You Can Be Gay and Christian: Here's Why

You Can Be Gay and Christian: Here's Why

For a long time, I wrestled with the belief that being gay and being Christian were somehow incompatible. The message I got from my church was that people had to choose—their faith or their identity. But the truth is, that’s a false choice. You can be both, fully and without apology. And here's why.

Faith is about your relationship with God, not the Church.

Christianity at its heart is about a relationship with God. It’s not about fitting into a narrow box defined by people in a certain group. Scripture tells us that God looks at the heart. When your heart is rooted in love, compassion, humility, and the desire to grow spiritually, then you are living the life God intended for us. You Can Be Gay and Christian!

Jesus Never Condemned LGBTQ+ People

If you look closely at the Gospels, you’ll see that Jesus never once said anything about same-sex relationships. He spent his time challenging hypocrisy, loving those who were pushed to the margins, and standing with those who were cast aside by others. That’s powerful. Jesus consistently uplifted those who were excluded and many LGBTQ+ people know what it feels like to be excluded. I have no doubts that Jesus would be the first to sit beside us and say, “You belong.” You Can Be Gay and Christian!

Scripture Has Been Misused Before

Throughout history, the Bible has been used to justify slavery, deny women rights, and reject interracial marriage. We look back now and recognize how wrong that was. The same thing is happening with LGBTQ+ inclusion. Many of the verses used to condemn gay people have been taken out of context, misunderstood, or mistranslated. Scholars, theologians, and Christians around the world are re-examining these passages with fresh eyes and realizing they don’t say what we were once told they did. You Can Be Gay and Christian!

Your Identity Is Not a Sin

Being gay is not something you chose, and it’s not something that needs to be “fixed.” It’s how you were created. If we believe that God made each of us in God's image, that includes LGBTQ+ people too. Your love, your joy, your humanity, ALL of that reflects God. You were never a mistake. You Can Be Gay and Christian!

You’re Not Alone

There’s a growing number of affirming churches, communities, and faith leaders who recognize that God’s love is for everyone. There are other LGBTQ+ Christians out there, people walking the same road, holding both their faith and their identity with pride and peace. You are not the only one, and you don’t have to walk this path alone.

There Is Room for You at the Table. You Can Be Gay and Christian!

If you’ve ever been told that you don’t belong in church, that your prayers don’t matter, or that your faith isn’t real because of who you are, please know those words were not from God. There is room for you at the table. A big, beautiful, welcoming table full of people with different stories and different lives. And you have every right to be there. Being gay and Christian isn’t a contradiction. It’s a testament to the beauty and complexity of how we’re all made. You don’t have to choose between your heart and your faith. You get to be whole.

And you are loved, just as you are.

 Robin Overmyer