Let’s Talk About Sex: A Conversation about Sexuality and the Church
Fall 2015 Wednesday Evening Adult Study
Series Topics
Introductions and Context
September 9
Week 1 – Introduction, Ground Rules, and Big Questions
September 16
Week 2 – Sexuality and Objectification in Contemporary Culture
Sex and Sexuality in the Bible
September 23
Week 3 – Sex and Sexuality in the Old Testament, part 1
September 30
Week 4 – Sex and Sexuality in the Old Testament, part 2
October 7
Week 5 – Sex and Sexuality in the New Testament, part 1
October 14
Week 6 – Sex and Sexuality in the New Testament, part 2
Healthy Sexual Relationships Today
October 21
Week 7 – The Biology of Sexuality
October 28
Week 8 – Sex and Marriage
November 4
Week 9 – How to Talk to your Young Children about Sex and Sexuality
November 11
Week 10 – How to Talk to your Teenagers about Sex and Sexuality
November 18
Week 11 – How to have Difficult Conversations
December 2
Week 12 – Dealing with Shame and Guilt
December 9
Week 13 – Toward a New Theology of Sexuality (Closing session)
Let’s Talk About Sex:
A Conversation about Sexuality and the Church
This fall, TBC is offering a Wednesday night series entitled “Let’s Talk About Sex: A Conversation about Sexuality and the Church.” Sexuality and sexual orientation have been in politics and the news a lot lately, and there have been relevant developments closer to home. The time is right to talk at length about these questions. What do we as individuals and as a church believe about sex and sexuality? What messages do we and our children get from our culture and media? What does the Bible say about marriage, divorce, cohabitation, same-sex relationships, gender, and childbearing? What exactly constitutes “good (i.e., ethical) sex”? When and how should we talk to our children about sexuality? The answers to these questions have a bearing on us all as individuals and as a church.
We don’t tend to talk about sex in church much, and when we do it’s often in negative terms: “Don’t do this” and “Don’t do that.” Instead of getting real help from the church on this important topic, we end up getting (mis)information and mixed messages from culture and the media. Here at TBC, we believe that the church is the place where we can and should talk about sexuality in positivity and healthy ways. So we’re going to talk about sex.
And we are going to try to do it with as much honesty and integrity as possible. The topic of sexuality can be contentious, so we’re going to share multiple view-points and admit when we don’t have all the answers. We’re going to speak and listen with respect and be willing to be vulnerable as we wrestle with the topic. We’ll find that we don’t agree on everything but we will offer love and care for one another and break bread together. We will find unity even in our diversity, as we celebrate the goodness of God’s creation and the goodness of our bodies.
Just a quick head’s up for all of you who have children and young ones, or those who blush easily when this topic comes up: We will use anatomically correct words for body parts. We will talk about specific sexual acts (intercourse, etc.), but will not describe them in graphic detail. We recognize that this is a challenging, awkward subject for some, so we will be sensitive and use care as we discuss sensitive topics. We will also provide time for Q&A and discussion each week.
We are excited about this series. We hope it gives us permission to talk about things that we should be talking about, but more often than not avoid altogether because of embarrassment or shame. We trust that you’ll find something helpful in your own life as we grapple together with these questions. And we trust that the conversation moves us as individuals and as a church forward in healthy ways.
We’re looking forward to the conversation.
Grace and Peace,
Art Wright and Tracy Hartman