NEW & NOTABLE

Guiding Families of LGBT+ Loved Ones (Revised 5th Edition)

BY BILL HENSON

Review by Captain Renée McFadden

Guiding Families of LGBT+ Loved Ones is a magazine-style book that provides support and encouragement to parents and pastoral ministry staff as they care for LGBTQ+ loved ones. It offers resources for enhancing church inclusion, increasing family acceptance, protecting against victimization, and nourishing faith identity in Christ. Guiding Families aligns with our territorial vision and values by holding a posture of grace and compassion while staying rooted in a traditional sexual ethic.

The book acknowledges the harm done by conversion therapy, the risks of rejection, bullying, abuse, homelessness and suicidality faced by LGBTQ+ youth, and makes it clear that God’s desire is for restorative justice, lifting the marginalized and victims of oppression into places of dignity and honour. It also helps pastors and youth leaders navigate discussions on theology and beliefs, particularly in areas of difference. Guiding Families offers a clear focus on building relational safety that keeps gender- and sexual-minority youth connected to trusted adults at church, camp and youth ministry.

This newly released edition (2023) includes guidance on responding well when loved ones come out; repairing relational damage from missteps; caring for trans and non-binary youth; definitions and language around gender and sexual identity; becoming a listener-learner and asking honouring questions; and guidance on matters pertaining to extended family, siblings and special occasions.

“I recommend it for every officer in our territory as a resource for reducing harm for LGBTQ+ Salvationists.” Captain Renée McFadden

This book encourages Christian communities to be both theologically faithful and radically loving of LGBTQ+ family members, neighbours, members and visitors of our churches. It presents a missional approach to living out what we believe in cross-cultural, gospel-centred ways, and bridges the gap between our non-discriminatory social service practices and our traditional church life expression. It requires no shifts from the reader on their biblical beliefs about marriage and sexuality; rather, it diminishes the fears that might hold us back from operating with a posture of radical hospitality throughout every expression of The Salvation Army.

Guiding Families is the accessible resource thatwe have been missing in our pastoral care toolbox. I recommend it for every officer in our territory as a resource for reducing harm for LGBTQ+ Salvationists and building churches and communities that are just and know the love of Jesus.

CAPTAIN RENÉE McFADDEN is the corps officer at The Willows—A Community Church of The Salvation Army in Langley, B.C., a member of the territorial moral and social issues committee, chair of the territorial human sexuality working group, and a faith-based facilitation trainer.

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IN THE NEWS

First Complete Book of Animated Bible App Is Released

On Easter, Revelation Media, a Texas-based Christian media company, unveiled 42 episodes of iBIBLE Genesis, the first completed chapter of a larger iBIBLE project that intends to fully animate the entire biblical narrative.

Scheduled for completion by 2032, the 10-year, $25-million project will consist of about 280 episodes, totalling more than 30 hours of content and 20,000 Bible verses. Each episode will explore biblical events in chronological order and will be accompanied by a list of resources for additional learning and engagement. The app is available for free and, by its completion, will be translatable into more than 7,000 languages, making it readily accessible to anyone interested in the story of Jesus, without language or reading barriers.

“Nearly 100 percent of the world learns visually. Yet most of today’s resources for Bible engagement are spent on printed Bibles, with a focus on the New Testament alone. A great void exists in presenting the entire story of God’s Word in a format people can and will engage with,” says Steve Cleary, executive director. “For Revelation Media and iBIBLE, the number-one priority is leading people to engage with God’s Word. We will do everything in our power to share Christ and allow people to engage with the Bible.”

The iBIBLE app is available to download for free on iPhone and Android, and iBIBLE episodes are available on the app, YouTube and streaming services. 

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