RESOURCES
The following are some books, blogs, podcasts and organizations that we have found to be helpful and thought-provoking. Inclusion on the list should not be considered a whole-hearted endorsement of all ideas and beliefs represented, or of a particular organization. This is not an exhaustive list; but the resources below --which include personal stories, theological perspectives, current research, and suggestions for how we might relate with one another in friendships, families and churches -- will provide a sufficient overview.
Click here to be taken to OUR BLOG, where you will find some reflections on scriptures that have helped us as we think about all things related to LGBTQ, as well as a curated list of quotes, articles, media posts and news events on a wide range of topics.
Disclaimer: Books listed below through an Affiliate program with Christianbooks.com. They are also available through your other favorite book sites.
Blogs & Podcasts
Books
All But Invisible: Exploring Identity Questions at the Intersection of Faith, Gender and Sexuality
Author Nate Collins outlines a vision for Christian community in which straight and nonstraight people might be reconciled so they can flourish together in full awareness of their shared humanity. Collins writes for believers who have a traditional sexual ethic and provides a renewed vision of gospel flourishing for gay, lesbian, and same-sex attracted individuals. (For ebook version click here)
Born Again This Way: Coming Out, Coming To Faith, and What Comes Next
Rachel Gilson describes her own unexpected journey of coming out and coming to faith... and what came next. As she does so, she addresses many of the questions that Christians living with same-sex attraction are wrestling with: Am I consigned to a life of loneliness? How do I navigate my friendships? Will my desires ever change? Is there some greater purpose to all this?
Costly Obedience: What We Can Learn from Celibate Gay Christian Community
The call to follow Christ is a call to costly obedience for all, not just for gay Christians. Far too often, the church has elevated homosexuality above other sins and required a costly obedience from gays that it is unwilling to demand of others. And yet, the answer is not to weaken the demands of obedience. Instead, gay Christians who make the difficult choice to align their lives with the biblical view of sexuality are a gift to the church, reminding all of us that spiritual growth and maturity is costly. Mark Yarhouse and Olya Zaporozhets call the church to leave behind the casual morality that is widespread today to pursue the path of radical discipleship. (For ebook version click here)
Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say
Compassionate, biblical, and thought-provoking, Embodied is an accessible guide for Christians who want help navigating issues related to the transgender conversation. Preston Sprinkle draws on Scripture as well as real-life stories of individuals struggling with gender dysphoria to help readers understand the complexities and emotions of this highly relevant topic.
Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today's Youth
A thorough guide for parents and other adults to understand the current landscape of gender diversity from a cultural, clinical, and theological perspective. By Mark Yarhouse and Julia Sadusky. (For ebook version click here)
Guiding Families of LBGT+ Loved Ones
From Posture Shift Books a compilation of short articles in magazine format that functions as an easy-to-read introduction to topics including how to respond when others come out to you, careful use of language, and loving in long-term relationships.
Gay Girl. Good God: The Story of Who I Was, and Who God Has Always Been
Jackie Hill Perry shares her own story, offering practical tools that helped her in the process of finding wholeness. Having embraced masculinity and homosexuality with every fiber of her being, at age nineteen, God broke in and turned her heart toward Him right in her own bedroom in light of His gospel.
(For ebook click here). Also available in Spanish.
Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church
Many LGBTQ people face overwhelming challenges in navigating faith, gender, and sexuality. Christian communities that uphold the traditional sexual ethic often unwittingly make the path more difficult through unexamined attitudes and practices... Bridget Eileen Rivera...speaks to the pain of LGBTQ Christians, and helps churches develop a better pastoral approach.
Holy Sexuality and The Gospel: Sex, Desire and Relationships Shaped by God's Grand Story
Dr. Christopher Yuan explores the concept of holy sexuality—chastity in singleness or faithfulness in marriage—in a practical and relevant manner, equipping readers with an accessible yet robust theology of sexuality. (For ebook version click here)
Christians, the church and the Bible seems to be out of step with modern attitudes toward homosexuality. This short, readable book by Sam Allberry offers a positive and liberating way forward. It explains clearly and simply what we can say with certainty from the Bible about marriage, sexuality and same-sex attraction. (For ebook version click here). Also available in audiobook and in Spanish.
Single, Gay, Christian: A Personal Journey of Faith and Sexual Identity
The first-person narrative of Gregory Coles’ journey -- about his experience with being gay, loving Jesus, and choosing singleness in a world that fears all three. Throughout his story he honestly addresses concerns from both the Christian community and the LGBTQ community. (For ebook version click here)
Space at the Table: Conversations Between an Evangelical Theologian and His Gay Son
A memoir by father Brad Harper (evangelical theologian and seminary professor) and and his gay son Drew Stafford Harper (freelance journalist and actor), on the process of overcoming multiple barriers in their relationship as they worked to remain connected to one another, despite differing beliefs.
Still Time to Care: What We Can Learn from the Church's Failed Attempt to Cure Homosexuality
Greg Johnson, lead pastor at Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA) in St Louis reflects on an unfortunate shift in the evangelical church's response to its gay members - when it moved from an emphasis on care to one with a heavy emphasis on cure (the ex-gay ministry movement). Encouraged by the earlier voices of Billy Graham, CS Lewis, John Stott and Francis Schaeffer, Johnson argues that "[f]or orthodox Christians, the way forward is a path back to where we were forty years ago. It is time again to focus with our Neo-Evangelical fathers on care--not cure--for our non-straight sisters and brothers who are living lives of costly obedience to Jesus."
A follow-up to her book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield, formerly in a committed lesbian relationship, now embracing a historical Biblical perspective on sexuality, answers questions she has received over the years at speaking engagements. Chapters include: Conversion, Identity, Repentance, Sexual Orientation, Self-Representation, Conflict and Community.
Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God, A Broken Mother's Search for Hope
Christopher Yuan and mom, Angela Yuan, share mutual stories of heartbreak, confusion - and ultimately - surrender to God, each finding their own way to God through Christopher's journey of sexual addiction and substance abuse. (For ebook version click here)
People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue
In People to Be Loved, Preston Sprinkle challenges those on all sides of the debate to consider what the Bible says and how we should approach the topic of homosexuality in light of it....Simply saying that the Bible condemns homosexuality is not accurate, nor is it enough to end the debate. Those holding a traditional view still struggle to reconcile the Bible's prohibition of same-sex attraction with the message of radical, unconditional grace. (For ebook version click here)
Two Views on Homosexuality, The Bible and The Church
Four biblical scholars and theologians (William Loader, Meagan K. DeFranza, Wesley Hill, and Stephen R. Holmes), two holding a traditional understanding of human sexuality, and two holding an affirming stance, but all taking the biblical testimony about human sexuality seriously, articulate the basis on which they hold their positions, and respond to the positions of the others. Edited by Preston Sprinkle. (For ebook version click here)
Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture
Mark Yarhouse offers a Christian perspective on transgender issues that eschews simplistic answers and appreciates the psychological and theological complexity. The result is a book that engages the latest research while remaining pastorally sensitive to the experiences of each person. (For ebook version click here)
Understanding Transgender Identities: Four Views
This book offers a full-scale dialogue on transgender identities from across the Christian theological spectrum. It brings together contributors with expertise and platforms in the study of transgender identities to articulate and defend differing perspectives on this contested topic. Four views are presented by Owen Strachan, Mark A. Yarhouse and Julia Sadusky, Megan K. DeFranza, and Justin Sabia-Tanis. The authors then respond to each others' views. (For ebook version click here)
Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality
Weaving personal reflections with insights from others including Henri Nouwen and Gerard Manley Hopkins, Hill reveals what it's like to wrestle with God's "no" to same-sex relationships. (For ebook version click here)
When Children Come Out: A Guide for Christian Parents
Mark Yarhouse and Olya Zaporozhets, therapists and researchers with decades of experience, have written this book to provide perspective, insight, and the chance to learn from others who've shared a similar journey. Using data from studies of Christian parents of LGBTQ+ children, they deliver research-based insights and faithful wisdom that is accessible for parents, their friends, and church leaders. Yarhouse and Zaporozhets reframe the focus away from "culture war" questions that are not helpful to families in favor of practical counsel for maintaining and deepening relationships. Available Dec '22. (For ebook version click here)
Blogs &
Podcasts
Focus on the gospel being Good News for everyone. Most often, teacher and author Laurie Krieg, licensed therapist Matt Krieg, and producer Steve, engage in topics where the gospel intersects sexuality and gender. Almost 200 episodes.
The Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender blog
Various authors (Preston Sprinkle, Gary Coles and a number of guests) dig deep into issues related to biblical Christianity and LGBTQ+ topics.
Preston Sprinkle hosts, helping believers think Christianly about theological and cultural conversations. Covers many topics relevant to current culture, with a number of episodes focusing on sexuality and gender.
Hosting interviews and discussions around faith and sexuality. Exploring a number of important topics related to identity, theology, church life, sexual ethics, healthy relationships and community.
LGBTQ and the Church podcast series
A series by Church Leaders, featuring nine conversations with individuals who are leading the conversation about LGBTQ+ and Christianity including Juli Slattery, Gregory Coles, Mark Yarhouse, Ed Shaw, Sean McDowell, Rachel Gilson, Caleb Kaltenbach, Preston Sprinkle and Laurence Koo.
Organizations
The Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender
Comprehensive set of resources including books, very thorough pastoral papers on matters of sexuality and gender from a Christian perspective; a number of high-quality e-courses and small group content for churches, parents and youth. Regularly hosts webinars and conferences. See especially Grace/Truth small group interactive resources; and Parenting LGBTQ Kids, an 11-part video curriculum.
Run by Caleb Kaltenbach (a Christian pastor raised in the LGBTQ community) - with the following four convictions: churches can foster community with LGBTQ persons without sacrificing convictions; effective family ministry requires understanding and love for LGBTQ parents, kids and students; it's possible to create a culture where people belong before they believe or even if they don't agree; conflict resolution and conversations about truth are difficult, but they don't have to destroy people. Resources include coaching, training, strategizing, comprehensive ministry evaluation and a 4-week Messy Grace small group video study.
Sexual and Gender Identity Institute
The mission of the Sexual & Gender Identity Institute is, from a Christian worldview, to further understanding of sexual and gender identity, and the intersection of these identities with religious identity, and to be a resource to the church and to the broader culture. This is done through research, training, and consultation. See the Resource page for books, articles, podcasts, videos, counseling referrals and training for clinicians.
Focused on providing a place which supports and encourages Christians who are sexual minorities so they can flourish in historic Christian traditions. Hosts an annual conference. Also hosts webinars and virtual groups and regional communities.
Equipping the church to better love sexual minorities, so they become a place where sexual minorities belong and thrive according to a traditional sexual ethic. Special emphasis on both marriage and singleness as called vocations for Christians. Training for churches, ministries, leaders. Also a 10-hour parent course entitled "Christian Parenting in a Sex-Obsessed Culture".
Posture Shift offers training and consulting services on LGBT+ inclusion and care, helping churches, schools, camps and other parachurch ministries to faithfully honor God and radically love people. Organizational and family training, as well as an easy-to-read magazine type publication entitled Guiding Families of LGBT+ Loved Ones.
Based in the UK, Living Out provides broad resources on the following topics: Bible, Family & Friends, Singleness & Marriage, Same-Sex Attraction, Identity, Sexuality, Culture, and Church. Personal stories, podcasts and numerous articles. Their tagline: "We help people, churches and society talk about faith and sexuality."