Despite the clear call to speak God’s message, the Church has always faced the pressure to keep quiet, especially when it comes to articulating areas of the Christian message that are more counter-cultural than others. For the modern Church in the West, the pressure to not talk about God’s perspective on same-sex relationships has grown.

I love the story of the prodigal son, the way his father ran towards him with open arms, ready to welcome him back after his years of wasted opportunity. And that’s exactly what God did for me four years ago, just before my 49th birthday - God welcomed me back into his family.

I’ve never needed much encouragement to read. But for a long time I felt nervous of touching anything that might have a hint of sexuality about it, because doing so might either expose my own struggles with my sexuality or increase the intensity of those feelings. But now I've changed my mind and my practice.

From the very first gathering of God’s redeemed people by the Red Sea, until the final, complete gathering of God’s people before His throne, God’s people are characterised as people who sing. Music has a power to lift our spirits, teach us, encourage us, and train our hearts in gratitude to God.

When we start to think about our spiritual brothers and sisters, it soon becomes apparent that we have a responsibility to all of our fellow members in how we behave. Because we know and experience a level of freedom in Christ, it is easy to ignore the effect our actions can have on others.

Christians can still struggle with gender stereotypes. Unable just to choose a different gender, as some would now advocate, we can be left wondering how to navigate any struggles with gender stereotypes while still remaining faithful to our biblical worldview. We should enjoy the freedom of not having to reach every cultural standard of masculinity and femininity.