Greetings!
June has been identified as Pride Month. This was established to acknowledge those who embrace and support the LGBTQ community.
There’s quite a bit involved in why those who hold a Christian worldview have disagreements with LGBTQ views. This doesn’t mean we are angry or justify any behavior of hatred. Instead, we should be respectful and kind to everyone no matter the viewpoints.
For this week’s DHD I thought I would highlight six followers of Christ who once practiced lifestyles that reflected LGBTQ. They now live in such a way that doesn’t honor the flesh but Jesus Christ instead. He has freed them from this behavior and gave them a new focus and perspective (2 Cor. 5:16-17).
I appreciate their testimonies and how God is using them to counter the current culture.
- Rosaria Butterfield
Rosaria is an amazing woman. I’ve heard her speak a few times at conferences. She not only fully embraced the LGBTQ community, but she previously taught its philosophy at Syracuse University. Check out her website rosariabutterfield.com, or read a great article written by one of my favorite Christian writers, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra. It’s titled “Drawing the hungry to the Lord’s table,” and it focuses on Rosaria’s favorite form of ministry: Hospitality, which Rosaria said she learned from the LGBTQ community. It’s an interesting take.
- Dennis Jernigan
My first awareness of Dennis happened when I lived in Hattiesburg, Miss. back in the early 2000s. My brother came to visit me, and we went to church on a Sunday morning. As we were singing in the worship service, Jon said to me, “Hey, this is a Dennis Jernigan song.”
From there, I became more and more aware about this Christian songwriter and that he was from Oklahoma. Then I found out he was an Oklahoma Baptist University alum and heard him perform and give his testimony during an OBU chapel service. Watching him lead a room full of college students in singing “You Are My All in All,” probably his most well-known song, was a chilling experience.
I got to meet Dennis in 2013 and have written a few articles about him and his ministry. The first article I wrote was titled “Jernigan’s Journey,” which plainly shares how he found “freedom.”
I found a more recent article about Dennis, which reports about his new book “Middle of Nowhere.”
- Sam Allbury
I was introduced to Sam the same conference I heard Rosaria speak. He’s an Anglican minister who is evangelical and is a fascinating speaker. Admitting he battled same-sex attractions, Sam has chosen to remain single.
Check out a recent video Sam did on the topic “How pastors can be trusted again.”
- Laura Perry
I’ve blogged about Laura recently. I’m thankful for what God is doing in her life and how He is using her to impact a lot of people.
Laura’s story first appeared in the Baptist Messenger in 2017 in an article written by Brian Hobbs titled “From transgendered to transformed.”
- Becket Cook
I have never met Becket, but from reading the articles he has written, apparently he’s experienced an awesome transformation.
“I walked into the church a gay atheist and walked out two hours later a born-again Christian, in love with Jesus,” Becket wrote. “I was stunned by this reversal. Since then, I no longer identify as gay but rather choose to be celibate because I believe God’s plan and purpose—revealed in the Bible—is authoritative, true and good.”
Check out an interview exchange Becket had with Brett McCracken titled “From Gay to Gospel: The Fascinating Story of Becket Cook.”
- Joe Dallas
Joe Dallas has a Christian counseling ministry that specifically helps men and women deal with sexual sins. He also is open about previously living a LGBTQ lifestyle, and now God has given him a desire to minister to people of this community.
Check out a blog post Joe re-posted recently on a general letter he wrote to his “gay angry friend.”
