Vol. 6, No. 10, October 2025 E-ISSN:2723 – 6692 P-ISSN:2723– 6595 http://jiss.publikasiindonesia.id/ Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains 3095 A Theological Perspective on the LGBTQ+ Phenomenon and the Importance of Providing Education to Church Congregations Kris Banarto*, Guntur Hamonangan Sahat Silaban STT Global Glow Indonesia Email: krisbanarto@gmail.com*, guntursilaban1908@gmail.com KEYWORDS ABSTRACT LGBTQ+, education, theology, church The LGBTQ+ phenomenon has evolved from clandestine practice to open advocacy, creating significant theological and pastoral challenges for churches worldwide. As of January 2025, 38 countries have legalized same- sex marriage, with some churches permitting clergy to perform such ceremonies. This global trend, coupled with aggressive cultural campaigns promoting LGBTQ+ as a legitimate lifestyle, has created urgency for churches to provide biblical education to their congregations. This research examines the theological foundations for understanding LGBTQ+ issues through the lenses of Imago Dei and Creation Theology and develops comprehensive educational frameworks for church congregations. The study employs qualitative methodology, with biblical exegesis as the primary analytical approach, supplemented by a systematic review of theological literature, commentaries, and peer-reviewed journals. Analysis focuses on Genesis 1:26–27 regarding human creation in God’s image and the binary gender design, along with relevant New Testament passages on the restoration of Imago Dei through Christ. Findings demonstrate that LGBTQ+ behavior contradicts biblical teaching on three grounds: it violates the Imago Dei by rejecting God’s design for human sexuality, contradicts Creation Theology’s establishment of binary gender and heterosexual marriage, and opposes New Testament teachings on sanctification and sexual holiness. The study concludes that churches must implement age-appropriate educational programs featuring biblically grounded content, multidisciplinary expert involvement, and pedagogical methods tailored to children, adolescents, young adults, and mature believers. This research contributes to existing scholarship by bridging the gap between theological argumentation and practical educational implementation in congregational settings. Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) INTRODUCTION LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and the plus sign (+) represents the diverse identities of individuals who are not members of the LGBTQ+ group. LGBTQ+ practices have been debated worldwide, generating both pros and cons. Differing views arise from various aspects, including law, human rights, medicine, culture, psychology, and even religion. Within the Christian faith, differences of opinion inevitably arise. Speaking of church institutions, we can find those who reject and those who support the existence of this community (Wittberg, 2021). Several countries have legalized same-sex marriage, with at least 38 countries recorded by 2025. These countries include the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain,