Beyond Affirming: Ministry in LGBTQIA-Inclusive Churches

Beyond Affirming offers guidance and insight on LGBTQIA-inclusive ministry practices, from preaching and teaching to the language used in songs and on forms, unique considerations for pastoral care, ideas for outreach and advocacy, and much more. Providing practical wisdom for churches embracing LGBTQIA inclusion, Beyond Affirming assists congregations and their leaders with truly living into their commitments to become places of healing, belonging, and celebration. More churches than ever before consider themselves “affirming.” They openly support gay, lesbian, and other queer people being married, ordained, and participating in all the church’s ministries, and they proudly share this affirmation with visible pride. But that declaration—often following a years-long process of debate and discernment—is only the beginning of what it means to be an LGBTQIA-inclusive church. Beyond that momentous decision are everyday practices and choices that make your congregation a truly welcoming, joyful, familial place for queer people and their families to be. Beyond Affirming offers comprehensive guidance to transform your church into that joyful space. Pastors Cody Sanders and Art Wright not only address strategies for preaching and teaching the Bible but also provide insights on worship, rites and rituals, spiritual care of individuals and families, community outreach, advocacy, and much more. Addressing everything from large-scale ministry concerns to the language used in songs and on forms, this book is an invitation to build together an expansive community of love and justice.