Torn Between Faith and Identity: An Apology to the LGBTQ+ Community
Acknowledging the Church’s Role in Marginalizing LGBTQ+ Lives
The young man sitting across the table shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. We were sitting in a McDonald’s and it was evident to me fairly early in the conversation that Dylan had something he needed to get off his chest. As a youth pastor, I had seen countless teens grapple with their identities and beliefs, but Dylan’s struggle felt particularly heavy. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if the bright lights and cheerful décor of the fast-food joint might somehow hear him.
“I think I’m gay,” he whispered, his eyes darting around as if he feared being overheard.
I could see the weight of the world on his shoulders. It wasn’t just the fear of rejection from his family and friends; it was the looming dread of how his church community might respond. Would he be met with open arms or the cold judgment he had come to expect from so many who claimed to represent God?
In that moment, I felt a rush of compassion mixed with frustration. Here was a young man who I knew was desperate to follow God, but at the same time, had been made to feel that his very identity — an identity he didn’t chose for himself, by the way — might separate him from the love and…
