Shows
Healing From WithinLIVE LIFE BY YOUR RULESWelcome to “Healing From Within.” I am your host Sheryl Glick (http://sherylglick.com) author of The Living Spirit a tale of awakening, spiritual communication, healing, miracles and a guide to intuition and soul presence. Today I am delighted to be talking with Brian Peyton Joyner (http://brianpeytonjoyner.com/books/the-wisdom-of-stones/overview/) author of The Wisdom of Stones (http://wisdomofstones.com), an interesting story of a grandson and grandfather, his interracial relationship and a boy who would be a Southern Baptist Preacher but can’t pray away the gay.How wonderful it would be if we could all learn...
2019-04-2930 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithBEST OF BE THE BRIDGE: Nick ManchesterMy favorite episode and the one where I learned the most. GOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERSEX? Nick Manchester is an intersex chimera who's transgender, non-binary, gay and asexual. Doctors forced his parents to decide his gender when he was three days old, and they made the choice to raise him as a girl. But he never felt comfortable in that assigned gender. After a couple of failed suicide attempts, he realized that he needed to live his life as a man. He's been kicked out of church and told that he's a child...
2018-05-231h 03Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithSouthern Baptist Preacher Scott McQueen Talks About His Son's First Date with a BoyOn Season 1, Episode 20, I spoke with Southern Baptist preacher, Scott McQueen. For thirty-one years he was a Southern Baptist preacher. And as the parent of three boys, he was a "parrot" of the orthodox message about homosexuality. But on April 8, 2014, when his youngest son came out to him as gay, Scott's life and his spiritual journey changed forever. One of the most difficult moments was when their son asked Scott and his wife Jackie to drive him to a town a couple hours away to go on a date with a boy. At that time, S...
2018-05-1607 minBe the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithDaniel Helmeniak Explains the Biblical Terms Abomination and UnnaturalHomosexuality may be an "abomination" and "unnatural", but those terms don't mean what you think they do. On this episode, I talk with Professor Daniel Helmeniak talks about the Bible and Homosexuality. We talk about the Hebrew view of the word "abomination" and how it doesn't mean a sin. We look at why "unnatural" means atypical and can't mean sinful because God acted unnatural. If you've ever wanted to better understand the "clobber verses," then this podcast is for you. Daniel is the author of the bestselling book What the Bible Really Says Abou...
2018-05-0923 minBe the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithSusan Cottrell on Why You Can't Both Love the Sinner and Hate the SinSusan Cottrell is a prominent voice for faith parents of LGBTQIA+ kids. We chat about our least favorite expression: Love the sinner. Hate the sin. That message is equivalent to an insincere apology, and the only message received is HATE. We talk about alternatives for parents and also deep down what that expression really means. "I love you, but I don't understand you." This is an episode for parents of LGBTQIA+ youth and also for anyone who wants to show true love to a gay family member or friend. For more in...
2018-05-0215 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithWhy the Bible is NOT inerrant with Robert CottrellThe Bible contains inconsistencies so why do some people claim the Bible is inerrant? I speak with Robert Cottrell about the flawed concept of "Biblical inerrancy." No one takes the Bible literally. Some people just cherry pick verses they want to believe, exclude the rest and call their individualized faith an "inerrant view of the Bible." We talk about the Bible is used as a sword to attack the LGBTQIA+ community and how the Bible can be used as a shield against such attacks.
2018-04-2521 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithMikah Meyer on Breaking a World Record and Changing LivesMikah Meyer just finished visiting his 308th park on his world-record trip to be the youngest person to visit all 417 U.S. National Parks. We talk about his childhood as the kid of a campus pastor, how he knew that gay was wrong, and how he decided to attempt this extraordinary feat. As a kid, Mikah prayed to be ordinary (straight) but after he embraced his sexuality, he realized that he could become extraordinary. THE BIG SURPRISE - Christians around the country are supporting his mission. Please support Mikah in his efforts by helping fund his last...
2018-04-1851 minBe the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithDr. Paula Trimble-Familetti Questions Teachings about Biblical Women:Dr. Paula Trimble-Familetti is a passionate advocate for women's rights, inclusive language, and biblical literacy. She holds a B.A. in Religion from Chapman University, an M.A. in Religion from Liberty University and a Dr. of Ministry in International Feminist Theology from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She has taught Women in Religion and Women's History classes at Chapman University. Her book Prostitutes, Virgins and Mothers: Questioning Teachings about Biblical Women is an incredible reimagining of certain Biblical stories through the eyes of the female main characters. Informational and entertaining, this book made me look at the Bib...
2018-04-1147 minBe the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithIbrahim Kamara on Reconciling His Queer and Muslim IdentitiesIbrahim Kamara was born in Kuwait but moved to Tennessee as a kid. He was raised Muslim, and he cherishes his faith community. At the age of 13, he realized that his attractions were different from other boys. He tried to pray away the gay, bargaining with Allah because Ibrahim wanted to spend Paradise in his own Versailles-like palace. Eventually, he realized that he had to live an authentic life. He has a passion for helping others understand that we are all intersectional beings, and those diverse aspects make us who we are. He is active in queer interfaith groups o...
2018-04-0442 minBe the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithChelsey Glassco Discusses Her Abusive Relationship with ChristianityChelsey Glassco is a teacher and therapeutic foster parent. As a kid, she attended "Jesus Camp" and was taught that homosexuality was the worst sin. When she came out to her parents at 16, she was forced into conversion therapy. But armed with her Xena journal, Chelsey was able to survive. Her tale of the mental and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of so-called "Christians" should be a wakeup call for the faithful. This podcast serves as a story of do's and don'ts for today's church. Religion should be a sanctuary and not a weapon! WARNING...
2018-03-2847 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithMais Al-Nima on Queer Muslim identityMais Al-Nima was born in Baghdad, Iraq and spent her childhood there. Then she lived in Syria and Kuwait before coming to the United States for school. She grew up as a practicing Muslim, but when she came out as queer, she put aside her faith. But she longed for that sense of community that religion provides and wanted to reconnect with her Arab culture. She co-founded a group for queer Muslims and queer people from the North Africa and the Middle East. Her goal is to help people of all faiths find community, wholeness, and contentedness...
2018-03-2141 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithThe Kevin Garcia Talks Survival and Freedom and Faith and QueernessThe Kevin Garcia talks about coming out and experiencing the fullness of God. We are at a time in history where the LGBTQIA+ people are more accepted than ever in our country, but there's still a whole community and a whole lot of Christians out there who don't feel the same way. God loves every single person in those non-affirming places, and God wants all of those folks to experience the same freedom that many of us experience when coming out. People don't know how free they are to love and to be able to...
2018-03-1448 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithRobert Cottrell on the Secret Weapon of the LGBTQIA+ Community in Evangelical ChurchesRobert Cottrell and his wife Susan are the co-founders of FREEDHEARTS.ORG, one of the best online resources for parents, children, and pastors connecting the LGBTQIA+ and faith communities. He is the father of five kids, two of whom identify as queer. In 2010, his oldest daughter came out as bisexual, and in 2012, his youngest daughter came out as lesbian. On this episode, Robert shares advice for parents of LGBTQIA+ kids and spills the secret on the "secret weapon" God has placed in conservative evangelical churches. For more information, www.freedhearts.org.
2018-03-0733 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithPastor William Stell Found His True Calling and First Boyfriend at SeminaryWilliam Stell is a gay pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Bordentown, NJ. He's a writer for HuffPost and Patheos and has presented on "sexual ethics" at the recent Q Christian Fellowship conference. When William entered Princeton Theological Seminary, he'd just come out as gay and had no specific intention to become a pastor. But at orientation, he met his first boyfriend, and by the time he graduated, he felt the calling to be a minister. Before studying at Princeton, William lived and worked in the country of Jordan at a school for Deaf and Deaf-Blind children...
2018-02-2847 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJazz Fitzgerald On Being Fired for Her Sexuality"I'm attracted to women," Jazz Fitzgerald told a friend at their conservative Christian college. Jazz was forced into weekly therapy where her counselors probed to find the root cause of Jazz's sexuality. She was told that she was broken and needed to be fixed. She could never know the fullness of God unless she had a husband. She pushed her feelings down deep and became the poster child of ex-gay therapy on campus. But the repudiation of her sexuality wasn't enough. Based on fears that she could be a risk to students because of her sexual orientation a...
2018-02-2141 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJason Galvez on the Value of Doing Things God's Way by Just LivingJason Galvez is a Christian, father, spouse, entertainer, and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. He was raised in a charismatic church, and two of his uncles who were pastors tried to exorcise the "demons" that made him homosexual. For years, Jason tried to persuade his relatives to change their minds about the Bible by sending them books, sermons and articles, but one day, God spoke to him and told him to change his tactics. By living his authentic life, Jason realized he could change more minds.
2018-02-1442 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithScott McQueen Finds Reasonable Doubt in the Bible About HomosexualityFor thirty-one years Scott McQueen was a Southern Baptist preacher. And as the parent of three boys, he was a "parrot" of the orthodox message about homosexuality. But on April 8, 2014, when his youngest son came out to him as gay, Scott's life and his spiritual journey changed forever. He was no longer on the smooth highway he'd been traveling most of his career, and he had to go "off-roading" for a while. Following a year of trials and tribulations in his church and wisdom and enlightenment in his research into the original languages of the Bible, Scott came to...
2018-02-0748 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithNick Manchester and the Challenges of Being Intersex in an Adam and Eve WorldGOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERSEX? Nick Manchester is an intersex chimera who's transgender, non-binary, gay and asexual. Doctors forced his parents to decide his gender when he was three days old, and they made the choice to raise him as a girl. But he never felt comfortable in that assigned gender. After a couple failed suicide attempts, he realized that he needed to live his life as a man. He's been kicked out of church and told that he's a child of demons, but Nick has finally found a faith community who support him and...
2018-01-311h 02
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithBrian Peyton Joyner Talks Sexual Ethics for the Gay ChristianCAN A GAY MAN BASE HIS SEXUAL ETHICS ON THE BIBLE? Brian Peyton Joyner shares new insight from the Q Christian Fellowship conference about how we can use the Golden Rule to establish a new sexual ethics for the 21st century. It's about shifting from a model based on boundaries to one based on values. Want to weigh in on sex and religion? Leave your comments at www.facebook.com/brianpeytonjoyner.
2018-01-2412 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJeff Ford Finds His True Self After 14 Years of Ex-Gay TherapyFor twenty-four years, Jeff Ford was married to a woman, and they have three beautiful daughters. But along the way, Jeff had a secret. He was attracted to guys. Jeff's conservative faith and love for his family motivated him to find a cure for his same-sex attractions. He spent fourteen years in church counseling and countless gay conversion therapy programs, but nothing changed his attractions. He could not pray away the gay. Jeff's marriage and his family suffered because he could not live a life of integrity, and he considered divorce in 2005 and 2009. He had fa...
2018-01-1744 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithSuzanne Dewitt Hall and the Transformational Power of Listening to GodIS YOUR FAITH STRONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW GOD TO SELECT THE PERSON YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE? Suzanne Dewitt Hall was a straight conservative Christian who once blogged about the evils of homosexuality. But then she met Diane. "It felt like the angel was at the door of the prison saying, 'Come out. Here's your earthquake. Get out of there.'" Suzanne left her husband and followed the path that God laid out for her. "When you allow God to be the person to select the person you're supposed to be with it's transformational." Su...
2018-01-1042 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJackie McQueen and the Conflict Between Love and Her Southern Baptist FaithJackie McQueen had been the wife of a Southern Baptist pastor for 30 years. And she firmly believed that being gay was a choice. But her world turned upside down on April 8, 2014, when she found out that her son was gay. For the past three and a half years, she has struggled with her conscience, her faith and being a mother. She is an ordinary person whom God has called to do extraordinary things, and her courage, compassion, and conviction make her a shining example of the best of Christianity. Jackie talks about those initials months aft...
2018-01-0345 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithThomas Mark Zuniga Struggles with Same-Sex Attractions, Faith and MasculinityOn this 14th episode, I talk with Thomas Mark Zuniga. Tom is a Christian who has same-sex attractions, and his core belief is that the only kind of sex God blesses is marital sex between a man and a woman. But Tom has never tried to "pray away the gay." Instead, he struggles to balance faith, sexuality and masculinity. And each week, he checks in with his "brothers" where they discuss their SPERM count. Tom is the co-founder of Your Other Brothers (YOB), an online community of Christian men who struggle with same sex attractions. T...
2017-12-2750 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithSusan Cottrell Frees Hearts to Love, Heal and AffirmOn this 13th episode, I speak with Susan Cottrell, the mother of two kids in the LGBTQ community. She became a devout Christian at the age of 14 and was a women's ministry leader at her church. But after her kids came out, she realized that her family would never have a place in their church again. She is a proud Mama Bear and the founder of a ministry for families of LGBTQ individuals, called FreedHearts. Her mission is to free hearts to love, heal and affirm. Susan has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies...
2017-12-2037 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithLiz Dyer and the Joys of SerendipityDoDah MomentsMy guest on this 12th episode is a woman who believes that if she can change her mind about faith and sexuality, then anyone can. Liz Dyer is a mama bear who is changing the world, by not only helping educate and support mothers like herself but by inspiring others to make the world a safer and kinder place for LGBT folks to live. She was raised Southern Baptist and believed that gay relationships were sinful. But when her son came out to her his sophomore year of college, she decided to look deeper into the Bible and her faith. Sh...
2017-12-1340 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJill McCrory is a Baptist Preacher and LGBTQ AdvocateOn this 11th episode, I speak with Jill McCrory, the first Baptist female preacher I’ve ever met. And I love her for that and for the wisdom and insight of our chat. Jill McCrory is a straight woman whom God has called to be a Baptist voice to the LGBTQ community. I talk with her about her theological questioning as a teenager and why she left the church for twenty years. We discuss the moment when she discovered that there was more to the Bible than what she’d been taught in Sunday School, and her deci...
2017-12-0639 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJustin Lee is the Original Gay Christian Bridge BuilderJustin Lee is a firm believer that Christians should be known for showing love, not for being jerks. Twenty years ago, he started building bridges between the gay and Christian group on his campus. in 2001, he founded the Gay Christian Network, which has grown to 30,000 members. He is the author of Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays v. Christians Debate. I speak with Justin about his faith and how his spiritual quest led him to a different yet richer understanding of the Bible.
2017-11-2949 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithDaniel Helminiak on what the Bible REALLY says about homosexualityDaniel Helminiak is the author of What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality. Since its publication in 1994, the book has sold 120,000 copies and been translated into seven languages. Daniel was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome on Christmas Day in 1967. But by 1976, he realized he was gay and could not reconcile his integrity with Vatican expectations. He obtained doctorate degrees in psychology and theology and became an authority on the Bible and its teachings on homosexuality. I talk with him about how his examination of the Scripture challenged his faith and changed his views, but how he became a st...
2017-11-2245 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithGreg Coles Shares His Journey as a Single Gay ChristianGreg Coles is a single Gay Christian whose love and enthusiasm for Jesus shine through in this week's episode. We talk about his childhood on the Indonesian island of Java and his spiritual odyssey of faith and sexual identity. Greg's warmth and humility shatter any preconceived notions I had about someone who has decided God has called him to gay and celibate. For more about Greg, check out www.gregcoles.com or his memoir Single Gay Christian.
2017-11-1539 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithMichael Parise and His Callings to be a Catholic Priest and GayAs a kid, Michael Parise was bullied by his entire class, and for many years considered himself asexual. His senior year in college, Michael Parise decided to abandon his plans for dental school and become a Catholic priest. When he was 48, he had his first kiss with another man. For thirty-two years, he served parishes in the Boston area, but today, he is a teacher, mentor, healer, author, and artist. His insights on the Bible and religion make this episode one of the most informative.
2017-11-0842 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJaron Terry Protects Her CubJaron Terry is one of the most dynamic and fabulous people I’ve ever met. I fell in love with her after getting a free Mama Bear hug at the Gay Christian Network conference this past January. Few people in this world reflect the light and love of Christ like she does. We talk about her about getting shunned by her Methodist church after her son came out and how she found solace in support groups like PFLAG and the Serependitydodah Facebook group. And she dishes advice for LGBTQ parents in dealing with family holiday obligations, including this gem - D...
2017-11-0141 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithTim Rymel Goes GayI talk with Tim Rymel, author, educator, and rethinker, about his experience as a leader in the gay conversion therapy movement. Tim grew up Pentecostal in a small town in California, and from a young age, he knew he had same-sex attractions. He also knew that he needed to pray away the gay. His journey from an unshakable conservative Christian to a progressive social justice writer has been long and arduous. Tim married a woman, had two kids and spent years as a key figure in the ex-gay movement. But after his divorce, he realized that he needed to...
2017-10-2536 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithAmber Cantorna Refocuses Her FamilyOn this 4th episode, I speak with Amber Cantorna. As the daughter of a Focus on the Family executive, she grew up in the idyllic Christian home. But at the age of nine, Amber learned that appearances were more important than her feelings. She did not have a safe place, even in her own family. She went through a dark period until she was able to accept her sexuality and become her authentic self. She talks about how she has refocused her family while staying true to her faith. Published in October 2017, don't miss Amber's memoir: REFOCUSING M...
2017-10-1844 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithNathan Don't Sing the BluesI speak with Nathan Tyler Sliwa about his spiritual journey as a gay man and follower of Christ. Nathan is 24 years old and the Minister of Contemporary Music at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary, North Carolina, which is just outside of Raleigh. Like so many people who have tried to stay in the church after coming out, Nathan met some resistance in balancing his sexuality and his spirituality. He hasn’t always been accepted, but unlike so many of us, he persisted and kept going in the church. Nathan describes himself as gay, Christian, a sin...
2017-10-1140 minBe the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithJack Schaeffer and a Much Needed ConversationI chat with gay romance writer and conservative Christian Jack Schaeffer about how the LGBT communities and the Christian church can work to reconcile the huge divide between the two. We discuss the gay conspiracy to destroy Christianity and explore why the church considers gay sex a "super sin". Jack talks about a pivotal moment in his life when twenty years ago, a worried mother asked Jack to cure her gay son. Would his advice be any different today if faced with that same situation? Jack is a pastor at his evangelical church just outside o...
2017-10-0436 min
Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of FaithThe Power of Possibility with Michael SharpOn this week's episode, I talk with Washington DC radio personality Michael Sharp. Michael grew up in Shacktown just outside Detroit. His parents were Pentecostal and Catholic, but he and his brother were raised Lutheran and sent to Christian day school. From the age of 10, Michael knew he was gay, but he never told anyone until many years later. Because of the abuse he saw heaped on the LGBTQ community, he gave up hope. And tried to take his own life with an overdose of pills and by cutting. At the age of 15...
2017-09-2836 min
All Things TherapyGay in the South- Brian Peyton JoynerMy interview today with author Brian Peyton Joyner about his book, "The Wisdom of Stones." We discuss the struggle of the main character to come out as gay though he is a Southern Baptist preacher. Find the author at: brianpeytonjoyner.com
2017-06-0850 min
All Things TherapyGay in the South- Brian Peyton JoynerMy interview today with author Brian Peyton Joyner about his book, "The Wisdom of Stones." We discuss the struggle of the main character to come out as gay though he is a Southern Baptist preacher. Find the author at: brianpeytonjoyner.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2017-06-0855 min