Becoming an Intentional Church Community: Relationships, Security, and Discipleship in Sexual Identity and Faith Development. Issue 2 (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dean, Janet B.; Stratton, Stephen P.; Yarhouse, Mark A.
• Is Part Of: Christian education journal. Volume 18:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 232
• Page End: 251
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: sexual identity -- intrinsic religiosity -- social support -- self-acceptance -- ministry -- discipleship; Christian education -- Periodicals
• DOI: 10.1177/0739891320948882
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0739-8913

Abstract

Drawing upon previous research with sexual minority Christian college students, we identify emergent themes important to ministry with sexual minorities integrating religious/spiritual and sexual identities: intrinsic religiosity, social relationships, self-acceptance, and complexity of identity integration. We propose a Trinitarian ministry model wherein the church serves as a holding environment—a discipling community intentionally designed to be relational, secure, and formational thereby creating a synergistic communal climate for identity development related to faith and sexuality.