of homosexuality is rarely out of the headlines. No longer fearful of social or financial backlash, sports and film stars seem to be leaping out of the closet with reckless abandon on a near daily basis. Far from being ostracized by society, these men and women are now positively embraced as standard-bearers of a new, enlightened, and totally accepting civilization that is non-judgmental and all-inclusive. Any stance or voice that challenges this juggernaut of positivity is decried, decreed homophobic, and dismissed as being a relic from a bygone age of bigotry and hate.
The worldview is one thing, but when I consider homosexuality in light of Scripture I can certainly empathize with Winnie-the-Pooh when he states: “When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” 1
Although I personally find the biblical stance on active sexuality, of any gender combination, crystal clear, the Christian voice on the subject of homosexuality has rarely been more divided. Unfortunately, many of the discussions between the various factions appear to be little more than biblical hand grenades tossed at one another from the safety of a well-dug trench. Sadly, many of these dialogues often create more heat than light. However, even though I don’t feel at all inclined or equipped to engage in such discussions