Movement I: The Art of Conversation

“If the gospel is to be understood, if it is to be received as something which communicates truth about the real human situation, it has to be communicated in the language of those to whom it is addressed, and has to be clothed in symbols which are meaningful to them.” — Lesslie Newbigin, British theologian and missionary to India

As we seek to understand and communicate with the next generation about gender and sexuality, we need to understand contemporary terminology to meet them where they are. In this movement, we’ll define some of the most commonly used terms around this topic, and then look at some important principles for conversation based on Jesus’ life and ministry.

Something to keep in mind as we discuss these terms is that Gen Z tends to view gender as something on a spectrum, as opposed to a binary view of sexuality as either masculine or feminine. There are always exceptions, but Gen Z commonly views gender and sexuality as disconnected from each other. YouTuber Brendan Jordan explains it (somewhat crassly) in this way: “Sexuality is who you go to bed with, and gender identity is who you go to bed as.”