If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. (John 15:18 NASB) They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to
Five years ago, I would not have thought I would be celebrating Pride month. Having spent my life trying to ignore the person I am, I had gotten good at defending LGBTQ exclusion from the Church. My non-acceptance of myself wasn’t about the select passages
Editor’s note: The Hillsong Church referenced in this essay is the same global megachurch network recently rocked by the firing of Stephen Carl Lentz, pastor of its New York City congregation, for “leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”
Fear of others is a powerful emotion. It is a very human response toward the unknown. An unknown group of people or community can create this emotion in us. Fear creates an internal warning system in each person to keep the individual from doing things
God’s community comes to one like me On a recent Sunday I had the opportunity to preach on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) at First Christian Church of Decatur (Ga.), where I am serving as an intern as part of my seminary studies at Candler School
It is said that one who has never doubted has never had their faith tested, this is never a comfort when you’re experiencing doubt, but it’s still important to remember. We need our faith to be challenged now and then, if only to determine what
“Why should I feel punished by my gender identity?” It is a simple question, one that I’ve asked myself a lot over the last few years. I ask it because I’m often reminded why so many other Christians question my trans identity. A year ago
The word “Transgender” has acquired an importance to me that I never could have predicted. I now recognize its meaning, its true meaning, as the key to Gay identity. Transgender refers to people who transcend biological gender. It has nothing to do with the idea
Editor’s note: Since this essay was written, Transgender Awareness Week has emerged as a weeklong celebration leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is an important day. Every year on November 20th we gather to mourn those who are murdered
Trying to see beyond myself I’ve never dated another Christian. God, it’s embarrassing to type that. Even though Scripture says that we should be with other believers, I have never trusted that the same God who died on the Cross for me could possibly bring