WHO WE ARE
Free in Christ Ministries seeks to improve the spiritual lives of LGBTQ+ people through education, training, and support that addresses sexual wellness. We are joined by a team of pastors, counselors, and clinicians, most of whom reside in the Nashville and Louisville metropolitan areas. We are not affiliated with any church or denomination but come from a range of Christian backgrounds, including Nazarene, Baptist, Church of England (Anglican), and independent churches. Free in Christ Ministries is a fiscally sponsored project of Christian Ministry Alliance, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. We are 100% volunteer and donation supported. Your donation to Free in Christ Ministries is tax-deductible.
Our stories of hope
Rick
I have deep compassion for LGBTQ+ men and women, because I have "been there." I was aware of being "different" from around age 13, and by my early 20s I had decided to live life as an "out" gay male. I dove head-first into the gay community in the city where I lived and explored it all: the nightlife, the culture, the pride marches, the drag shows, and of course the sex. During that time, I often wondered whether what I was doing was right, whether who I'd become was the person God wanted me to be. But I just couldn't believe God actually cared who I did what with, or who I became in the process. After all, it was just sex, right? And don't we live in a more enlightened age than all those prudish ancients? So... my party went on for almost two decades. God kept His distance, but He never let me forget Him. Then, in the early 2000s, He called me out with a single verse from the prophet Jeremiah: This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest..." (Jeremiah 6: 16). This was not a message I wanted to hear, since I was in a long-term same-sex relationship at the time. I told God, "If you really want me to give him up for you, I'll do it. But you'll have to create in me a desire to do so, because right now... I don't want to." It took some time, but God eventually convinced me that He had a better plan for me, a better me for me. I chose God, and left the same-sex relationship. I was immediately alone. Nobody really understood what God had called me to do. I prayed and leaned on God. He revealed His saving power to me through Jesus Christ in unexpected ways. God didn't just call me out of gay culture and gay sex. He called me to the safety of His love, mercy, protection, and grace. Soon enough, He led me into community with others walking the same path—and it's a path that is far from lonely! Since that day many years ago, I've learned that my identity in Christ—in Christ alone—is worth infinitely more than everything I gave up. Jesus declared: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15: 4). I'm not "cured" from SSA, but God's power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Furthermore, God has used my struggle and my heart for Him to draw me closer and to make me stronger. I can only agree with the psalmist when he proclaims: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him (Psalm 34: 8). Perhaps some part of my story resonates with you. Maybe you're gay or lesbian or bisexual or non-binary or transgender and you feel you've lost God in the shuffle of living your own life, or of being your own person. It could be you were once Christian and knew the peace of Christ's presence but left the faith because you were unable to reconcile your sexual attractions with teachings or attitudes or people. Perhaps you've been wanting to make a safe return to Christ but don't know how or where to begin, or if you should bother. If so, I hope you'll reach out to us today. We're here for you. Rick E. Nashville, TN
Sarah
I grew up in a completely sheltered home-school family, and my knowledge of the word “gay” extended only as far as Christmas carols. In coming-of-age conversations, I was told about physical changes that happen during puberty and that I would “start to see boys differently.” I accepted this as fact. I kept waiting for it to happen. It never did. I knew I was different from my friends, but at that time I didn’t connect that what I was feeling towards girls was what my friends were experiencing when they talked about and ogled over boys. I had no context or language to describe what I was feeling or experiencing as I found myself captivated by girls. As I got a bit older, I learned of the concept of homosexuality. It was always mentioned in hushed tones with an attitude of disgust. "I can’t believe THEY would be that way. WE would never do something so terrible." I don’t remember exactly what was said, but it set up an understanding of “us against them.” WE were heterosexual and biblical, and THEY were homosexual and unbiblical. I was already following Christ, and I certainly didn’t want to be one of THEM, but the only option I saw to be part of US as Christians was to be heterosexual. I made a conscious decision and declared to myself and to God that I would be attracted to men. I spent a long time trying to convince myself that this was true, but the decision and desire to be heterosexual made no difference in how I experienced attraction, temptation, and sexual sin. Instead, it drove me deep into shame. I thought that if others, including God, saw my heart, there was no way I could be loved or accepted. This was not a healthy place to be. Eventually, I had to acknowledge that same sex attraction was a consistent and persistent pattern of temptation in my life. The next few years I still mostly ignored it, reasoning that if I’m single, orientation doesn’t really matter. Things like sex, lust, fantasy, and porn are all outside the bounds of biblical purity no matter if the object of my desires is a man or a woman. This perspective was helpful in addressing specific sexual sins, but it still avoided the deeper question grounded in my understanding from my upbringing that one could not be homosexual and Christian. Is it possible to acknowledge my same sex attraction and still be a follower of Christ who is loved by God and living in biblical purity and freedom? Yes! And yet "yes" hardly seems sufficient to sum up the many hours of prayer, reading, and conversations it took to get to that answer. That “yes” has brought so much growth to my life and faith. Acknowledging and being more open about my same sex attraction has helped me more deeply understand human depravity and my need for a savior. It has helped me grow in a biblical view of marriage and singleness and develop better relationships and biblical community within the body of Christ. And It’s a daily reminder to die to self and live in submission to Christ. Walking faithfully with God as someone who experiences same sex attraction has certainly not always been easy. By God’s grace, I have never acted out a homosexual lifestyle and have always trusted that the traditional Biblical sexual ethic is God’s good word, even for me and LGBTQ+ people. Still, my attraction persists, and I have had times with more intense temptation, struggle, and grief. God has used organizations like Free in Christ Ministries to help me grow in my faith through those times. It is my hope that Free in Christ Ministries can provide that encouragement and hope for others who are struggling with same sex temptations, and that the body of Christ may be better equipped to love and disciple same sex attracted believers in grace and truth. Sarah B. Louisville, KY
WHAT WE DO
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Provide confidential consultation with LGBTQ+ adults and/or their families regarding unwanted same sex attraction.
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Offer confidential customized education for pastors, congregations, and other Christian groups who are interested in improving their ministry to LGBTQ+ individuals.
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Make short-term referrals within our network of professional pastoral, counseling, and clinical partners.
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Provide Resources and tools for effective discipleship and community.
WHAT WE DON'T DO
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We DON'T provide consultation related to reorientation (conversion) therapy.
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We DON'T provide long-term counseling or psychotherapy.
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We DON'T replace the pastoral work of existing churches and their ministries.
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We DON'T lobby for or against political causes.
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We DON'T debate positions on sexuality and same sex attraction.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
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God created the heavens and the earth and proclaimed them good (Genesis 1). However, all human beings have fallen short of God's goodness for their lives and are in need of salvation through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten son. There is no way to the Father except by Christ. Salvation is by faith. One of the manifestations of faith is cooperation with the work of God’s Holy Spirit, who guides us to greater love, greater compassion, and greater Christlikeness.
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Our identity is in Jesus Christ only.
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Scripture is breathed by God’s Holy Spirit and enlivens the hearts of believers.
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God created two sexes, male and female, and offered a plan for both to exist in purity. Marriage is a holy union of one male and one female.
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God desires sexual wholeness for all people. Sexual wholeness is defined as either faithfulness in heterosexual marriage or chastity in singleness.
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All sexual activity outside the bond of heterosexual marriage is what is referred to broadly in Scripture as “sexual immorality.” Sexual immorality is a distortion of human sexuality. It is not worse than any other sin, nor is it simply a fact of human existence. The believer is fully capable of abandoning sexual immorality, which includes things like fornication (sex before marriage), adultery (sex outside of marriage), lust (indulgent desire), and sexual activitity between persons of the same sex. Sexual activity between persons of the same sex cannot be redeemed (valued as right or holy in God’s eyes) by a covenant of marriage, since no such covenant between same-sex persons can exist.
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Sexual immorality is forgivable. A person who struggles with sexual sin will find that sexual wholeness comes only through God’s grace through Christ, which is sufficient to bring restoration both in the short term and over the course of the believer’s life.
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Some people experience attraction to persons of the same sex. Of these, some may seek to change their attraction through prayer or therapy. We believe that God is able and willing to work in the life of the same sex attracted believer; therefore, we do not believe that individuals should feel pressured to change their attraction. On the contrary, we find so-called reorientation therapies and interventions to be generally discouraging and even harmful.
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For many believers, same sex attraction is a call to celibacy (abstention from sex) before God. Other believers may feel called to marry a person of the opposite sex, but such marriage may be unrealistic and should be undertaken prudently and openly. Whatever the case, sexual wholeness for the same sex attracted believer does not require conversion to heterosexuality, but rather a lifelong strengthening in sexual purity before God.
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Homophobia, which is rejection or outright hatred directed toward persons attracted to the same sex, is contrary to Christ’s teaching about loving one’s neighbor.
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Believers can experience full, enriching lives whether they are married or unmarried. Christian community, assembly for worship, service to family, service to the less fortunate, service to God’s creation, and mutually edifying friendships are all key to living a rich and joyful life.
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While we accept that some Christians hold a different view on same-sex-attraction, marriage, and sexual immorality, we believe that scripture is clear on these matters and that we cannot simply “agree to disagree.” That said, we hold to this doctrinal position without judging or disparaging the walk of Christians (or unbelievers) who disagree with us.