Rev Tryphena Law
Director of PLUC
My name is from the bible. I got this name during my baptism. I asked the Pastor, what name should I get, and he suggested Tryphrena. Very easy to remember, just think of Ribena (laughs). I knew Pastor Gideon for a while and when he called me if I would like to come and share, I want you to know that I have been praying for a church bold enough to have this event. Penang is one of the main gay hub. There are more happenings here than in KL or JB.
When your pastor called me I told him I needed a church bold enough to hold this event. Pastor said he will check with the board and praise the Lord you have a very bold board.
It is all about sexuality not just gay and lesbian issues. The speaker will also talk about sexual abuse. Many have gone through this and it is very hard for them to grow if they are not delivered from it.
I have so many cases in Penang that I cannot handle any more.
PLUC stand for Pursuing Liberty Under Christ.
This is our 10th year. I came in during the 2nd year. For 10 years I was living a life as a lesbian so I will be sharing my story. It will be evangelistic. We want to share that truly many people have been set free by Christ.
Bring your friends and family members. It does not mean you have issues but you will be trained.
Why PLUC? Parents you have to know about the computer. Gay people call themselves PLU - people like us. When you google PLU you'll find all the gay websites. We are affiliated with Exodus East Asia so we are international.
This is the scripture that gives me every reason to stand here. Any testimony that is related to sexual sin is very difficult to share because it is too shameful. But I am not here to talk all about my shame but what Jesus has done in my life.
1 Corinthians 6 : 9-11
9 Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with men
10 nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye were washed but ye were sanctified but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
We need to be open in church and not just play church. How many of you have copied during exams? Or borrowed a friend's work as reference but actually to copy. How many of you also borrowed the office photostat to copy your stuff without permission from your boss? It's called stealing. Or you desire a neighbour's new car it's called covetousness. These are in the same category as sexual sins. No difference.
How do the church sees people that are sexually different? Or a drunkard that walk into church? Our behaviour shows our attitude towards these people. We are all sinners and if it was not because of Jesus we will keep falling. How do you see this group of people?
I was excited about your big party. But what is your motive for serving? If it is just a programme then shut it down. What are your motives? Some of these people you may think are undeserving then all of us are also undeserving.
Who are we?
We are a Christian ministry that administer sexual wholeness to the sexually and relationally broken people especially the homosexuals.
The strange thing is that 90% of the people we minister to are Christians. A big thing that is coming is bisexual. And even worst is a gender-less society. It is already happening in Sweden.
We are not to be just head Christian. We need to have a relationship with Jesus and if we have a relationship we are not just a Christian but a disciple. He will abide in you as you abide in Him. We blame God when we fall but God did not put a gun to our head to watch pornography. If we do not abide in Him who are we to blame?
What we believe.
Restoration of the homosexuals under the healing power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We as parents are very good at telling our children what to do or what not to do. Have you asked your children how they are doing? Or children ask your parents how they are doing? We have lost that intimacy in the family.
I grew up where children are to be seen not heard. This is the typical Chinese family I grew up in. We grow up so structured that we bring up our family based on these mindset. Like the eldest must take up the responsibility and to do well. Other mindset is that you must have a car or a house to be successful. Or a beautiful girl must be slim with long hair.
I grew up thinking that as the eldest daughter I have I be an excellent child. I grew up thinking that only if I do good my parents will love me. If God is like that with us we gone case already.
This is what is meant in Romans 12 : 2
2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Our mind needs to be renewed. One of the mindset that was instilled in me when I was young was that I am fat and ugly. I was quite a chubby baby and my parents always tell me "Don't eat so much".
We judge people. Every time we call someone a tomboy or sissy we are labelling. Who are we to have the right to call them that? Our role is to love them unconditionally. It is up to God to convict them. Our role is just to love them.
Pastor Mike and Diane Constantine are my spiritual parents. I give them permission to ask me very hard questions. And I can be honest with them as they walked with me through my struggles.
God's desire for us is for us to be more like Jesus. I have a friend who left her profession and serve God and she said to the Lord when my life no longer bear fruit take me home. I was so touched.
When I went to Pastor Mike and said I need help I am a lesbian all he said to me was Tryphena Jesus loves you. That was all I need to hear. They didn't preach to me or show me scripture why I was wrong. They walked with me. Every time I was struggling and emailed them they would call me all the way from the U.S. They walked with me during the transformation.
All of us here go through different stages. Our issues are imprinted in the stream of our life. We have a stage called childhood. Then adolescence. Here we have rocks which affect us. Some became alcoholic or other traps. I became a lesbian. The church is the biggest hospital and with only one doctor doctor JC. And we are all the missy.
The foundation years are childhood. From ages 0-5. These are critical period. The Sunday school plays a vital role. The toddlers group is the time when they receive unconditional love and care. And for parental bonding. Men have an important call and that is to love your wife like how Jesus love the church. Jesus died for the church provide and protect the church. Imagine a husband that love the wife so much the wife has no complain. Women talks a lot so when the husband comes home he sits down and do his stuff. Men cannot multitask. He can do one thing at a time. Praise the Lord that is why they are so focused. Women needs undivided time so men give your wife half an hour of listening. So if the house has three women mother and two daughters you need to set aside one and a half hour.
Parents if you argue with your spouse do not complain it to your children. I became the tong sampah when my parents argued. I grew up with a very bad image of my father. But today we know from the bible how we are to behave.
Fathers often we leave the parenting to just the mother. Fathers you have a responsibility because the masculinity of the sons come from the fathers. Infeminate men are so because of the way they were brought up. Sunday schools have too many women. We need men there. You may not even need to teach but your presence has an impact. They need to see male figures in their life. I want to challenge guys. You need to be a teacher or if not a pastor.
When I was in primary school my friends always ask me to go with them to the toilet because I was big. I became a protector the role of a male. Many men don't want to get married because they don't want the role of a protector.
In secondary school something happened when my parents argued and it was bad. My father in the midst of his anger chased us out of the home. I had a broken image of my father. I couldn't forgive him until much later. Before he passed away I was able to lead him to Christ and even reconciled with him. This is the age when I had group identity peer group bonding. This is also the stage when labelling can be damaging. Because of my size I couldn't find nice clothes So I gave up. I started wearing t-shirts and jeans. From fatty bom bom to tomboy. And this labelling affected me a lot.
If you know of someone who is having difficulty with sexual addiction go see your leaders and form a support group.
Healthy Heterosexuality - Acceptance.
We love the gay and lesbian but do not condone their behaviour. Jesus loved the thief but not the stealing. We need affirmation. Is this church affirming? Do parents affirm the youth and the youth affirming the parents? Do you appreciate the food your mom cooked for you for years or do you complain it's the same food again. Show your appreciation.
Can we have accountability? It is sad when we have a cell group where the relationship is superficial. We need to have more in our relationship with men and God.
You can find out more about PLUC here.
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