There’s a common critique that Christians are “obsessed” with sexuality. The reality? When God creates humans, He doesn’t make a generic person—He specifically creates them male and female. Sex shows up on page one of the Bible because it’s part of the creation story. God’s design of humanity is inherently sexed, inherently sexual, and inherently reproductive.
As pastors, this puts us in a crucial position. Good shepherding requires speaking about sexual issues on multiple levels—addressing both victimization and sexual abuse, which is far more common than many assume and leads to deep shame, while also presenting the positive vision of God’s design. If you’re wondering how to approach these subjects from the pulpit, you’re not alone. While the gospel must always remain front and center, sexuality needs to be “towards the front of the bus” as we speak to people about their real-life issues. We can’t be silent where God has spoken.
Why Preaching on Gender & Sexuality Topics Matter
Part of the reason Christians care about sex is because it’s fundamental to the creation story. The modern world often thinks about men and women as interchangeable, like Meat-Legos pieces with swapped-out genitals, but that’s not how God creates. He doesn’t make generic humanity—He specifically makes males and females.Â
Sex is also a significant ingredient in human flourishing. It touches some of people’s darkest areas of shame—both because of what’s been done to them and what they’ve done. If we don’t address these intimate matters, we miss ministering to people in both their highest highs and lowest lows.
This isn’t merely about culture wars or political debates; it’s about honoring the wisdom and creativity of God. God could have designed humans to reproduce a million different ways, like cells through mitosis or like sea horses that reproduce asexually. Instead, He chose to create reproduction through the act of love—the sex act—and He designed it on purpose and with purpose. If we believe in the goodness of creation and the goodness of the Creator, then sexuality has to be addressed from our pulpits.
Two Essential Ministry Opportunities Through Gender & Sexuality
Addressing gender and sexuality in our preaching serves two crucial purposes: discipleship of believers and engagement with those seeking answers in a confused culture. Being clear on these issues is a matter of both faithful discipleship and faithful evangelism.
Discipleship
People need to know fundamental truths about their bodies and sexuality. Should they feel good about their bodies? Is sex only for procreation, or is it meant to be enjoyed? How do they navigate pleasure within God’s boundaries? These aren’t peripheral questions—they’re central to how people live out their faith.
When people show up at church, they want to know what the Bible says about every area of their life. There’s extensive biblical teaching on sexuality, and avoiding these topics due to our own squeamishness or anxiety isn’t making us faithful shepherds.Â
Our task includes helping people:
- Understand sexuality as a gift, not just an obstacle
- Navigate the relationship between pleasure and purpose
- Process their own sexual wounds and shame
- Parent their children through cultural confusion
The goal isn’t just to provide rules but to help people see and embrace God’s good design.
Gospel Witness
The brokenness of our culture’s sexual ethics creates natural openings for gospel conversations. People are discovering that achieving what culture promised would bring fulfillment—sexual autonomy, identity exploration, and relationship experimentation—still leaves them feeling empty, isolated, and confused. This disillusionment often leads them to search for better answers. There has been a major overpromise and underdeliver dynamic at work in our culture. The church can stand in that gap with God’s guidance.
Dechurched and unchurched parents find themselves in situations they never anticipated. A father who lived comfortably with a “live and let live” philosophy suddenly faces hard questions when his 14-year-old daughter’s friend comes out as transgender. He didn’t really care about these issues before – no harm, no foul, but now he’s trying to actively love and lead his kids and is looking for wisdom. His previous moral framework provides no answers. Where does he turn when cultural wisdom falls short? In this case, like many others, he finds himself at church, seeking clarity he can’t find elsewhere.
Young people, too, are searching for solid ground.
We recently had a teenage boy come to faith. Surrounded by his school’s confusing and confused messages about gender identity, he encountered the simple biblical truth that “your body tells you the truth of who you are,” it resonated deeply and created an interest in church for the first time in a long time. This isn’t to say every bodily desire is good and should be listened to. But when your body is anxious, its telling you the truth that you’re anxious; when your body is horny because of a spike in hormones, that’s true about you. When your mind interprets that desire is, “I’m horny therefore I should have unsafe sex” that isn’t your body lying, that’s your mind misinterpreting and mistreating your bodily sensations. Minds lie, bodies don’t. When the schizophrenic thinks he hears voices, his ear drums aren’t lying, his mind is. Like the great prophetess Shakira said, “hips don’t lie.”
Our role isn’t to stand in judgment over the culture’s folly, but to offer something truly better. When we teach biblically about gender and sexuality, we provide clarity in place of confusion. We offer hope where disillusionment has taken root. We present truth that makes sense of personal experience, and we point to freedom where addiction and shame have held people captive.
This cultural moment demands more than just rules or restrictions. Families navigating public school gender ideology need a comprehensive vision of human identity and purpose. Young adults discovering the emptiness of a hookup culture need to understand God’s perfect design for sexuality. People carrying sexual wounds need to know there’s healing in God’s truth.
By addressing these topics directly, but with grace, we create space for the gospel to speak into people’s deepest struggles and doubts. We’re not only arguing that God’s way is better—we’re presenting hope to people who are often hurting, confused, or disillusioned by the culture’s broken promises about identity and fulfillment. When someone realizes that following the culture’s path has left them lost, they become remarkably open to hearing about God’s design.
Building a Bible-Shaped Methodology on Sexuality
Matthew 19 provides our model for addressing gender and sexuality. When the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with questions about divorce—essentially about sexuality and marriage—Jesus immediately pointed back to Genesis 1 and 2.
He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female… Matthew 19:4
For Jesus, Genesis wasn’t just a historical account of what happened, it was a normative moral authority for how we should live now. We, as followers of Jesus, follow Jesus back to the beginning at The Beginning (Genesis means beginning) about sex.
Starting with Creation
The biblical narrative introduces gender and sexuality not as cultural constructs or social innovations but as divine gifts woven into the fabric of creation. God doesn’t create humans—He creates males and females. This isn’t incidental to the creation story; it’s central to it.
Understanding Neo-Docetism
Our current cultural moment mirrors an ancient heresy. Just as docetism taught that Jesus only appeared to have a body but wasn’t really embodied, we face a “neo-docetism” that separates mind from body. This modern heresy manifests when:
- People believe their “real self” exists separate from their body
- Feelings and thoughts are elevated above physical reality
- Technology promotes the idea of consciousness separate from bodies
- Culture insists on adjusting bodies to match minds rather than the reverse
Body-Soul Unity
Genesis directly challenges this mind-body separation by presenting humans as unified beings. When God creates humans:
- He makes them sexed beings from the start
- Their bodies tell the truth about who they are
- Physical design carries purpose and meaning
- Identity isn’t separate from embodiment
Understanding Gender Distinction
While both men and women are equally made in God’s image, Scripture presents meaningful distinctions that reveal God’s purposeful design. We see this first in Adam’s creation and role in the garden. Before Eve’s creation, Adam was given a specific calling to serve and protect, to work and keep the garden. This wasn’t just about maintaining vegetation—it was a priestly role that included watching over, protecting, and preserving God’s commands.
When God creates Eve, we see another layer of divine intention. She wasn’t created as an afterthought or a subordinate, but as an essential companion whose presence completes the human picture of God’s image. The differences between Adam and Eve weren’t arbitrary but purposeful, showing us that distinction in design doesn’t diminish equality of worth.
Consider how this plays out even in physical design.
Men’s generally greater physical strength isn’t about superiority—it’s about service and protection. Just as a male cheerleader uses his strength to lift and support, men are designed to use their distinctive traits not for dominance but for the flourishing of others. These physical predispositions serve dual functions, creating natural patterns for how men and women often work and relate differently.
Understanding these distinctions helps us resist two common errors.
On one side, we avoid the historical tendency to treat women as incomplete or lesser versions of men—a view that tragically dominated much of Western thought. On the other side, we resist the modern impulse to treat men and women as interchangeable, as though our physical and biological differences are meaningless accidents rather than purposeful design.
This biblical vision of gender distinction offers something better than both patriarchal dominance and gender erasure. It shows us how to celebrate our differences while affirming our equal worth, how to embrace our distinctive designs while honoring our shared humanity, and how to help people flourish as the men and women God created them to be.
The Digital Dimension
The rapid rise in gender confusion, especially among young people, correlates with increased screen use and digital life. When people spend most of their time in virtual spaces:
- They become disconnected from physical reality
- Their sense of embodied identity weakens
- They’re more susceptible to seeing their bodies as customizable avatars
- They lose touch with the truth their bodies tell them
The impact of technology goes beyond mere screen time. Popular culture increasingly promotes a future where consciousness can be separated from bodies entirely. Shows like “Altered Carbon” imagine a world where human consciousness can be transferred between bodies like switching containers. This isn’t just science fiction—it reflects a growing belief that:
- Our “true selves” exist independently of our bodies
- Physical bodies are merely temporary vessels
- Identity is completely fluid and transferable
- Bodies are customizable accessories rather than essential to who we are
A Positive Vision
Rather than just responding to cultural distortions, we can present God’s original design as the better way. This includes:
- Understanding our bodies as purposeful gifts from God
- Recognizing physical design as meaningful, not arbitrary
- Embracing the unity of body and soul
- Celebrating the goodness of God’s created order
Too often, Christians are known only for what we’re against regarding sexuality. But Scripture offers a remarkably positive vision for gender and sexuality. God’s design includes:
- The joy of embodied existence
- The beauty of complementary relationships
- The privilege of reflecting God’s image
- The delight of sexual intimacy within marriage
This positive vision gives us something better to offer than just a critique of culture’s broken promises. We’re not merely saying “no” to cultural distortions; we’re saying “yes” to God’s good design.
Practical Preaching Considerations
Speaking biblical truth about gender and sexuality requires both courage and wisdom. These topics touch people’s deepest identities, greatest wounds, and most intimate relationships. As pastors, we need a thoughtful approach that combines biblical fidelity with pastoral sensitivity.
Understanding Your Own Journey
What frustrates you about how Christians typically address these topics? What aspects of the cultural conversation concern you? These reactions often point to where the Spirit may be leading you to speak truth with particular clarity or compassion.
Moving Beyond Purity Culture
The legacy of purity culture continues to impact how many approach these topics. This movement often:
- Treated bodies as liabilities rather than gifts
- Created unhealthy shame around natural development
- Focused more on rules than relationship with God
- Over-promised and under-delivered on sexual fulfillment
Rather than letting these experiences silence us, we can learn from them to present a more holistic, biblical vision.
The danger of purity culture wasn’t just its rules—it became a kind of “sexual prosperity gospel.” Just as the financial prosperity gospel promises wealth if you follow certain steps, sexual prosperity culture promises perfect marriages and fulfilling sex lives if you “did everything right.” This led to:
- Deep disappointment when marriage didn’t automatically result in sexual fulfillment
- Confusion when following the “rules” didn’t prevent relationship struggles
- Disillusionment when spouses proved to still be sexually sinful and selfish
- Shame when following the rules didn’t set you free from your own sexual sin
Speaking with Clarity and Compassion
In our desire to be winsome or avoid offense, pastors sometimes dance around these topics, using vague language, clever wordplay, or euphemisms that further obscure the topic. This approach ultimately serves no one. Our people need clear, direct teaching about God’s design. Being clear doesn’t mean being harsh—it means being honest about what Scripture teaches while acknowledging the complexity of people’s lives and struggles.
When we speak with clarity:
- We help people understand exactly what God’s Word teaches
- We eliminate confusion about where we stand
- We give people clear principles for decision-making
- We demonstrate that truth and love aren’t opponents
Addressing Different Audiences
Every time we step into the pulpit to address gender and sexuality, we’re speaking to a room full of complex stories and situations. The teenager quietly wrestling with identity questions sits just a few rows from parents searching for wisdom to guide their children. The person carrying deep sexual trauma may be hearing the same message as the engaged couple preparing for marriage. Someone faithfully fighting same-sex attraction might be listening alongside a family member whose loved one has rejected biblical teaching entirely.
This diversity of experiences demands thoughtful, nuanced preaching. We must simultaneously speak hope to the hurting and truth to the confused. Our words need to offer practical help for today’s struggles while pointing to God’s larger purposes.
When we address sexual brokenness, we’re speaking both to victims and victimizers. Our preaching must somehow bridge the gap between those firmly convicted of biblical truth and those just beginning to question cultural assumptions.
Understanding these various perspectives shapes how we communicate. It should lead us to choose our words with greater care, anticipating how different listeners might hear them. It should help us recognize potential misconceptions before they take root. Most importantly, it should guide us in creating an environment where people feel safe bringing their questions and struggles into the light.
Effective preaching on gender and sexuality isn’t about winning arguments or merely stating biblical facts. Our goal is to help people receive their bodies as gifts from God, understand sexuality as part of His good design, and find healing from both victimization and shame.
When we speak directly but non-anxiously, acknowledge both the highs and lows of human sexuality, and keep the gospel front and center, we create space for God to work. While these topics shouldn’t overshadow the gospel, they need to be “towards the front of the bus” as we drive people toward understanding God’s design for human flourishing.
Navigating Common Challenges
Even with careful preparation and a strong biblical foundation, preaching on gender and sexuality presents unique challenges. Understanding these challenges—and having strategies to address them—will help you preach with both confidence and compassion.
The Personal Stories Challenge
Perhaps the most difficult pushback comes through personal stories.
“My sister came out as transgender and she’s happier than ever.”
“My friends in a same-sex relationship are more committed than most Christian couples I know.”
These narratives can be powerful and emotionally charged.
Here’s how to approach these situations.
Acknowledge the Reality
Don’t dismiss or minimize people’s experiences. Their stories are real, and their feelings are genuine. But remember: while experiences are valid, they aren’t authoritative, and they’re never the whole story. Our role is to lovingly point people to a higher authority—God’s Word.
Look Deeper
Often, personal stories reveal underlying questions about:
- Identity and belonging
- Love and acceptance
- Happiness versus holiness
- God’s goodness and design
There is a theme of hypocrisy that must be acknowledged; the compare-and-contrast approach to how God’s people are doing sexually and how those who disregard God’s word are doing sexually is tempting because God’s people, who are trying to follow God’s word, remain sexually broken and sinful.
If we try to spin Christian failure while pouncing on non-Christian dysfunction, we won’t be lovers of the truth.
There are couples that cohabitate and are enjoying their life separate from God; meanwhile, there are God-honoring married couples who simply aren’t. Sometimes the proof is in the pudding, and sometimes it isn’t. This is why teaching on creation is good, but Christians must ultimately teach the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.Â
Offer Better Stories
The gospel itself is a story—one that makes sense of our experiences while pointing to something greater. Help your congregation see how their personal stories fit within God’s larger narrative. Not just creation, but new creation is needed if we want hopeful and resilient followers of Jesus.
The Cultural Pressure Challenge
Our culture presents two significant challenges when addressing gender and sexuality. First, there’s the rapid normalization of what was previously understood as sexual deviancy. Second, there’s the increasing separation between mind and body, particularly among young people immersed in digital technology.
Understanding Cultural Confusion
The issue isn’t merely moral disagreement—it’s a fundamental shift in how people understand themselves:
- Bodies are seen as containers rather than essential to identity
- Personal feelings are prioritized over physical reality
- Technology encourages disconnection from embodied existence
- “Affirmative care” has replaced traditional therapeutic approaches
When Mind and Body Conflict – Gender-Affirming Care
Our culture has reversed its traditional approach:
- Previously, if mind and body didn’t align, the goal was to help the mind accept the body
- Now, this is labeled “conversion therapy”
- Instead, “affirmative care” adjusts the body to match the mind
- This shift reveals a deeper philosophical change about human nature
Speaking Truth in This Context
Our role isn’t primarily to fight culture wars but to:
- Present the biblical vision of body-soul unity
- Help people understand their bodies tell the truth about who they are
- Address both victimization and shame
- Offer hope through the gospel
Remember: we’re not defending traditional values—we’re presenting God’s design as the path to genuine human flourishing. When people discover the emptiness of cultural promises about identity and fulfillment, they become more receptive to biblical truth.
Preaching Through Gender & Sexuality with Confidence
The question isn’t whether Christians talk about sexuality too much—it’s whether we’re talking about it biblically. These topics show up “on page one of the Bible” because they’re fundamental to God’s design for humanity.
A Final Encouragement
Preaching biblical truth about gender and sexuality may feel daunting, but remember: these aren’t just cultural issues—they’re gospel issues.
When we teach God’s design for gender and sexuality, we’re doing something far more significant than addressing current controversies. We’re pointing people to the God who intentionally created them, helping them understand the design that gives their lives definition and purpose. We’re offering truth that sets people free from cultural confusion and shame while presenting the transforming grace that meets them in their brokenness.
Your congregation needs this teaching, even if they don’t know it. The world is speaking loudly about gender and sexuality; your people need to hear God’s voice speaking louder still. They need a shepherd who will courageously and compassionately guide them toward understanding God’s good design for human flourishing.
So preach with confidence, knowing you’re standing on the authority of God’s Word. Speak with grace, remembering your own need for the gospel. And trust God to work through His Word for His glory and their good.
Check out some of my sermons on the topic:
