The Reformation Project

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The Reformation Project is a Bible-based, Christian grassroots organization that works to promote inclusion of LGBTQ people by reforming church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity. Our vision is of a global church that fully affirms LGBTQ people.

 

A Bible-Based, Gospel-Centered Approach to LGBTQ Inclusion

The Reformation Project is a Bible-based, Christian grassroots organization that works to promote inclusion of LGBTQ people by reforming church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity. We envision a global church that fully affirms LGBTQ people.

 
 
 

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Are you interested in leading a workshop at this year's Reconcile and Reform conference in Seattle? . We're now accepting workshop proposals, so download the form at reformationproject.org/workshops and submit it by August 20 to be considered. There are four categories for workshop proposals this year: • Bible and Theology • Family and Community • Churches and Leadership • Diversity and Inclusion . You can read more about the categories on our website. Based on the high number of proposals we've received in recent years, we expect to be able to accept less than 30% of proposals this year. But we will do our best to assemble a compelling, diverse lineup of workshops that makes space for new voices—even if this will be your first TRP conference—so put your thinking caps on and send in your proposal by the August 20 deadline!
As we look ahead to our national conference in Seattle this fall, we are excited to share that we are giving the conference a new name: Reconcile and Reform. . These two words speak to the heart of our work and to so many of our individual journeys and callings. Before we can effectively advocate for ourselves and others, we first need to reconcile our faith and our sexuality, our faith and our gender identity, or simply our faith and our love for LGBTQ people. . After reconciling those things, we can then take up the mantle of working for reform: a reformed understanding of Scripture, reformed church teachings and policies, and ultimately, a reformed global church that fully affirms LGBTQ people. And as the church becomes increasingly affirming, we can then live into an even deeper vision of reconciliation: reconciling the church and the LGBTQ community, in keeping with the affirmation of 2 Corinthians 5:18 that God has given us a ministry of reconciliation. . As we work toward those twin goals at the Reconcile and Reform Conference, we will keep front and center three core values that ground all of The Reformation Project's work: • A love for God • A love for the Bible • A love for the church . It's because of those values—our love for God, the Bible, and the church—that we are passionate about seeing churches fully affirm and include LGBTQ people. It's because of those values that we seek to advance LGBTQ inclusion in the church in an intersectional way, emulating the life and teachings of Jesus by honoring the image of God in those most marginalized in our community. . We are profoundly hopeful about the future of TRP and the future of this movement, and we would love to have you join us in Seattle this November 7-9 for The Reformation Project's Reconcile and Reform Conference! Sign up here: trpconf.eventbrite.com.
Exciting news today: This November 7-9, in addition to Pastor Candace Hardnett and Nicole Garcia, attendees at The Reformation Project conference in Seattle will get to hear a keynote address from Justin Lee. . Justin is the author of Torn and Talking Across the Divide, and he has been one of the most important voices in the LGBTQ Christian movement for the past 20 years. In 2001, he founded The Gay Christian Network, which he grew into a ministry that transformed the lives of thousands of people, built bridges to conservative Christian communities, and played a critical role in shutting down Exodus International, exposing the bankruptcy of the ex-gay movement, and reshaping the conversation around LGBTQ inclusion in the church. . Since leaving GCN two years ago, Justin's work has continued through his speaking, writing, and nonprofit work. Most recently, he's started a popular weekly live videocast on Facebook to spotlight the stories and work of other leaders in the LGBTQ Christian space. Justin is a leader of profound integrity whose impact on a national and international level has been remarkable, and we are honored that he will be joining us at TRP this fall. . Justin says: "I’m thrilled to be part of this important conference. Now, more than ever, we need a Christ-centered, Bible-based case for affirmation and inclusion, and The Reformation Project is carrying that message in a bold, prophetic way. I can’t wait to see everyone there!" . Registration rates will rise at the end of the month, so sign up today to join us in Seattle this November 7-9: reformationproject.eventbrite.com.
This week, we're thrilled to announce that Nicole Garcia will be joining us as a keynote speaker at The Reformation Project's conference in Seattle this fall. . Nicole recently completed her master of divinity degree at Luther Seminary, and she is now the Synodically Authorized Minister at New Beginnings Worshiping Community in the Denver Women's Correctional Facility and a therapist and clinical supervisor at the Umbrella Collective in Boulder, Colorado. . If you were at our conference in Kansas City four years ago, then you know what a treat our attendees are in for this year. Nicole has a remarkable gift for preaching, and I am so pleased she'll be back on the TRP stage this year. . Nicole shares: "Matthew and TRP gave me a platform to speak four years ago and I was propelled into national attention. I am so excited to be back to keynote the conference where I began my public ministry. . "As a transgender Latina in a position of leadership in my denomination, it is important to demonstrate how far a woman of color from the transgender community can progress when nurtured and supported. It is crucial for me, as a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ, to proclaim the inclusive gospel of love and affirmation of who we all are as children of God. I am grateful to TRP, once again, for providing me a place to profess my love and devotion to Christ and all God’s creation." . Register today to join us in Seattle this November 7-9: https://www.reformationproject.org/conference. Current rates of $115 for individuals and $90 for groups will rise later this month, so take advantage of the steep discounts while they're available. We can't wait for this fall!
We are so excited to share with you the first of three keynote speakers we'll be welcoming to The Reformation Project stage in Seattle this November 7-9: Pastor Candace Hardnett, Senior Pastor of Agape Empowerment Ministries in Savannah, Georgia. . Pastor Candace is a gifted and inspiring preacher who is deeply passionate about her faith in Christ and her love for Scripture. She and her wife Erika founded their church in 2009 and have worked diligently to bring about awareness of God’s inclusive love for all people. She lives in Savannah with Erika and her daughter Maya and is the proud mother of two older daughters who live on their own. . Pastor Candace says: "To say that I am excited to join The Reformation Project in Seattle would be an understatement. The Reformation Project is personally my primary resource when educating and encouraging LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church. In my opinion, TRP has spearheaded the movement in such a way that it bridges the gap for all Christians who seek to navigate theology and sexuality. . "The Reformation Project has not only educated LGBTQ+ Christians, but also Evangelical Christian leaders who otherwise would have no viable resource which relates to both their theological understanding and their church tradition. The Reformation Project challenges ideologies in a way that creates change. I appreciate the mission of TRP and the dedication of Matthew Vines and the Board of Directors to this critical work." . Register today to join us in Seattle from November 7-9: www.reformationproject.org/conference. Current rates are $115 for individuals and $90 for groups, but they'll be going up in a few weeks' time. We would love to see you there!
Meet our Reformer of the Month, Alejandro Ugarte! Alejandro is a graduate of the 2019 TRP leadership development cohort, and he's a bisexual, bicultural, Latino American from Venezuela who loves languages. He met Christ as a curious child alone in his bedroom reading a Gideon’s New Testament. He served many years as an interpreter and short-term missionary in Venezuela and beyond. . After two years of residential reparative therapy, Alejandro reconciled his faith and sexuality. He leads a growing group of LGBT+ Christians in Atlanta and is currently working to create resources and safe spaces for the Latino LGBT+ community, where people can be authentic within both their culture and faith. He also tries to create connections with faith leaders in order to approach the topic of LGBTQI+ faith inclusion through different strategies, like inviting them to meals for conversations and sharing letters and books. . He lives by Acts 4:20 (look it up!) as a passionate, energetic, and outgoing guy who thrives on building relationships. Alejandro's never met a stranger and starts conversations wherever he goes. You can easily connect with him on Facebook. He enjoys funny videos, travel, hiking, and waterfalls. He has worked in non-profits for many years and serves his organization as the compliance officer. He's recently participated with Georgia Equality to advocate for LGBT non-discrimination protections, and he plans to deepen that aspect of his advocacy in the coming months. We are very proud of Alejandro and grateful for his leadership in the LGBTQ Christian community!
Today, we remember the 49 people, mostly LGBTQ and Latinx, who lost their lives in the horrific massacre at Pulse in Orlando three years ago. . Given the harm that the church has done to the LGBTQ community, it's especially important that we speak up as Christians against homophobia, transphobia, racism, and violence, both in the church and in the world. . May we honor these lost souls with changed hearts and changed actions in support of LGBTQ people, especially LGBTQ people of color.
Sarah Bessey, author of Jesus Feminist and Out of Sorts, has penned a beautiful piece on her blog about her journey to becoming LGBTQ-affirming. Thank you to Sarah for using her voice in this way—we know it will make a difference. . "So much of the Apostle Paul’s writing was precisely because he believed in the welcome of God for everyone. He loved the outsiders because he believed with all his heart that they belonged, they were insiders to Jesus even if they were outsiders to the empire or to the religious elite, and that was what mattered. Paul is often the bible’s liberating voice of freedom and inclusion, determined to see the Church fully accept and integrate the very outsiders they were conditioned and taught to despise, to fear, to shun. Paul had a conservative sexual ethic, absolutely. . "To be honest with you, I do still hold to a deeply Christian sexual ethic, an understanding of fidelity, faithfulness, purity, constancy, love, honour, concern, etc. far beyond mere consent. In my understanding and experience, it’s a path of flourishing. It’s just that I believe we’re all welcome to that ethic, it’s not just straight folks like myself. I believe that LGBTQ+ people are fully welcome to the life of Christ, to walk together with us, to lead us, to build healthy thriving marriages and families, to be discipled in the fruit of the Spirit, in prayer and communion and worship and community. Marriage, baptism, family, discipleship, communion, ordination, vocation, everything good about being humans following Jesus is open to us all without exception."
A Statement From the Board of Directors: . On behalf of the Board of Directors and as the Board Chair, I want to share an update about personnel transitions at The Reformation Project. In recent months, staff members proposed changing our management structure. The board and Matthew Vines, our Executive Director, reviewed, discussed, and extensively researched the proposal. After careful consideration, the Board and Executive Director decided that the proposed changes were not the right path forward for the organization. . Unfortunately, this conclusion resulted in some staff members deciding they no longer wanted to work within our existing structure. We are saddened by this but wish them all the best as they move forward in their careers, and we thank them for their important contributions to The Reformation Project. . The board is in full support of Matthew’s continued leadership as Executive Director, and The Reformation Project remains firmly committed to advancing our mission and vision for LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation in the global church. We look forward to continuing to partner with each of you in the great work you are doing and seeing many of you at our conference in Seattle this fall. . Nancy Bartell, On Behalf of the Board of Directors Board Chair The Reformation Project
It is not uncommon for some affirming Christians to build their case for LGBTQ inclusion on the evangelical narrative that marriage is required to experience a life of wholeness and flourishing. Singleness is stigmatized and the nuclear family is seen as the mark of Christian maturity. However, we know that Jesus and the apostle Paul were both single and neither offered the guarantee of marriage. So why is asking LGBTQ Christians who are not able to pursue heterosexual marriage to pursue lifelong celibacy harmful? To navigate this question and more check out our Q&A guide at reformationproject.org/celibacyguide #reclaimandreform #faithfullyLGBT
How to Talk About the Bible and LGBTQ Inclusion is a 70-page booklet designed to give readers a concise but comprehensive overview of the biblical case for LGBTQ affirmation. Covering topics ranging from experience, tradition, celibacy, and gender complementarity to the six main Bible passages that address LGBTQ behavior, this resource will help you both to better understand the relevant theological issues and to make a clear, compelling case for LGBTQ affirmation to those in your life who disagree with you. The booklet also contains feature sections on ex-gay ministries, bisexual Christians, transgender Christians, and queer Christians of color. Booklets can be purchased at reformationproject.org/publications
Micah 6:8 NRSV " He has told you, O mortal, what is good; & what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, & to walk humbly with your God."

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God and the Gay Christian

Have you read Matthew Vines' book about the Bible and same-sex relationships? Download our study guide to use in small groups.

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