Kirk Franklin’s Response to Homosexuality a 'Missed Opportunity'

Kirk Franklin

As homosexuality has become more common, Christians have struggled with how they should respond. Some have taken to the streets in protest; others have openly embraced homosexuality, allowing gays and lesbians into the pulpit and leadership positions in the church. And, overwhelmingly, most Christians are simply trying to ignore homosexuality, hoping they can wait out the issue until it goes away because they don’t want to deal with conflict or sin.

As someone who is on the front lines and has risked it all to help—not condemn—those who are struggling with homosexuality, I must say I am very disappointed in the way Kirk Franklin handled answering a question on homosexuality in his interview on Sway Calloway’s “Sway in the Morning” satellite radio show. 

It seemed as though Franklin was afraid to say what the Word of God is very clear about: that homosexuality is a sin. Instead, he took the time to elaborate on how the church is acting like the police in this cultural issue. 

This is very sad to me, especially because, as a godly man, Franklin chose to bad-mouth the church rather than stand up for righteousness. 

Yes, there will always be religious people who say ridiculous and un-Christlike comments about this, like those coming from those at Westboro Baptist Church, but those of us who believe marriage should be between a man and a woman and those of us who believe in the sanctity of marriage aren’t acting like the police. We are simply stating what God’s Word says while lending a hand to those who want freedom from that lifestyle—the keyword being “want.” 

While some feel we are out to attack people who are struggling with homosexuality or those who have chosen that lifestyle, this is not the truth. I have compassion for those who struggle with this because I have been there. I walked that life for 14 years, so I am very much aware of all that comes with that way of life.

When we are given a platform, such as the one Franklin has, we are to shed light on the lies the enemy is trying to feed our generation. I would call this a missed opportunity. As leaders and public figures, we need to do better at sharing the truth in love. This is not the time to hide under a rock. If we don’t take a biblical stand, sin will prevail, and it will have been because we chose to stay silent and go along with the popular crowd. 

The media is doing a heck of a job educating our youth about what they think is right, molding our culture to its ways and ideals. We, the body of Christ, ought to be doing the same. 

The gay community has grasped a very important concept that we have yet to fully experience in the body of Christ: unity. Don’t be too quick to shove your brothers and sisters under the bus to look cool and appear relevant in this day and age. Be brave and stand up for truth, for the truth will set us all free.

Janet Boynes is the founder of Janet Boynes Ministries, a nondenominational outreach that ministers to individuals questioning their sexuality and those who wish to leave homosexuality. As the author of Called Out, Boynes chronicles her story of living as a lesbian for 14 years until God called her out of that lifestyle.