John served as a Pentecostal pastor for 12 years in a strongly evangelical and conservative tradition. Realising from a young age he was also gay, he endeavoured to change this through counselling and reparative therapy believing it was impossible to reconcile with his deeply held faith, He finally came to accept his reality through a painful journey, and resigned his position as pastor before going on a new road of healing and restoration. Today he works as a Chaplain in a young offenders’ detention centre and plays an active role in his church, a vibrant and Jesus-centred community. His free time is spent hanging out with his adolescent yellow Labrador, Blue.