Bi-Sexuality in the Youth Group

 by Chuck Snyder
 co-chaplain for the Seattle Mariners

Dear Chuck
I am a volunteer youth leader and I rely so heavily upon God's direction in everything that I do. I have recently been told by one of the boys in my youth group that he thinks he is a bi-sexual. Now, I know that God does not like bi-sexuality. That's not the way He meant for us to be. My problem is that I struggle with trying to continue to show this young man God's love and direction for his life, but yet also showing him that what he is doing is wrong and against God. I want this young man to understand that God still loves him but that God hates what he is doing. I pray for this young man every single day - that God would open his eyes. I am so worried for him. Are there groups in Illinois that deal with this issue from a biblical perspective that I could send this young man to for help?

Chuck's Response
Thanks for the note concerning the young boy in your youth group who is bi-sexual. I think the first thing I would do is gently show him what God thinks about homosexuality.  
Romans 1:20-32 (Living)

²⁰ Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So they will have no excuse when they stand before God at Judgment Day.
²¹ Yes, they knew about him all right, but they wouldn't admit it or worship him or even thank him for all his daily care. And after a while they began to think up silly ideas of what God was like and what he wanted them to do. The result was that their foolish minds became dark and confused.
²² Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they became utter fools instead.
²³ And then, instead of worshipping the glorious, ever-living God, they took wood and stone and made idols for themselves, carving them to look like mere birds and animals and snakes and puny men.
²⁴ So God let them go ahead into every sort of sex sin, and do whatever they wanted to--yes, vile and sinful things with each other's bodies.
²⁵ Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they prayed to the things God made, but wouldn't obey the blessed God who made these things.
²⁶ That is why God let go of them and let them do all these evil things, so that even their women turned against God's natural plan for them and indulged in sex sin with each other.
²⁷ And the men, instead of having normal sex relationships with women, burned with lust for each other, men doing shameful things with other men and, as a result, getting paid within their own souls with the penalty they so richly deserved.
²⁸ So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of.
²⁹ Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness and sin, of greed and hate, envy, murder, fighting, lying, bitterness, and gossip.
³⁰ They were backbiters, haters of God, insolent, proud, braggarts, always thinking of new ways of sinning and continually being disobedient to their parents.
³¹ They tried to misunderstand, broke their promises, and were heartless--without pity.
³² They were fully aware of God's death penalty for these crimes, yet they went right ahead and did them anyway and encouraged others to do them, too.
Romans 1:20-32 (Living)

This is pretty graphic, at least to me, that men having sex with each other is an abomination to God. If he really knows Jesus personally, I would think this would have an impact on him. 

Here's the address of two Christian organizations that might be able to help.

Thanks for reaching out. Let me know if I can help further.

Chuck Snyder