Our team supports every Posture Shift teaching point with a thoughtful biblical apologetic. Over 20 years of work, however, we have learned—often the hard way—that believers will still debate uncomfortable teachings, even when those teachings are clearly grounded in Scripture.
Ironically, perhaps predictably, opposition often takes the form of pitting one set of Scriptures against another—their verses versus ours. This is not a criticism – as any of us can fall into using Scripture to argue against Scripture.
To be clear, all of Scripture matters – so we honor fellow believers when they raise passages that challenge an established apologetic or a teaching point. At the same time, it is essential to remember that truth is never opposed to grace (and vice versa).
By God’s very nature, He is not at odds with Himself. Therefore, we must “find a measure”—a way of considering the whole counsel of Scripture—that allows us to faithfully honor God’s truth while radically loving people with His grace. (And yes, Scripture speaks directly to this.)
For this reason, our team does more than aim for strong biblical apologetics. We also strive to establish teaching points that are inarguable. In a deeply divided world, that is a high bar, but we embrace the challenge. When we honor that challenge, we earn trust—trust that allows leaders to embrace a shift in posture that can more effectively reach LGBT+ people.
A helpful parallel comes from the world of marketing. Invisibility rarely sells much. It contradicts the goal of sales. Hiding what you offer will not grow a business—it simply will not. While there may be strategies that create artificial scarcity, the general rule remains: visibility is required to succeed.
Regarding gospel engagement with LGBT+ people, the parallel is similar. Exclusion has no power to reach people who have already experienced rejection. Through best-practice missiology—studying LGBT+ history, culture, and language—we can see this in a few ways.
Exclusion has no power to reach…
• marginalized people who carry trauma
• fearful people who worry about further harm
• rejected people who have already been pushed away
• triggered people who cautiously evaluate every word for safety
This is not an opinion—it is an inarguable reality. It is not even a gay or straight thing. It is simply how people work. This realization serves as a powerful insight with spiritual weight, capable of loosening strongholds and removing blind spots. It can soften or even dismantle entrenched objections to the opposite of exclusion – which is, inclusion.
When viewed through a missional lens, inclusion no longer means DEI. It is no longer a political slogan or an affirming theological position. Once inclusion is disentangled from these misperceptions, churches can pursue greater inclusion without feeling that their core beliefs are under threat.
This reality is universally understood by missionaries: marginalized people require a secure sense of belonging. They need to feel seen and heard. They need to be protected from harm. They need to experience being part of the family. They need to sense that there is a purpose in their presence.
God can—and does—reach people despite rejecting postures. We see Jesus routinely bypass teachers of the law to reach marginalized people in His day. But like you, I want to work with Jesus rather than become an obstacle He must work around. May it never be!
Inclusion, then, is not a bad word. It is not a heresy. It is not about politics, nor is it about watering down or compromising deeply held biblical convictions. It is about fostering safety—creating spaces within faith communities (and families) where LGBT+ people can belong, participate, and grow.
People will still resist ideas that make us feel unsettled. That is understandable. We all do it! This month’s Posture Shift Insight does not guarantee success. But for the missionary, it is always worth seeking the inarguable.
Heard about Posture Shift Intensive? Our training offers a comprehensive strategic missional curriculum and implementation plan for church leadership teams. We will equip your team to better share Christ with LGBT+ people and guide their families.
Visit postureshift.com/intensive to schedule a training for your team!
