Yes! Salvation is by grace, through faith, to anyone who believes in Jesus. Do you believe in Jesus? Then you’re in! Excluding siblings of faith from the family of God is not ok. 

Yes and no.

Yes, I am an evangelical in that I study the Bible in context and in conversation with Protestant historical doctrines of the faith. I also place an emphasis on sharing the good news that salvation is by grace, through faith to those who believe in Jesus. I was a lifetime member of an influential church in the Evangelical Free Church of America until 2025, well into my 30s, and was educated at Biola University for undergrad ('10) and Biola University Talbot School of Theology for seminary (‘24).

No, I am not an evangelical in that I reject the fundamentalist “Biblical Worldview” which uses the Bible to protect existing power structures such as cisheteropatriarchy, white supremacy, and Christian Nationalism.

Unfortunately, evangelicalism has largely been overrun by fundamentalists and I don’t know that the term can be redeemed. Therefore, I am moving away from the term “evangelical,” although I provide tools for people to understand that it is possible to be fully affirming within a conservative, evangelical framework, since I became affirming while studying at an evangelical university.

I currently consider myself ex-evangelical.

Unfortunately, my family does not feel safe attending Fullerton Free, the church my spouse and I grew up in, at this time. While we became affirming within agreement with the general statement of faith of Fullerton Free and its denomination, the Evangelical Free Church of America, anti-LGBTQ+ language in the bylaws prevents us from volunteering or participating in the community at Fullerton Free as our authentic selves. We have found a small, affirming, supportive congregation in a UMC (United Methodist) church for Christian fellowship, where we attend when we are able.

Exegesis is reading the Bible in literary, historical, and cultural context to seek the original meaning of the text. Hermeneutics is identifying and using interpretive lenses to determine if the conclusions drawn from exegesis are valid. 

No. I have been committed first and foremost to the Bible and the biblical framework I held firmly since I was a young child. It was through careful analysis within the bounds of my evangelical tradition - as a lifelong member of a church in the Evangelical Free Church of America and as a Biola educated undergraduate and graduate - that led me to my conclusions. In fact, I knew very few queer folks before “coming out” as affirming. 

I have experienced same sex attraction since I was young, but married a “man” because that’s what I had been told to do. My spouse came out as nonbinary recently and uses they/them pronouns. We have been married over 13 years and have two young children. We are platonic, make a great team, and remain committed to each other. We identify as Queer.

I fully affirm all siblings of faith in the family of God. I believe that the Holy Spirit gifts and calls anyone, including folks in the LGBTQIA+ community, to serve in any capacity in the church. This includes people in nonmonogamous relationships. I also do not think sex outside of marriage disqualifies a person from church leadership. A person’s call to ministry requires deep discernment in community, assessing evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in their life.

No. The core guiding morality of the LGBTQIA+ community is consent. Pedophiles are not included in the queer community because children cannot consent. Bestiality is not included in the queer community because animals cannot consent. Human trafficking and other forms of exploitation are not included in the queer community because abuses of power do not have consent.

So. What’s my sexual ethic?

Romans 13:8-10 says:

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Sexual situations that cause harm are the problem. Relationships rooted in mutuality and consent between adults are not the problem.