Each chapter is preceded by the story of another faithful Christian who also struggled with same-sex attraction but remained faithful to Christ in the midst of it. The book is short (153 pages), and consists essentially of only three chapters.

Hill wants to expose his readers to both the possibility and process of being faithful to Jesus while still struggling with same-sex attraction. Packer commenting on Paul’s hopeful word for sexual sinners in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, writes, “With some of the Corinthian Christians, Paul was celebrating the moral empowering of the Holy Spirit in heterosexual terms with others of the Corinthians, today’s homosexuals are called to prove, live out, and celebrate the moral empowering of the Holy Spirit in homosexual terms.” This book is about what it means to do that – how, practically, a nonpracticing but still-desiring homosexual Christian can “prove, live out, and celebrate” the grace of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in homosexual terms. This book is neither about how to live faithfully as a practicing homosexual person nor about how to live faithfully as a fully healed or former homosexual man or woman.

On the other hand, however, are those who write diatribes against the so-called “gay gospel.” They focus on all the Biblical prohibitions against homosexual acts. For them the two are perfectly compatible and they need only to convince others that their faith poses no threat to their expression of homosexuality. On the one hand there are plenty of authors today writing about their experience as a gay or lesbian person of faith. Often theological works on faith and sexual orientation come from one of two particular perspectives.

Though the book has a clear target it can be an overall wonderful encouragement to all disciples of Christ, regardless of their struggles. Washed and Waiting is a bit of a theological memoir written to encourage others who struggle with same-sex attraction. As a Christian struggling with same-sex attraction Hill has nonetheless desired to pursue obedience to Jesus. He understands it not simply because it is the teaching of Scripture, but also because it has been his own personal experience. The pursuit of holiness happens often not simply in the midst of personal struggles, but because of them.

Washed and waiting book