True Union

Co-hosts Brian and Sheldon share their testimonies as Christian men who have struggled with identity and same-sex attraction and found hope in Christ. Find out how God made beauty from ashes and used hardship for good in these stories of redemption and restoration!

We were created for intimacy—it is one way we reflect the image of God. But what is intimacy? In this episode, Sheldon and Brian unpack this very good, natural desire and discuss how God can meet this need in good ways.Support the Show.

Should a Christian "Come Out" publicly about his or her struggle with same-sex attraction?  In this episode, Brian and Sheldon explore this question and talk about the importance of honesty, confession and accountability among Christians and how to know when to share and with whom.Support the Show.

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What's it like for Christians who experience same sex attraction to surrender their sexuality to God's design and pursue His plan for them? It's much the same as for anyone; we all struggle with brokenness and temptation. We all must surrender our sexuality in order to follow Christ. In this episode, Brian and Sheldon share a little of their stories, and talk about how God has been faithful through it all.Support the show

All of Jesus' disciples are called to deny self and take up their cross, but those who experience same-sex attraction face some unique battles. Not that their temptations are any greater, but the messages of our culture and attitudes of the church in the past have made the struggle of SSA particularly difficult for many believers with that experience. In this episode, Brian and Sheldon talk about how Christian men and women can navigate these challenges and how their spiritual family can help.   Support the show

So how do we as believers reinforce true identity in others? Can we help each other realize our identity as sons and daughters of God? In this episode, Brian and Sheldon explore the different ways that the body of Christ facilitates and encourages true identity through discipleship and other expressions of spiritual family.Support the show

How should our identity in Christ influence the way we live?  In this episode, Brian and Sheldon wrap up our conversation about identity with a few practical insights about what it means to be a new creation and how to live like it.Support the show

In this episode, Sheldon and Brian continue the conversation about identity as they explore the Biblical perspective. How are we made "in the image of God"? How did sin affect creation and specifically mankind? And how does the gospel offer hope for those struggling with their identity, meaning and purpose in this life?A few resources we have found helpful for this topic:Holy Sexuality, Christopher YuanFinding Your Best Identity, Andrew BuntSupport the show

In this episode, Brian welcomes a new co-host, Sheldon Farrington, to introduce a new season and series: The Conversation about Identity. Why is everyone talking about identity? What are they saying? Why is it such a hot topic? Does it really matter what we believe or how we "identify"? Brian and Sheldon explore different viewpoints and arrive at a definition of identity that brings it into a biblical perspective. If you've been wondering about this subject and following the debate in Christian circles, you'll want to join the True Union Podcast for this important conversation.Support the show

Join Brian and his wife Kim as they sit down with authors Matt & Laurie Krieg to discuss mixed orientation marriage. Co-founders of Hole In My Heart Ministries and authors of the book "An Impossible Marriage" Matt & Laurie bring unparalleled wisdom and grace to this conversation as they discuss the meaning of marriage, when to tell your kids about your unique sin struggles, and how to be on mission with your marriage. Check out their resources below! Hole In My Heart Ministries | https://lauriekrieg.com/Hole In My Heart Podcast | https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/trueunion.org #ssa #lgbtq #christianity #marriage #christianmarriageSupport the show

Join Melody, Ben, and Sheldon as they talk about singleness--the common lies, struggles, and beauty in learning to steward singleness faithfully. Visit our website to learn more about how you can be involved with True Union! www.trueunion.orgSupport the show

In this episode, Brian, Ben, and Melody dive deeper into the Big Six of parenting, and share some personal experiences related to this topic. Join us for this conversation that is so needed in today's climate.References: Attachments by Dr. Tim Clinton#ssa #childdevelopment #lgbtq #gospelcenteredcommunity #emotionalhealth #secureattachment #trueunionpodcast #conversationsSupport the show

Why does True Union exist?  Why do we need ministries like this?  In this episode, Brian and Ben share the heart of True Union Ministries and why it's important to address same-sex attraction from an honest, biblical perspective and to love those who struggle against it.  Support the show

Our language as disciples of Jesus matters.  How we speak about ourselves, about each other, and to each other,  has a bearing on the message we preach. And there is a time and place and a biblical way to handle disagreements and mistakes within spiritual family. On the topic of same-sex attraction in the church, language has become a particularly challenging topic. In this episode, Brian and Ben talk about some cases where spiritual family has been tested and failed to reflect the love that Jesus desired His followers to have for each other. References:PCA Ad Interim Report on Human SexualityTheology in the Raw: Same-sex Attracted, Sexually Pure, and...Unfit for Ministry? (Preston Sprinkle)The PCA is Quietly Corrupting Reformed Theology.  Here's How (Bridget Eileen Rivera)Conversations that Matter: Examining a Sam Allberry Podcast (John Harris)Support the show

This week Brian and Ben welcome Ed Shaw, Pastor of Immanuel City Centre church in Bristol and author of Same-sex Attraction and the Church and Purposeful Sexuality.   As a christian minister who experiences ssa, Ed brings insight and perspective to questions about the need for more understanding and compassion in the church, the challenge of standing for biblical truth against the tide of public opinion on same-sex marriage, and the blessings of spiritual family. Same-Sex Attraction and the ChurchPurposeful SexualitySupport the show

Brian and Ben introduce their newest team member, Melody, and continue their discussion of spiritual family with her as she shares her story and how she found healing in the body of Christ.   Support the show

Brian and Ben explore the topic of spiritual family and the opportunity we have to help each other discover and meet core needs in healthy ways.   Support the show

Join Ben and Brian as they kick off their third season with a conversation about what Jesus means to them and why following Him is worth any suffering we may endure.  Support the show

This week Ben and Brian wrap up the series with thoughts on how believers who experience SSA can thrive in the church, and how the church can demonstrate the love of God well in its response to this need.   References:Same-sex Attraction and the Church: The Surprising Plausibility of the Celibate Life by Ed ShawLivingOut.orgSupport the show

This week Brian and Ben welcome a guest to the True Union podcast!   Samuel Perez, former gay stripper now Jesus follower, disciple maker, and bible teacher joins our conversation on same-sex attraction and the church with his own personal story.  Samuel has a podcast, "Christian in Progress", and you can also find him on YouTube, Instagram, Discord, and TikTok.  Listen in and learn how Jesus met Samuel at his lowest point and renewed his faith and hope in the gospel.Find Samuel here!InstagramYoutubeTikTokSupport the show

Before Christians can learn how to better respond to same-sex attraction within the church and to the LGBTQ+ community, they need to better understand the issues surrounding it.  For example, what do gay men and women of faith  feel, fear, and fight on a daily basis?   In this episode, Brian and Ben discuss the experience of same-sex attraction with the goal of providing insight to Christians who want to respond in love.   Support the show

Ben and Brian continue their conversation about how churches have responded to those who experience same-sex attraction over the years and share how they might better communicate the gospel going forward through a spirit of compassion and understanding.   Is your church a safe, loving space where ssa believers feel invited into the process of sanctification?      Resources:Church Audit by LivingOut.orgSupport the show

The conversation about ssa and the church continues with a look at how most churches have responded to this issue over the years: ignoring, condemning, or "affirming."  How do these unbiblical responses affect the body of Christ and those within it who experience same-sex attraction? How do they color the way the world sees the church and even the gospel?Support the show

Brian and Ben kick off  a season of conversations about same-sex attraction and the church with this episode of personal testimony.  What was it like growing up in the church as a believer who experiences ssa?  Support the show

Is accountability a biblical practice?  What does healthy accountability look like?  All too often the focus becomes our behavior, when it should be our growth in relationship with Jesus. Brian and Ben explore the pros and cons of accountability in Christian community and cast a vision for healthier ways to practice this discipline together. Scriptures:Gal. 6:21 Thess. 5:11Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)

Brian and Ben continue their conversation about confession in discipleship and Christian community with thoughts on the role of the Spirit, the power of intercessory prayer, and patience with the process of healing. References:Deeper, Dane OrtlundSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)

What is the purpose of confession among believers? How do we practice it in a healthy, biblical way?  What happens when we do?  Brian and Ben discuss the power of confessional community and the truth of James 5:16 that in confessing to one another we are healed.Scripture:James 5:161 John 1:5-10Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)

Are all of our desires sinful?  Or are some desires good and God-given?  Ben and Brian explore the core desires behind many sexual sins and relational conflicts and discuss how disentangling good desires from sinful desires is essential to our life in Christ. References:Husband MaterialSurfing for God, Michael CusickSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)

What did Jesus mean when He said that to be His disciple, you must deny yourself? Why should we? How can this be a good thing?  Brian and Ben discuss what God has been teaching them about the call to deny self and the promises He makes to those who do.Scriptures: Matthew 16:24-26Mark 10: 29-30Romans 8:13 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)

Ben and Brian reflect on 2021 and how God worked through trials and temptations to purify and prepare them for the birth of True Union Ministries in 2022.Books mentioned:Gentle and Lowly, Dane OrtlundDeeper, Dane OrtlundSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)

Join hosts Brian and Ben as they share a little about themselves and discuss their vision for the True Union podcast.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/trueunionpodcast)