Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of Faith

My favorite episode and the one where I learned the most. GOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERSEX? Nick Manchester is an intersex chimera who's transgender, non-binary, gay and asexual. Doctors forced his parents to decide his gender when he was three days old, and they made the choice to raise him as a girl. But he never felt comfortable in that assigned gender. After a couple of failed suicide attempts, he realized that he needed to live his life as a man. He's been kicked out of church and told that he's a child of demons, but Nick has finally found a faith community who support him and love him and accept him. If you've ever wondered about "intersex" or "transgender," then this podcast will help you understand how God has made all of us unique and special.

On Season 1, Episode 20, I spoke with Southern Baptist preacher, Scott McQueen. For thirty-one years he was a Southern Baptist preacher. And as the parent of three boys, he was a "parrot" of the orthodox message about homosexuality. But on April 8, 2014, when his youngest son came out to him as gay, Scott's life and his spiritual journey changed forever. One of the most difficult moments was when their son asked Scott and his wife Jackie to drive him to a town a couple hours away to go on a date with a boy. At that time, Scott was not affirming of his son, but he took him anyway to be supportive. Find our why Scott made this difficult decision on this bonus podcast episode. For my initial interview with Scott, check out BE THE BRIDGE - Season 1, Episode 20. Scott is the author of REASONABLE DOUBT - A case for LGBTQ inclusion in the institutions of marriage and church. www.reasonabledoubtbook.com

Homosexuality may be an "abomination" and "unnatural", but those terms don't mean what you think they do. On this episode, I talk with Professor Daniel Helmeniak talks about the Bible and Homosexuality. We talk about the Hebrew view of the word "abomination" and how it doesn't mean a sin. We look at why "unnatural" means atypical and can't mean sinful because God acted unnatural. If you've ever wanted to better understand the "clobber verses," then this podcast is for you. Daniel is the author of the bestselling book What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality.

Susan Cottrell is a prominent voice for faith parents of LGBTQIA+ kids. We chat about our least favorite expression: Love the sinner. Hate the sin. That message is equivalent to an insincere apology, and the only message received is HATE. We talk about alternatives for parents and also deep down what that expression really means. "I love you, but I don't understand you." This is an episode for parents of LGBTQIA+ youth and also for anyone who wants to show true love to a gay family member or friend. For more info: www.freedhearts.org Susan Cottrell, the prominent voice for faith parents of LGBTQI children, was featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America, on NBC News Out, on The Advocate Magazine’s National Coming Out Day videos, on The Advocate’s Out in Left Field with Dana Goldberg, and as a devotional contributor on the Our Bible app. She is an international speaker, author, and consultant. Through her nonprofit organization—FreedHearts—Susan champions the LGBTQI community and families with her authenticity and tender-hearted zeal. She challenges Christians to love as the foundation of faith. She spent 25 years in the non-affirming Evangelical church, is the Founder and President of FreedHearts, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and served as the Vice-President of PFLAG Austin (Texas). Her books “Mom, I’m Gay”—Loving Your LGBTQ Child and Strengthening Your Faith, True Colors - Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You, Radically Included - The Biblical Case for Radical Love and Inclusion, and the soon-to-be-released Be Love - What the World Needs Now, and My Coffee with the Pastor: Building the Vision for Lavish Christlike Inclusion, are endorsed by The Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG, The Gay Christian Network and many others. She and her husband Rob have been married for 30 years, have five children, two of whom are in the LGBTQI community, and live in Austin, Texas.

The Bible contains inconsistencies so why do some people claim the Bible is inerrant? I speak with Robert Cottrell about the flawed concept of "Biblical inerrancy." No one takes the Bible literally. Some people just cherry pick verses they want to believe, exclude the rest and call their individualized faith an "inerrant view of the Bible." We talk about the Bible is used as a sword to attack the LGBTQIA+ community and how the Bible can be used as a shield against such attacks.

Mikah Meyer just finished visiting his 308th park on his world-record trip to be the youngest person to visit all 417 U.S. National Parks. We talk about his childhood as the kid of a campus pastor, how he knew that gay was wrong, and how he decided to attempt this extraordinary feat. As a kid, Mikah prayed to be ordinary (straight) but after he embraced his sexuality, he realized that he could become extraordinary. THE BIG SURPRISE - Christians around the country are supporting his mission. Please support Mikah in his efforts by helping fund his last big hurdle. Visiting all 23 parks in Alaska. www.mikahmeyer.com

Dr. Paula Trimble-Familetti is a passionate advocate for women's rights, inclusive language, and biblical literacy. She holds a B.A. in Religion from Chapman University, an M.A. in Religion from Liberty University and a Dr. of Ministry in International Feminist Theology from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She has taught Women in Religion and Women's History classes at Chapman University. Her book Prostitutes, Virgins and Mothers: Questioning Teachings about Biblical Women is an incredible reimagining of certain Biblical stories through the eyes of the female main characters. Informational and entertaining, this book made me look at the Bible in a whole new but deeper way. Dr. Paula Trimble-Familetti paula.trimblefamiletti@yahoo.com WhyBelieve1.blogspot.com www.drtrimble-familetti.com facebook.com/Dr.PaulaTrimble-Familetti @DrPaulaFae

Ibrahim Kamara was born in Kuwait but moved to Tennessee as a kid. He was raised Muslim, and he cherishes his faith community. At the age of 13, he realized that his attractions were different from other boys. He tried to pray away the gay, bargaining with Allah because Ibrahim wanted to spend Paradise in his own Versailles-like palace. Eventually, he realized that he had to live an authentic life. He has a passion for helping others understand that we are all intersectional beings, and those diverse aspects make us who we are. He is active in queer interfaith groups on his college campus and is the co-founder of a Denver-based group for queer Muslims.

Chelsey Glassco is a teacher and therapeutic foster parent. As a kid, she attended "Jesus Camp" and was taught that homosexuality was the worst sin. When she came out to her parents at 16, she was forced into conversion therapy. But armed with her Xena journal, Chelsey was able to survive. Her tale of the mental and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of so-called "Christians" should be a wakeup call for the faithful. This podcast serves as a story of do's and don'ts for today's church. Religion should be a sanctuary and not a weapon! WARNING: Explicit language is used.

Mais Al-Nima was born in Baghdad, Iraq and spent her childhood there. Then she lived in Syria and Kuwait before coming to the United States for school. She grew up as a practicing Muslim, but when she came out as queer, she put aside her faith. But she longed for that sense of community that religion provides and wanted to reconnect with her Arab culture. She co-founded a group for queer Muslims and queer people from the North Africa and the Middle East. Her goal is to help people of all faiths find community, wholeness, and contentedness as they tread through their queer and spiritual journeys. She is also working on the You Are Welcome Here interfaith meeting to be held in Denver this October 2018. In this episode, we talk about her spiritual journey and how she came to understand that Islam will always have a place in her life. To engage with Mais, contact her by email at mais.alnima@gmail.com Instagram: mais_nema To learn more about her organization promoting an inclusive Muslim / Mena group, check out Salam of Denver Instagram: SalamofDenver Facebook: Salam of Denver You Are Welcome Here: http://Welcomeyawh.org Facebook and Instagram: youarewelcomehereyawh/

The Kevin Garcia talks about coming out and experiencing the fullness of God. We are at a time in history where the LGBTQIA+ people are more accepted than ever in our country, but there's still a whole community and a whole lot of Christians out there who don't feel the same way. God loves every single person in those non-affirming places, and God wants all of those folks to experience the same freedom that many of us experience when coming out. People don't know how free they are to love and to be able to step into the fullness of what God created them to be. Self-described "hot mess" Kevin Garcia is a writer, podcaster, YouTuber, and speaker. And he's about to start seminary. To reach Kevin, check out the following: www.thekevingarcia.com www.facebook.com/thekevingarcia www.youtube.com/helloimkevn Twitter and other social media platforms: @thekevingarcia

Robert Cottrell and his wife Susan are the co-founders of FREEDHEARTS.ORG, one of the best online resources for parents, children, and pastors connecting the LGBTQIA+ and faith communities. He is the father of five kids, two of whom identify as queer. In 2010, his oldest daughter came out as bisexual, and in 2012, his youngest daughter came out as lesbian. On this episode, Robert shares advice for parents of LGBTQIA+ kids and spills the secret on the "secret weapon" God has placed in conservative evangelical churches. For more information, www.freedhearts.org.

William Stell is a gay pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Bordentown, NJ. He's a writer for HuffPost and Patheos and has presented on "sexual ethics" at the recent Q Christian Fellowship conference. When William entered Princeton Theological Seminary, he'd just come out as gay and had no specific intention to become a pastor. But at orientation, he met his first boyfriend, and by the time he graduated, he felt the calling to be a minister. Before studying at Princeton, William lived and worked in the country of Jordan at a school for Deaf and Deaf-Blind children. Although his familial roots are Presbyterian, William was raised in a black Baptist church, and he has spent significant time in Methodist, Catholic, non-denominational, and other church traditions.

"I'm attracted to women," Jazz Fitzgerald told a friend at their conservative Christian college. Jazz was forced into weekly therapy where her counselors probed to find the root cause of Jazz's sexuality. She was told that she was broken and needed to be fixed. She could never know the fullness of God unless she had a husband. She pushed her feelings down deep and became the poster child of ex-gay therapy on campus. But the repudiation of her sexuality wasn't enough. Based on fears that she could be a risk to students because of her sexual orientation and not because of any conduct, Jazz was fired from her position as a campus resident advisor. Losing her job and her home in less than 48 hours caused Jazz to become severely depressed and she had a breakdown. But after a close friend came out to her as lesbian, Jazz realized that happiness and fullness could only come by being true to herself. She is now a champion for helping find connections between the LGBTQIA+ and faith communities. She founded You Are Welcome Here and is planning a retreat for people of all faiths to be held in Denver, October 4 and 5.

Jason Galvez is a Christian, father, spouse, entertainer, and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. He was raised in a charismatic church, and two of his uncles who were pastors tried to exorcise the "demons" that made him homosexual. For years, Jason tried to persuade his relatives to change their minds about the Bible by sending them books, sermons and articles, but one day, God spoke to him and told him to change his tactics. By living his authentic life, Jason realized he could change more minds.

For thirty-one years Scott McQueen was a Southern Baptist preacher. And as the parent of three boys, he was a "parrot" of the orthodox message about homosexuality. But on April 8, 2014, when his youngest son came out to him as gay, Scott's life and his spiritual journey changed forever. He was no longer on the smooth highway he'd been traveling most of his career, and he had to go "off-roading" for a while. Following a year of trials and tribulations in his church and wisdom and enlightenment in his research into the original languages of the Bible, Scott came to realize that everything he thought he knew, everything he'd been taught, everything he believed to be right had a flaw. If Jesus broke Old Testament law to favor helping people, what was wrong with our understanding of the Bible? Scott is the author of REASONABLE DOUBT - A case for LGBTQ inclusion in the institutions of marriage and church. www.reasonabledoubtbook.com

GOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERSEX? Nick Manchester is an intersex chimera who's transgender, non-binary, gay and asexual. Doctors forced his parents to decide his gender when he was three days old, and they made the choice to raise him as a girl. But he never felt comfortable in that assigned gender. After a couple failed suicide attempts, he realized that he needed to live his life as a man. He's been kicked out of church and told that he's a child of demons, but Nick has finally found a faith community who support him and love him and accept him. If you've ever wondered about "intersex" or "transgender," then this podcast will help you understand how God has made all of us unique and special.

CAN A GAY MAN BASE HIS SEXUAL ETHICS ON THE BIBLE? Brian Peyton Joyner shares new insight from the Q Christian Fellowship conference about how we can use the Golden Rule to establish a new sexual ethics for the 21st century. It's about shifting from a model based on boundaries to one based on values. Want to weigh in on sex and religion? Leave your comments at www.facebook.com/brianpeytonjoyner.

For twenty-four years, Jeff Ford was married to a woman, and they have three beautiful daughters. But along the way, Jeff had a secret. He was attracted to guys. Jeff's conservative faith and love for his family motivated him to find a cure for his same-sex attractions. He spent fourteen years in church counseling and countless gay conversion therapy programs, but nothing changed his attractions. He could not pray away the gay. Jeff's marriage and his family suffered because he could not live a life of integrity, and he considered divorce in 2005 and 2009. He had faithfully pursued Christian counseling and gay conversion for many years but watched most members continue to struggle with no change in their sexual orientation. He loyally followed Exodus International for years and watched their organization implode in 2013 when their leaders apologized for the work they did and finally admitted they could not change people’s sexual orientation. With prayer, Bible study, and a long history with others in gay conversion therapy, Jeff finally realized he needed to live his own truth; the truth that God designed for his life. He divorced in 2016, still unsure whether the Scriptures required him to be celibate or whether he could be in a relationship with a man, but he knew that he could not continue to live a lie. Jeff's spiritual journey has taken him to the place where he finally understood his relationship with God would never be what it needed to be so long as he continued to believe he was hated and condemned by God. Today, he has come to realize that God deeply loves him and everyone in the LGBT+ community. Jeff finally knows and celebrates he is divinely created as someone special with unique characteristics and gifts to give to the world, his family, friends, and the community. And his faith has never been stronger.

IS YOUR FAITH STRONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW GOD TO SELECT THE PERSON YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE? Suzanne Dewitt Hall was a straight conservative Christian who once blogged about the evils of homosexuality. But then she met Diane. "It felt like the angel was at the door of the prison saying, 'Come out. Here's your earthquake. Get out of there.'" Suzanne left her husband and followed the path that God laid out for her. "When you allow God to be the person to select the person you're supposed to be with it's transformational." Suzanne Dewitt Hall describes herself as a Freelance scribbler, one of Rumplepimple’s moms, a cookbookophile and an imagiplationist. She’s a scribbler all right. She has three different blogs and is a frequent contributor to HuffPost. Suzanne is the author of an exciting new devotional book (WHERE TRUE LOVE IS) that will reaffirm how much God loves each of us as an LGBTQIA+ individual. She’s the author of the children’s book series THE ADVENTURES OF RUMPLEPIMPLE. Rumplepimple is a naughty terrier with an annoying cat for a big sister and two moms who can’t understand a word he says. It’s a tale of an unlikely hero who saves the say in the most unusual way. She’s a cookbookophile with an interest in cookbooks from the 50s and 60s. A recent example on her blog is a cookbook using Spry, a vegetable shortening and competitor to that essential ingredient in my momma’s biscuits – Crisco. And you'll have to listen to this phenomenal interview to find out the meaning of the word "imagiplationist." For more information on Suzanne, http://www.sdewitthall.com.