In this talk John talks about his deep-rooted faith, his coming to Christ, his sense of belonging and his love for Zephaniah 3:17. He describes how Bible passages brought deep fear, an internal ‘civil war’ with a deep longing for being healed and being ‘normal’. This led to damaging experiences of reparative therapy. Coming out meant that he had to step back from his ministry but through a process of healing and restoration he has come to a new space of belonging and service. This talk touches on: 

• Early Years
• Teenage Years
• Christian Conversion
• Internal Civil War
• Ordination and sublimation
• Reparative Therapy
• Reconstruction, loss and the ‘Truth’
• Finding healing in a new community
• Rebirth

Suggested Questions:

• What messages have you absorbed about LGBTQIA+ people from the church?
• How do such messages contrast with the lived experience of gay people you know (if you know any)?
• For many this is a non-negotiable issue until it affects them personally. How would you respond if your son/daughter/brother/sister came out as gay?
• Consider how the analogy of judging a tree by its good or bad fruit might apply here.
• The authority of the Bible has been used to support many issues over the years, including: slavery, the death penalty, the role of women and anti-semitism. Is it worth considering whether the conventional take on LGBTQIA+ Bible texts might also need re-reading or re-thinking?
• What cost do you see in the lives of LGBTQIA+ people?