The Power of Allies: Why This Straight White Male Pastor INCLUDES LGBTQ+ in Church скачать в хорошем качестве

The Power of Allies: Why This Straight White Male Pastor INCLUDES LGBTQ+ in Church

What does it mean when a straight, white male pastor says LGBTQ+ people fully belong in the church? In this powerful episode of the You Can Be Both Podcast, host Lauren Lanzaretta welcomes her first-ever guest, Danny Lybarger — a straight, white male pastor, theologian, and founder of The Well: An Inclusive & Justice-Centered Church in the St. Louis area. Danny is known for using his platform, privilege, and voice within the church to advocate loudly for LGBTQ+ inclusion, even when it put his ordination, funding, and career at risk. His viral TikToks challenge harmful theology and center a message many queer Christians have never heard from someone who “fits” traditional church leadership: you are not excluded from God’s table. Together, Lauren and Danny unpack some of the most searched, debated, and emotionally charged questions in Christianity today, including: • Can LGBTQ+ people be Christians? • Are gay people going to hell? • What does the Bible actually say about homosexuality? • Why “welcoming” churches often aren’t affirming • How to tell if a church is truly LGBTQ+ affirming • Why church trauma drives so many queer people away from faith • The responsibility of straight allies and pastors to speak up • United Methodist theology vs evangelical Christianity • The Wesleyan Quadrilateral (Scripture, tradition, reason, experience) • Responding to clobber verses, proof-texting, and online hate • Why representation in church leadership matters • How radical inclusion is not political—it’s deeply biblical Danny also shares the real consequences of choosing affirmation: performing same-sex marriages before his denomination allowed it, risking being defrocked, receiving hate mail, and building a church in one of the most conservative counties in Missouri—while refusing to back down. This episode is for you if: ✔️ You’re LGBTQ+ and have experienced church hurt ✔️ You were raised evangelical and are deconstructing ✔️ You still love Jesus but feel unsafe in church spaces ✔️ You’re searching for an affirming church ✔️ You’re a pastor, leader, or ally who wants to show up better 👉 Subscribe to the You Can Be Both Podcast for conversations at the intersection of faith, sexuality, healing, and justice 👉 Download the LGBTQ+ Healing & Resource Guide: https://www.laurenlanzaretta.com/youc... 👉 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear they still belong 👉 Visit The Well if you're ever in Missouri or watch services online You can love Jesus. You can be queer. You can be both. ⸻ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Introduction: Why this conversation matters 01:07 – Meet Danny Lybarger: Straight white pastor who fully affirms LGBTQ+ people 01:59 – Why ally voices matter in the church 03:34 – Danny's background: Growing up in Portland, Oregon 04:36 – His evolution toward full inclusion 05:24 – Starting The Well church in conservative Saint Charles County, Missouri 06:29 – What "affirming" actually means vs. "welcoming" 07:06 – Risking ordination to perform same-sex marriages 09:00 – Facing backlash and hate from other Christians 11:45 – The cost of being an affirming church (funding, membership, criticism) 15:30 – What the Bible actually says about homosexuality 18:45 – Clobber passages explained (Leviticus, Romans, Corinthians) 22:10 – Context matters: Why cherry-picking Scripture is dangerous 26:00 – United Methodist theology and the Wesleyan Quadrilateral 28:30 – Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience as tools for discernment 32:15 – Church hurt: Why so many LGBTQ+ people leave faith 36:40 – Are gay people going to hell? Danny's response 40:20 – How to tell if a church is truly affirming (red flags to watch for) 44:00 – The difference between tolerance and full inclusion 47:30 – Why straight pastors and allies must use their privilege 51:00 – Responding to online hate, criticism, and backlash 54:20 – The biblical case for radical inclusion (Jesus' table was always expanding) 56:00 – Luke-Acts: The blueprint for an inclusive church 58:18 – Final encouragement for LGBTQ+ Christians 59:00 – Closing prayer for healing and finding affirming churches 1:01:55 – Outro and resources ⸻ Connect with Danny Lybarger: 🌐 The Well Church: https://www.thewell636.org/ 📱 TikTok:   / danny_lybarger   📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danny_lybar... Connect with Lauren Lanzaretta: 🌐 Website: https://www.laurenlanzaretta.com 📱 TikTok: @lanzaretta, ‪@YouCanBeBoth‬ 📷 Instagram: @lanzaretta, ‪@YouCanBeBoth‬ 📧 LGBTQ+ Healing & Resource Guide: https://www.laurenlanzaretta.com/youc... ⸻ #ChristianTikTok #FaithTok #QueerTikTok #ChurchTok #ProgressiveFaith #DeconstructingFaith #LGBTQAlly #StraightAlly #AffirmingFaith #ReligiousTrauma #YouCanBeBoth #LaurenLanzaretta #DannyLybarger #TheWell #AffirmingChurch #QueerChristian #ChurchHurt #BiblicalInclusion