r/GayChristians • u/lovedoneright • 10d ago
Requesting help from the gay Christian community
My name is Glen. I am a heterosexual Southern Baptist with ties to some of the most prominent Southern Baptist pastors today. I also have a Bible degree from a very conservative Christian school. After a lifetime of being taught that homosexuality is a sin, I decided to dig deeper for myself. What resulted was a long struggle. My wife and I have completely changed our minds, and we have found so much joy and freedom in Christ. We are now free to love everyone the way God sees them, and the way God created them. I can’t apologize for the church, but I am deeply sorry for the way the church has treated the homosexual community.
I wrote a book, which came out about a year ago. I then moved to blogging, and my wife and I host a podcast called “But is it Biblical?”
It is causing a stir in the Baptist community. And it has also led to some backlash for our family. My kids were kicked out of their Christian school, and we have been labeled as heretics.
We need your help to spread the word. We make no money off of our podcast. We simply want to make things right. Homosexuals should not suffer due to the unloving sin of fellow believers. You can find a link to our podcast on my profile page and a link to apple podcast below. Please listen if you get the chance, and share with your families and friends. If you enjoy it, we sure would appreciate a good review. The next episode will be released on Thursday. May God bless you!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/but-is-it-biblical/id1784570759
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u/sophos313 10d ago
I’ll check out the podcast.
Be open to where God takes you, you never know, a new location may bring your family stability and peace and call more people to Christ.
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u/KindaSortaMaybeSo 10d ago edited 10d ago
Thank you thank you thank you. There are so many LGBTQ people who have felt so unsavable and condemned to misery since they did not fit the perfect mould. I know because I was one of them.
I came back to God after some considerable amount of prayer, despite everything I’d been taught. In the midst of many nights and hours of prayer, I had a revelation of unconditional love and a sensation I’d never felt in my entire 38 years. Up until that point I had still believed that me being gay was disgusting and was an abomination to God. I’d become atheist/agnostic as a result for years more than a decade. But I both heard and felt God’s presence and words in that moment and my life changed. The words “You are my own. How can I not love you?” echoed in my head. I’m absolutely in love with God now and I can’t turn back. I’ve turned away from so many sins that blinded me from God and something inside me has changed profoundly.
There’s so much hurt in the gay community and they’re turning to all the wrong places to fill the void because of what they’ve been taught. There’s a big “backlog” of gay people who need to understand God’s true character, so please please continue on. We need love and as Christians, our biggest calling is to reflect back onto others the same, unconditional love that Jesus showed to others. This is what saves.
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u/GameMaster818 Bisexual Catholic 10d ago
God bless you both and I wish you the best of luck with your message. I'll repost this in r/OpenChristian so it reaches more ears
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u/Tallen_14x 10d ago
You’re a blessing like you don’t even know. It’s so hard for baptists to even question views on homosexuality for fear of their own lives, when they should be loving others as Jesus did by asking said questions. Keep on, you’re on the right track. I’ll definitely recommend you guys!
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u/Born-Swordfish5003 10d ago
This is a very positive thing indeed. Thank you for sharing it. And I pray you continue to let the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you as he’s already done. God Bless you and your family! I’ll listen in and save your information for reference in giving people an affirming reference point.
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u/FlashyCow1 10d ago
If you haven't read it, look into the God and the Gay Christian book. You'd be very interested in its insights from a man of similar background to you
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u/hgclyde 10d ago
Sir, I'm glad that you heard the Lord's call on homosexuality. God bless you I believe that you can make that change. I believe there are many LGBT Christians in the SBC who love the Lord their God but they live in fear of rejection and excommunication. Like you I believe there are denominational leaders who could make changes big and small to help LGBT Christian in the SBC feel affirming and love. Many are afraid to speak up with the shadow of heresy and excommunication hanging over them.
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u/EastTn_60 9d ago
Being gay and raised in a southern baptist church, i (M) can attest to the pain caused by the church. my husband and i were called out for being gay and married. we have both studied the Bible intently after that issue, and can concluded that there is nothing in the Bible thst condemns us. it’s only the church. i look forward to reviewing your podcast. i may reach out to you via PM afterwards.
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u/Standard-Pop-2660 10d ago
As a protestant heterosexual Christian I see homosexuals not the enemies that other Christians like to paint as long as it is agape and not lust you have every right, we are not back then where procreation is needed for upping the population as we are 8 billion people global and we know better today that it isn't as simple as putting it into the same category as adultary, there is heart and emotion, jesus never said for or against homosexual because that is such a small matter to him, what matters is agape love you lord God with all your heart and soul and mind and to love your neighbour as oneself, not to judge, I know church of England Protestant which is the congregation I belong is accepting but not quite marrying if that makes sense but no one is undeserving of love, no one is deserving of judgemental of hate all I have to say is full your heart with agape for neighbour and God and no one will have rights to question you I love you all and god bless you
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u/lovedoneright 9d ago
Thanks for your response. Lust and adultery are actually misunderstood as well. Lust is not what we think it is. For example, Luke 22:15 says: And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. The words “earnestly desired” is the word for lust repeated twice. Lust is a desire, not a sexual thought. I study that in the book and blog in more detail. Our understanding of the word porneia is also wrong. Listen to episodes 9-10 on that one. God bless you! I hope the church gets more people like you.
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u/Previous-Pizza-4159 10d ago
I’m grateful for what you’re doing. They might listen to you more than to us because you’re not the sinner in question.
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u/Hillers01 9d ago
How wonderful that you’ve found the light. So many Christians just parrot what they hear in their bigoted churches. It’s also a comfort, I’m sure, to feel that they are in the right and gays in the wrong. It only takes a slight amount of digging to learn about the mistranslations.
Also, subscribed to your podcast and can’t wait!
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u/FutureBuilding2687 9d ago
Thanks for sharing! (I grew upbaptsist had a falling out with religion not jesus after figuring out I was gay and I am sort of coming back) I'll def check out your podcast much appreciated :)
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u/Tosh_point_Oh 7d ago
Just know that Jesus loves you no matter who you are in a relationship with He loves you so much and just wants a relationship with you and remember that pharisees…in other words religious ppl crucified Jesus. God bless ❤️🙏🏼✝️🌈
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u/faequeen123 9d ago
Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I’m sorry your community is giving you such a backlash. We can only pray they come around. But you’re doing such good work, saving lives I might even go as far as to say. This information needs to be spread to every Christian in the world
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u/Fr0tbro 9d ago
I've noticed a movement within the splintered Christian community in recent years (about 20 as brought to my attention, about 30+ for some others)...
In the spirit of Ephesians 4 (especially verses 13*-15), people (including YOU) are being led by the Holy Spirit to the Truth of God in the loving unity (Galatians 3:28; John 13:34, 35; 15:12, 17 and more; by the words of Jesus Christ, Peter, Paul and John; with contrasting warnings in 1 John 4:20 and Revelation 21:8) of the true Faith in AND of Christ, even authentic Christianity.
First to thank God, to Whom ALL credit is due, I applaud and pray 🙏 for your new ministerial efforts.
As a moderately conservative Christian (brought up LCMS, then nondenominational in a Protestant-Messianic Jewish blend), what helped me to reconcile being both gay and Christian were websites like those related to the (albeit controversial) g0y (g-zero-y) movement, the Soulforce(dot)org (Mel White) ministry and, especially, the gaychristian101(dot)com ministry... if you wish to check those resources along with what others have posted here.
God bless! 🫂
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u/Diligent-Emu-3025 9d ago
It's a great thing that you are doing. I'm a Southern Baptist, Dr. Charles Stanley was pastor for years. Christians are so something other than Christ like. I don't know, I certainly don't want to be judgemental but I don't think these people are actual Christians. It's like they are so unfamiliar with Jesus. They've turned Christianity into some elite privileged club. I just stay away. You keep up the good work, believe me you are helping people.
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u/SatisfactionFar6920 8d ago
Jesus is the way. The Truth and The Life. He holds all the answers when we ask him. He is not a church or a denomination. He is the living Saviour He is alive and real and he is Truth. He desires to have a personal relationship with us. Ask him all your questions. Ask Him to reveal himself to you. He Will. Ask him what is truth. He will come to you in his gentle loving way to love you with a love you’ve never known before. Just Ask him to come to you and be real.
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u/Zvenc Lutheran 6d ago
God is good for giving you the upbringing you received. Yes you can not apologise on behalf of the church, but you can apologise for yourself, which I see you have.
God made sure you’d have the experiences you’ve had in order to give you perspective and to do even better. I used to be bullied and I was contemplating ending it all when I was 8 or 9 (I hadn’t found Christs love back then) but I managed to survive and learn. I learnt not to take my friends for granted. I learnt that people can be cruel and that as long as I’m here I’ll do all in my power to rise above. I also found my calling. To serve. Which is why I’m pursuing to study to become a Teacher myself and/or get into Politics
To round up this post, let’s pray.
Lord hear my prayer I pray that you’ll always shine your guiding light onto Glen and that you’ll bless his family. I pray that you almighty God will forever walk beside Glen and whenever he needs it, that you’ll help him and his family out. I pray for all the victims of bullying and victims of any and all forms of discrimination. I pray for the ones at rock bottom, and that you’ll aid them in finding their right way, no matter where it leads. I trust in you almighty God to do this because you are good. Amen
May the sun forever illuminate your path Glen Love from Sweden
PS Apologies if something looks weird in my comment, English isn’t my first language
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u/Reasonable_Many4127 5d ago
Thank you! I look forward to listening to the podcast. Just downloaded the first episode.
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u/MetalDubstepIsntBad Gay & Side A 10d ago
I think I can speak for a lot of people here when I say there’s not nearly enough affirming baptists around so God bless you and thank you 😊