Pastor Patrick Payton had always preached sharing truth with compassion and love. When the Goekes came into his office with their secret struggle, he realized the church was going to have to put its principles into practice. 

As a caring psychiatrist for the past thirty-three years, I have given compassionate care to many hundreds of men and women who have had struggles with their sexual identities and cravings....

Pastor Jim Pace knows something is wrong with the way the Church at large is addressing homosexuality. He wondered, is there a way to reach out to the gay community with gentleness and compassion without surrendering our convictions?

In my ministry, I spend time counseling people and working with churches dealing with difficult problems and controversial issues.  I talk to many people whose Christian upbringing has not prepared them to deal with the sorts of issues that are infiltrating their worlds. 

Four years ago a close friend from my campus church told me that he had same-sex attractions. This was a first for me. I was shocked, confused, and completely unsure of how to relate to him. My questions ran the spectrum from intensely theological - what does this tell me, if anything, about his faith? - to the intensely practical - is it still ok for me to give him hugs? His questions ran much deeper. “Why me? Who am I anyway? Does God really love me? What now?”