A pastor once lectured a person who identified as transgender.  He said, “God created Adam and Eve. Even Jesus quoted the part in the creation story where God made male and female. Why don’t you believe it?” He went on for 45 minutes. When she finally spoke, she said, “I believe all of that.” The pastor was shocked. He assumed that because this person said she was transgender, she couldn’t possibly believe what the Bible teaches.

Assumptions can be a dangerous barrier when trying to reach someone with the love of Christ.

There is a perception that all people with transgender feelings and impulses ascribe to the same universal transgender ideology. Whether it’s articles or social media or television shows, most of us receive a general and sometimes extreme version of what transgenderism is—and is not. But not every transgender person necessarily ascribes to all facets of this ideology. Therefore, it’s important to distinguish between transgender ideology and individuals who say they are transgender.

The common perceptions of the ideology are often distinct from the unique thoughts and experiences of individuals. After all, in what group of people—whether it’s religion, nationality, or vocation—are all people exactly like everyone else in the group, matching exactly the stereotype people have of the group?

While there is no official transgender ideology written in a secret book at some fictitious transgender headquarters, common transgender themes tend to arise—through social media, television, news, and publications. For example:

• A person’s biological sex (their male or female body) may be different from their gender—their masculine or feminine psychological experience and the way they express themselves socially.
• If a person’s body is different from their psychological experience, their psychological experience defines who they truly are.

The personal views of individuals who have these experiences with transgender feelings and thoughts may be distinct from the overall transgender ideology. Belief in the truths of Scripture doesn’t automatically prevent someone from having transgender thoughts. And, visa versa, being someone with transgender thoughts doesn’t mean that they reject all Scripture. You might even put it in this very obvious way: Christians can be sinners and sinners can be Christian. But the bottom line is, no one truly knows how a person got to where they are without getting to know them.

The only way to learn about an individual person is by listening to their story and asking about their beliefs. Trying to understand the generalized ideology and getting to know an individual are two very different things.

A person may think they know a lot about transgender ideology but that does not mean they know about each individual. If someone forgets that, they could damage their relationship and fail to meet the person where they’re at. And, how can loving ministry and guidance occur without a relationship?

It’s true that much of the widely recognized transgender ideology is contrary to God’s plan for the male and female he created. And it is right that, in love, Christians serve as a guide and a light to the truth of God’s Word: God made man and women, sin entered the world, and Christ came save us so that through belief in him, we may have eternal life with him in Heaven.