Review: Relationships Matter Course

The “Being Human” team within the Evangelical Alliance has recently published their “Relationships Matter” course. It is aimed at encouraging Christians to explore and chat about the subject of sexuality within the culture we live in. Yes, a course inviting discussions about sex among Christians in an open and honest way! A subject that for many of us, perhaps, is quite personal and sometimes complex. Few of us will have heard it discussed deeply enough in our churches.

The course is hosted by Peter Lynas, Damilola Makinde and Katherine Brown. They take us through seven short 15-minute videos. Peter is married, Damilola is single and Katherine is married (having been in a same-sex relationship before she became a Christian). So, the course is suitable for all, as it raises discussions on issues relating to singleness, same-sex attraction and marriage.

The format of the course is relaxed and likely to result in lively discussions around how and why a Christian might be shaped by our culture.

The videos start off by looking at philosophies that underpin our culture, as well as how we can speak God’s truth into the culture in which we are immersed. Time and again throughout the videos, there is assurance that “there is nothing that we have done, or has been done to us, which would put us beyond God’s love in this broken world”. In Jesus, we find grace, mercy and forgiveness available to all. As each session progresses, it should lead to helpful in-depth discussions to strengthen one another with God’s Word and to pray together, as we live in this broken and messed up world.

There is little, or no, preparation required for leaders and group members.

Each session aims to conclude within an hour (of course, it can run longer!). The videos and material are free and come with an accompanying Leaders Guide. The Leaders Guide provides helpful tips, summary points of each video and discussion questions. There is a ‘Response’ section at the end of each session suggesting ideas on how to reflect more personally on the material. In addition, there are useful recommended resources, including the offer of pastoral support from TFT to go with the sessions where Katherine shares about her same-sex feelings. There is also an email address to contact the “Being Human” team if there are any questions.

I highly recommend this resource if you think it would be helpful for your small group to chat freely on the subject of sexuality. It is a helpful course that we can use to strengthen one another with God’s Word. It will help us to submit our desires to the Lord Jesus better, as we await his promised return and the new creation. The course is called “Relationships Matter” because our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ matter; and our personal relationship with Jesus matters. So, I encourage you to check out the course on the Evangelical Alliance website, and see if it is suitable for use in either your Barnabas Group or the small groups in your church.

This article was originally published in the Spring 2025 edition of the TFT magazine, Ascend. Click the button below to download your copy.