From John W. Vest, who is Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry at the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago:
Dear LGBT Youth:
My name is John Vest and I am a pastor at a large Presbyterian Church in Chicago. In recent days there has been much news coverage of the recent suicides of gay teens. While theses stories have received widespread national attention, I know that the problem of homophobic bullying and the tragedy of gay youth (and adults) driven to the point of suicide is much larger than these few individuals that have made headlines. Commentators are right to point out that religious leaders share much of the blame for a cultural climate that does little to prevent such bullying and in many cases encourages the ignorance, prejudice, and hatred that fuels it. As a pastor, I want you to know that not all Christians are like this. I want you to know that not all churches consider you a sinful abomination. There are many of us who know that God loves you as you are, and we do too.
....
It may take us a long time to redeem Christianity in the eyes of those we have hurt the most. But I refuse to give up trying, and I hope and pray that you will not give up on us. There are churches that will love and accept you as God does. There are churches that will support you as you grow into yourself and discover the person God created you to be. There are churches that will stand up to bullying and name it and the factors that contribute to it as the real sin in this situation, not the sexuality you have been given as a gift of God.
Please read John's fine letter in its entirety. John includes his personal story of transformation from "the culture of homophobia and discrimination", which is quite similar to my story.
It's way past time for Christians who are not part of "the culture of homophobia and discrimination" to speak out, to proclaim, again and again, that "JESUS WELCOMED AND LOVED EVERYONE!", as John's plaque, pictured above, states. As Jesus did, so we should do, also.
And as John asks forgiveness, church folk amongst us, including me, who have contributed to the hurt inflicted on LGTB children of God, so we should do, also.
And as John does not give up trying to redeem Christianity in the eyes of those who have been wounded by gross distortion of the central message of love in the Gospel of Jesus, so we should do, also.
Thanks to Julie for sending the link to John's letter.
