Last week I had the privilege of joining Matt Woodley of Preaching Today to talk about “Preaching on Sexuality: A Theological Framework” as part of the Monday Morning Preacher podcast. We talked about the the challenges and opportunities of preaching on sexuality, gender, love, and the body.  A good deal of the conversation is a reflection of a series from this past November at Eastbrook Church, “Love – Sex – Body: Toward a Theology of Embodied Sexuality.” Another resource that you could look at is the bibliography for that series here.

How do we give a theological framework for thinking about specific sexual issues? Matt Woodley talks to Matt Erickson, Senior Pastor at Eastbrook Church about his experience with preaching on sexuality. His church took the concept of the four chapter gospel: creation (the original goodness of sexuality), fall (how sin, evil and brokenness impact our love), redemption (Jesus redeeming work is significant for love, and our life in our bodies) and restoration (points to the new heaven and the new earth). He challenged people to think about how their love, conception of the body, and sexuality fit together in that big story of God. As a result, the church can then engage with issues like adultery, pornography, homosexuality, gender dysphoria etc…

Check out what was referenced on the podcast:

• A sermon series entitled “Love-Sex-Body” preached by Matt Erickson at Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee, WI in 2019.
• Pope John Paul II’s teachings Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. Pauline Books and Media, 2006.
• Christopher West’s CD set An Introduction to the Theology of the Body: Discovering the Master Plan for Your Life.
• Glynn Harrison’s book A Better Story: God, Sex and Human Flourishing. Inter-Varsity Press, 2016.
• Tara M. Owens’ book Embracing the Body: Finding God in Our Flesh and Bone. Intervarsity Press , 2015.

Matt Woodley serves as the Editor for PreachingToday.com and the Pastor of Compassion Ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois. He is also the author of God With Us: The Gospel of Matthew (IVP).