“Do you support same-sex marriage for LGBTQ+ Christians or not?” With a question so divisive in the church today, it can be hard to know how to answer. “What will they think if I say “yes”? What will they think if I say “no”? What assumptions have already been made about me? What assumptions have I…
DetailsRecently I wrote about responding to a teen in your youth group who has personally (and privately) come out to you. In this post we’ll be talking about times when a student comes out to your whole group (or to their online friends) publicly. There are certainly some helpful reminders that apply in either circumstance,…
DetailsIn my introductory post, I reminded us that we all have LGBTQ+ youth in our midst whether we are aware of them specifically or not. Now we are beginning to look at how to prepare our ministries to approach and respond to particular situations that may arise, and since this past Saturday was National Coming Out Day, I think it’s…
DetailsAs a kid, I used to love dot to dot worksheets. There was always a great sense of satisfaction when I reached the last few dots and I could tell that I’d gotten it all correct because the picture of the dog emerged without any weird shaped ears. There are times in all of our…
DetailsI have known Alan Chambers a long time. I met him at the very beginning of my tenure with New Direction when he was newly the president of Exodus. I’ve read the two previous books that Alan authored and so when my complimentary copy of My Exodus: from fear to grace arrived in the mail…
DetailsRegardless of how long you’ve been in youth ministry, you’ve likely had some questions about how to navigate the topics of gender and sexuality with youth from a variety of backgrounds, assumptions, and experiences. For the past decade I have worked in youth ministry in the context of Baptist churches, though since Sept. 2014 I’ve…
DetailsAfter we come out of the closet, we often experience strain or breakdown in some of our friendships. Sometimes we’re not even sure exactly why these friendships are fading away. Caitlyn Spence, one of the members of our Vancouver Generous Space group, wrote about one such friendship in the hauntingly beautiful piece below. We’re grateful for her permission to share it here, and we hope…
DetailsMeet Josh and Reed, an engaged Christian couple who appeared on the popular reality show “Survivor” last year. They attend Hillsong church in New York. Hillsong leaders recently released a public statement clarifying that they welcome LGBTQ+ people but will not allow them to hold positions of leadership. Josh and Reed were asked to step down from their…
DetailsThe terms we use for minority groups are not just about political correctness. I believe they are of spiritual consequence. If we use words that dignify people’s (often painful) journey toward self-understanding and authenticity, we can actually bestow honor on them, affirm them as image-bearers of God, and show them hospitality. When we impose our…
DetailsThis past weekend, a wonderful group of folks gathered at Russet House Farm for our first Generous Space CampOUT. LGBTQ+ folks, parents, and allies were beautifully hosted by the Keesmaat-Walsh family. Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat are in the final stages of writing their commentary on the book of Romans – and many of us who…
DetailsTo be in the world, but not of the world, requires subversive alertness. Cultivation of a contemplative mind is crucial. Spiritual practices and disciplines help form the virtues that guide our public engagement. We learn to take a breath before reacting. We recognize that our anger is a reminder of a deeper pain. We choose…
DetailsWendy talks with David Peck on Face2Face about shame, guilt, principled pluralism and the walking wounded. She considers how many of us have been socialized to feel disgust for the other and touch on how secrets breed toxicity and ultimately cover up truth and justice.
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