Five years ago, Jeff would have fired me for being gay. Instead, he promoted me. Just a few months after coming out to him, the rest of the church staff, and some close friends, I was offered the children’s pastor position at the church.
John Wilson, gay Children’s Pastor
Revoice is a “gay Christian” ministry and an annual conference that seeks to change the way the Church approaches homosexuality and propel it toward full LGBTQ inclusiveness. Many of the Revoice speakers and founders have strong ties to The Gospel Coalition and SBC seminaries. Revoice founder, Nate Collins, is a graduate and former teacher at Al Mohler’s Southern Baptist Theological Seminary whose dissertation on secondary gender identities was signed off on by SBTS professor, Jarvis Williams.
During the 2019 Revoice Conference, a gay-affirming pastor, Jeff Maness, talks about welcoming a same-sex family, spending time with them, taking their children over to their house, and including them in their communion at church. He talks about how accepting this family into their church prepared him to accept his children’s pastor, John Wilson, coming out as gay.
It was in the middle of that growing season that God, in His sovereignty, brought John [a children’s pastor] to our staff as a resident. Six months into John’s time with us, he asked for a meeting in my office. When he came in, I could tell he was extremely nervous, which was unlike the John that I knew from our staff. I was ready for something big, but “being gay” was not on my radar. And that’s actually what John led the conversation with, he didn’t mince any words. I like to say that John shot straight…I’m so thankful that God prepared me for those words, “AI’m gay.” I’m so thankful that John felt I was safe enough to share the most intimate part of his life with me, his pastor.
Jeff Maness, Revoice 2019
Starting at about the 7-minute mark, you can see John Wilson, the gay children’s pastor, talk about his coming out and acceptance. He says, “I won’t belabor all the detailth about realithing my thexuality and recognithing it with my faith …” It’s really weird.
See the video, below.
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