Reading and Speaking Engagements Today: Chapel Hill High School and at a Presbyterian Church in Burlington, NC

Today I am going to my daughter Adrianne's alma mater, Chapel Hill High School (NC) to speak to the students of the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance). Tom Greene, an out-teacher at the Chapel Hill High invited me to come to the high school this afternoon to simply talk with the students about being gay, being a gay parent, and being a Christian. Tom himself is a "P.K.," a.k.a., a Preacher's Kid, growing up in a Southern Baptist Church, though he no longer attends worship. As is the case for so many LGBT people, coming out of the closet in the context of a church often times means leaving communities of faith. In a day and age in which there is an emphasis on evangelism, especially among the mainstream Protestant churches, it is amazing to me to see that, as the numbers decrease across the board in these churches, someone doesn't realize that while, with one hand, they extend the right hand of fellowship to one group of people (heterosexuals), while with the other hand they push LGBT out the door. The problem? Not as many people (heterosexuals) are coming into the door as there are people being pushed out the door (LGBT).

So what would happen if the Church stopped pushing people out AND kept welcoming new people in?

What would Jesus think? Do? Say?

And tonight I will be in Burlington, NC, substituting for my good friend the Rev. Joe Harvard, speaking out about the place and presence of LGBT in the Church.

It is a good day to be out: being gay AND a Christian.

Peace,

Brett