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MTR Connect | Stan Mitchell & Danny Cortez

October 8 @ 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Popular media can display Christianity in its worst light, while many behind the scenes are quietly reflecting the ways of Jesus. Today, religious and political forces unite. Yet don’t let the headlines fool you. That’s not Jesus.
Join us as we examine and reclaim the Christian response to our LGBTQ+ neighbors.

 

In this episode, you’ll hear from two evangelical pioneers about the past, present, and future hope of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church.

Stan Mitchell

Stan was the founding pastor of GracePointe Church in Nashville TN, who in 2015 become one of the first evangelical megachurches to openly stand for full equality of LGBTQ+ people. Their highly-publicized decision was both critiqued and applauded, with Time Magazine citing them as a primary example of a shift taking place in American Evangelicalism’s views on LGBTQ+ people.

Whereas Stan and other inclusive leaders at the time were hopeful for a groundswell to emerge, today he acknowledges how the last ten years have seen much slower advancements than hoped, given how divided and challenging this conversation remains. Today, Stan’s a tireless road warrior, both speaking and supporting leaders behind the scenes as they navigate LGBTQ+ inclusion in their churches.

Danny Cortez

In 2014, Danny stood before his Southern Baptist congregation to announce he had changed his stance on homosexuality, no longer believing that Scripture prohibited same-sex relationships. Soon after Danny delivered that pivotal sermon, his parish voted to support his vision, while in turn their denomination voted unanimously to expel their church from the Southern Baptist convention. These days, Danny is Co-Lead Pastor at Long Beach Christian Fellowship, as well as the founder of Estuary Space which provides consulting, pastoral care and resources for church leaders and individuals navigating the nuances of sexuality and the Christian faith.

 

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