The Baptist Pastor and His Transgender Friends | Mark Wingfield | TEDxCharlottesville
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- After engaging in a series of enlightening conversations and presentations on the intricacies of gender identity, pastor Mark Wingfield felt a calling. In this talk Mark recounts his journey of becoming one of the transgender communities' most unlikely spokespersons, and the human connections that resulted from his willingness to listen.
Mark Wingfield was a journalist for 21 years before becoming a pastor, he now serves as an associate pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. He is active in the nonprofit service sector, having helped launch four nonprofits and currently serving on the boards of three. Mark is a regular columnist for BaptistNews.com, where his two posts on understanding transgender identity went viral and sparked a national conversation.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
My whole life I was Christian, and I know something was different about me since I was 3. I wished I was born a girl, and hated God for it... Then I started praying and asking for him to fix me.... And it never happened. Last year I turned my back on God. I felt like he hated me and didn't love me. People told me im an abomination because I have started transitioning. I know who I am and I thought God made me just so I could suffer...But you just gave me hope. You just restored my faith in God. God bless you... Im writing this while in tears and I can't stress how moved I feel
Sending you a hug.
The truth in this even though i feel like god is not there i still pray for him to fix me every day
You are not an abomination. God loves you. Big hugs
Please find a Unitarian Universalist Church, they will love you as you are and for who you want to be, they will accept your transitioning without a blink of an eye and if you want they can help mend your relationship with God. If not feel free to come in as an agnostic or atheist, sometimes you just need an accepting community and a place to feel like yourself! Cheers!
Hello! We love you! Your journey is yours and my prayer for you is peace with yourself and in your community, safety, and a complete blossoming in your life. God bless, henny x
I'm not religious but I am trans and I never thought I would see a pastor so openly declare his support and compassion for trans people in such a public way. Thank you
We love you 👍 gahh, there are no pink and white hearts, sending rainbows, god loves you! XD ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
you should repent and prepare for eternity my friend because Jesus loves you so much
@@tafifriday4838 you should stop acting like we chose to be trans
And you should also mind your own business
Leave us alone we don't give any fuks
@@tafifriday4838 There is no need for trans people to repent when it comes to being their true selves. Was there something else you were pleading for us to repent about?
@@tafifriday4838 Why do my fellow christians insist on blackmail and threats? Is that something that helps you sleep at night?
As a transwoman, all I can say is for me you represent everything a Christian should be. Bless you for your growth and willingness to share that with the world.
A Christian should represent the truth. And the Bible warns about just such a fellow. Preaching what itching ears are wanting to hear-like yours. But that my friend is NOT OF GOD. Be on your guard against anyone who teaches contrary to the word of God in favor of feelings or contemporary practices. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Know that.
@@cherp7522 Be on guard against people who claim to know the Creator of Life personally.
He worships government not God
It needs to be a COMPLETE NARRATIVE first, Cher P.
@@cherp7522 shut up
I'm a believer strongly in Christ and I'm a trans girl this is reassuring because I was scared what God was thinking of me now u feel better thank you pastor
me too sis
YOU ARE ONE MAN. BE A MAN. REMOVE WOMEN'S CLOTHING.
I am transgender and I love God more than any human on earth. I do not feel like my body and my brain match, but my heart and God are inseparable. I am so happy that there is progress being made, I NEED the church to understand that being LGBTQ and being religious are not mutually exclusive.
Chris Bee I feel ya sister! Same boat, same river! ;)
I am the same way .
Royce: You lost me at LOL--pride goes before destruction. You do not speak on behalf of the church and Chris will learn one day that there is no need to worry about spending eternity with a pharisee like Royce.
Chris Bee God bless u my dear, u r a beautiful person!☺️💙🏳️🌈
@@roycevanblaricome634 yes. Because god is hateful..
As a transman, thank you so much for speaking out on this issue. I was raised as a Christian, in the same church I attend now. I am blessed to have been shown love only and was never turned away. There is hope. God made us all in his image and ONLY love in Christ for one another can heal this broken world. We are all God's children.
Thank you,
We need more pastors like him, and we need churches who welcomes people for their faith not for their gender.
Wow
Ah, but faith in what,me precisely...
yes!
*hate
Unitarian Universalist churches are very accepting of all.
As a Christian and a transguy this is amazing and important.
No, it’s not, it’s called “cooptation.” You are just an “other” that they will turn on it time.
Did any fellow Christian ever bother to tell you...God doesn't make mistakes
Deuteronomy 22:5
🚨“A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.”
@@openforworship2037 Which doesn't even apply. Actually learn something about being trans. Totally different ballgame.
@@openforworship2037 Which century are you in? This isn't the Bronze Age.
Thank you pastor. I left religion behind long ago. I am a 25 year old transguy who is touched by your words.
You chose an awesome name btw!!!
you can live religion but never live God.... He loves you unconditionally...
@@leilachioze6983 he is an abomination.
@@leilachioze6983 amen
@@PCMRvsconsole lol you believe what you want about a person.
He is what a pastor should be. God bless you, sir
He's a counterfeit who has been conformed to the world.
@@gentlemensedge5503 And what are you? You're not fit to judge.
@@gentlemensedge5503
There is some truth in the world. Everything is God's creation. This why we are inspired by his nature. The fact you never bothered to educated yourself about the truth of this, say's more about your relationship with God than anything else.
Thank you Pastor Mark for being brave enough to post that column, and to share these truths. I am a mother to a trans son and an a-sexual/a-romantic daughter and I have always told them God didn't make a mistake, you are who you are, in his image. Thank you for letting so many marginalized people know that there is love and acceptance in the world and especially in your church!
Read scripture
@@lionheart93 since we are telling others what to do.
Go away we don't care 💅
Thank you Pastor, I turned away from faith long ago and have since developed my own beliefs in my own way, but you have made me realize that those around me who denounce my existence in the name of God are not doing so because of their religion, but because of their own fears and bigotries. If a man of faith such as yourself can open his heart to anyone regardless of their identity, then I know there truly is a gleam of hope for this world
What turned me off from Christianity is the judgemental attitudes of so many. And the idea that they think they 'personally know' the Creator of Quasars. What arrogance! It makes zero sense. Proves they dont know what the Creator is.
@@rhyddidroselouw3896 What is the Creator??
@@livewireOrourke The Source of Life.
This start to look like a church and not a clubhouse
Very happy to have my misconseptions about baptist church turned on a dime thanks to one man
Bravo
Olive Kaiser thats hilarious, if utterly silly. Please use your God-given gift of mind and heart and truly think. Good luck in the wilderness may you find the light
@Olive Kaiser Actually, it's more like there was some of prenatal hormone imbalance, which caused to teh brain to go one way, and the body another. This has been medically documented.
Birth defects or gene problems are all lies from the Satan. You are not "born this way".
@@lynnc9511 Lynn, and I mean this in the kindest way I can say in English.
SHUT IT!
Everyone had been lied to: people are not born this way.
PROFOUNDLY moving. I am old, but after a lifetime of trying to fit into the evangelical church, I left back in 2001. How i wish I had known a pastor like you .. a church like yours. it would have saved so much suffering. At the same time, it's because of those years of suffering, I let nothing whatsoever stand in the way of loving all who, like myself, are the outcasts. THANK YOU, Mark, for listening to that voice of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, Mark,As a mum to a now adult, happy, healthy & fully adjusted trans child, i, like you, have been transformed. Maybe you would agree with me that its the world that needs to be transformed more than any transgender person ever did, does or will be....? hoping that your Ted Talk and other words & deeds help towards that goal.... understanding, accepting one's Gender Identity concerns us all, not just transgender people, who have existed since time immemorial, understanding one's Identity - who one is - gender being only a part of one's identity - can only lead to less ignorance & suffering and to more enlightenment.... if transgender people can help the world in this, they are indeed truly a gift from god... pls continue spreading the word!.... also, your humility is admirable... i too had no idea that there were transgender people in this world (didnt even know the word transgender) until one day my own child told me he was trans .... boy, did i have to learn fast, as much about myself as about my child, and eventually about people generally .... the journey was far from easy, and is still ongoing, but thanks to my fantastically strong intelligent & beautiful child, life for him (esp him) and everyone in the family is as good as it gets; just society needs to wake up ......
Hi Carol, I don't know if you still use this account, but it's been 4 years since you posted this comment and I hope your child is doing well. I'm a trans teenager and I wanted to say that I'm so, so thankful for mothers like you. You're a good person :)
@@jakeywakeyeggsnbakey Thank you Jake. So very kind of you to say that. Yes, Im still here! But less often these days. My son just keeps going from better to even greater, long may it continue! I know many mothers with trans children/teenagers/adults who, like me, have managed to help make everything turn out well for them. No secret, just good listening skills and unconditional love. Anything less is a sign of poor parenting skills, and/or (as you say) of not being a good person. I hope you have good people in your life. I wish you all the best on your life's journey... we're all on a journey, not always easy for anyone, but with good people around you, with their love & support, this is how we manage to survive & even thrive everything that comes our way, together.
Beautiful!
Agreed! I"m no Christian; I'm an Asatruar. I agree with the pastor. Try to learn about what people are going thru. Leave your ego at the door and try to understand. Gods bless him.
I’m an agnostic trans person, but I want to thank you for your kindness and compassion. This moved me to tears. ❤️
I hope this shows you can believe in Jesus without needing to be different.
My boyfriend's father is a Methodist pastor who has been the best. I never thought I was going to join a church but I was welcomed with opened arms. I was honestly surprised.
Congratulations, Mark, for your powerful, compassionate, wonderful account of God's working in your life and for your challenging message that we need to accept and affirm all of God's little ones!
Wow, I am awed and grateful for hearing this touchstone of beauty and sanity. May more of us emulate this true and lovely example of respecting and truly being the image of a loving God. Thank you!
Thank you so much! You helped me greatly. My dad is christian and he is not accepting me as his Daughter. I just told him 8 hours ago, but i hope he comes around eventually. Hopefully my dad will watch this, & get a better understanding of who i am. I am not very religous but i do believe in God. However watching this video made me realize that I should be more open minded about Christianity by picking up a bible.
Listen to “Walt Heyer” on you tube.
I'm so grateful for this, my dad doesn't understand why I'm so confident in the fact that God did not do wrong when he made me.
I'm a nonreligious trans woman, and I just want to say God bless you Pastor Wingfield
I am very emotional. There is a girl inside. I am absolutely brought to tears. My thought is for those of us who are a trans woman. we are called to live a Godly life as a woman. I haven’t officially come out. I am spending time with Jesus, & letting my hair grow. i need help with my voice.
“Her name is Claire.” Means clarity. Seems fitting ❤️
In the state where I live, a 17 year old trans girl was driven to suicide by her parents and her church. This was not the will of God and I am happy you are someone who would understand that.
Did the parents ever realize their mistake and repent?
@@r-platt I don't know but they buried their child as their son.
@@JanetDax How sad. I can't imagine that pain and loss.
Thank you for your quick response.
While it still isn't enough for me to forgive the Church... Pastor Wingfield, you've at least restored my faith in Christians.
I wish more churches were like this. I am atheist, but I support any church or religion who openly accept people and do not judge. Thank you sir for this! You and your friends are an inspiration...please keep spreading the love!
I'm an Asatruar/Heathen and I hear you. I also wish more Christian were like this preacher.
Quit judging what you do not know and learn to accept people as they are.
my question is how do you all consider presenting the teaching of the Word as judgement? It is like showing the rule book to players of a game except this isnt a game this is the battle for your eternal salvation. if someone was on fire wouldnt you put them out, or would you allow them to continue what they are doing cause who are you to tell someone that fire can kill them.
I was so scared. I was trying desperately to find a Christian resource that wouldn't shame me; that wouldn't tell me to repress or deny. I've repressed and denied for my entire life. God does not want a life of dissatisfaction and sadness for me, and I can feel that. I will use this resource in my attempt to explain my feelings to my parents, who are Baptists. Maybe to see a person of deep faith practicing true compassion and love will be the push needed so that I can keep their love. Thank you for being the voice in a room of silence.
yo I'm Christian and I wish the absolute best for you. God wants you to live as who you truly are. much love!
@@a.kamileon THANK YOU AWWWW
@@RelicNLimbo np!
This man represented our voice beautifully
Agreed my fellow human
repent
@@lexaskingdom3961 repent
@@tafifriday4838 stop pushing your religion unto others, that display is sickening.
And I think I'm good.
@@tafifriday4838 Christians such as yourself are doing exactly the opposite of the bible, god, and jesus wanted you to do. You're blackmailing and threatening people for not following strictly your religion. That is a massive sin, and it says it clear as day in the bible that this is as such. Christians like you are why I don't read the bible or go to church, I literally have to practice my religion by myself with my own beliefs because sharing it with anyone else is like a hostage situation.
this made me tear up ... the tought of people with open minds and acceptance? No hatred nor ignorance in their hearts makes me feel the love every human being deserves. Thank you for this video. ❤️
Thank you so much for allowing God to work through you and truly open your heart to ALL of His people. This is what God has instructed. As a "former Baptist," I have not been back due to the risk. I used to attend a large Baptist Church in Dallas and loved the people. They do not know who I am, inside. We need for all to recognize that we are called to love others.
God never instructed this SIN
Thank you pastor for having a Godly spirit to see others the way God sees them. I am straight and I support LGBTA Community because I know they are made in God's image like everyone else. It is something that Christian churches need to come in terms with.same as those who still look down upon black people. God made all in his own image. world wake up!!!
And do you tell them to remain trans?
Unfortunately he would be considered a false prophet....he is not seeing them as Christ sees....even the natural world proves that sin breeds consequences that cant be undone. A discussion can be had with others but the True God hates sin and loves the person and says go and sin no more. Yes as a Christian you must treat others with respect but in no way do u agree with any sin....please note Jesus never went to sinners, they came to Him and after coming they change ....so if we do what we wish we are against God's will and order. Blood is on this man's hands as Bible says because he's leading ppl astray
@@msmichelle2196 How do you know how Christ sees? Arrogance.
William Kimmons what is that question to be? They won't be able to change their identity. Especially not as a result of an outside influence. The only thing you can influence from the outside is the perception of them selfs their happiness and confidence and wether they will try to kill them selfs or not.
You can't discuss wether someone should "remain trans".
Just the same as you can't argue me into not remaining straight.
Wtf, it's just not an argument.
It is a sin just like lying. Liers are made in God’s image but if they don’t repent they will not be saved. There are several verses in the New Testament where explain that homosexuality is a sin.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON TH-cam! I AM TRANS AND ATTEND AN AFFIRMING OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH IN BERKLEY, MI. GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU PASTOR MARK WINGFIELD!!!
When I lived in Hawaii, the church I went to welcomed everyone. We were a very small church. The people in this church are the reason I am a Christian today. God loves us all.
What a beautiful, beautiful soul you are. I was so immediately and overwhelmingly touched by your deeply compassionate and loving presence that these tears started falling and still they are falling over 30 minutes later.
Love and utmost respect to each and every one of my transgendered brothers and sisters throughout the world from this nontransgendered man.
May the heavens shower flowers upon your hearts, wherever you are, today and always open.
🙏
♥️
Thank you so much Pastor, I had tears throughout the entire talk. I miss the church and this gives me hope.
thank you mark, that was absolutely wonderful to hear,please keep on speaking about trans people. god knows we need all the help we can get. keep up the good work!
Christian transman here...this made me cry. Trying to receive Gods love is so hard for me. All I can see is His holiness, His justice and His wrath. I have to remind myself constantly that we are all wicked sinners and that its Christ's blood, and His imputed righteousness that makes any of us worthy.
I'm a Christian transman too and it makes me happy to find others out there that are like me. God bless brother!
dude how did you reconcile being trans and Christian? I'm struggling a lot.
@@a.kamileon maybe you’re struggling because you aren’t honouring God with your body by trying to be someone you are not. God bless you and hope you find peace and Gods love ❤️
Maybe your oppressive identify is keeping you from being true in god’s love. Your hate isn’t welcome here or anywhere
Thank you so much for putting this on youtube. You are a blessing !
Thank you Sir for your support , you will help change the world for the better . I am FTM
You are very handsome and cis-passing!
I don' think so.
You ruined your body.
@@anonymousbody4313 I haven’t I made it the way it should have been . Do you say that to all the men and women who get plastic surgery done to look younger ?
What business is it of yours what I do ?
Thank you for an insightful discourse on a subject that obviously generates a lot of emotions. On so many levels, we need to be ready to talk and try to understand what a transgender person goes through.
As someone who has faith and always been uneasy about theology at the denominational level, it's so great to see a preacher from an evangelist church listen to those who are every day people talk about a modern day topic.
It's helpful to have these kinds of conversations. I'm glad this was shared.
I'm a trans woman and was raised by evangelists (my parents) and THIS HAS BROUGHT ME TO TEARS! Still finding answers for some specific questions but I know LOVE is the ultimate answer. SO HAPPY I FOUND THIS!!! God bless you, Mark
I have always mused about the diversity of our creator when a hermaphrodite is born. This expose is brilliant and challenging to the thought. Doctors are now allowing these special people to make their own decisions about gender instead of physically assigning a gender at birth and later discovering this person did .not identify with the physician's choice of gender. It is too bad the writers of ancient scripture did not have this knowledge, although enough is written about eunuchs that a closer look might make the most ardent of traditional evangelicals to pause and give thought. This is one rare pastor that is eloquent, engaging, and compassionate.
Interesting you should say this, because God is neither male or female, in himself he is simply spirit, the male and female come because of the nature of the flesh, what is also interesting is this, that the first man that came into being was hermaphrodite, male and female as one, this is why it is written that woman came out of man and they were separated.
hermaphrodite, when looking at the nature of things is a greater reflection of God as one, father mother God.
@@TempleofChristMinistries You are mis-gendering God, the creator of the universe. Yes, God does identify as He/Him/His
@@livewireOrourke if he identifies himself as he, him or his, this is due to the masculine therefore he would also identify himself as her meaning father mother god and this image is in the beginning in Genesis, I will make man in my own image male and female, father mother God.
@@livewireOrourke how do you know lol you and God be chilling in your basement?
@@lexaskingdom3961 I don't even have a basement.
This is rare within the Church. Most can't grasp the fact, or they do but it's too frightening, that trans and gays are born the way they are. Because if they are born that way, and God knows all of us before we're even born and created us wonderfully, then God had to have created gays and trans people. Why? Only He knows this.
I kept my faith all the way. But it still hurts to have been pushed out again and again from all the places. I thank you for your courage.
I am not a Christian. But if i was you would be my go to church. So much positivity. Love it
I have been a Christian for most of my life. I recently realized my spirit should be only to love, pray, and understand. My role is never to judge. Jesus role modeled his unbounding love by seeing people and healing people without their social acceptance.
Thank you! I feel the same way!!
should be compulsory at every SBC church in the world (even though I know the majority would not be moved to compassion - at least they would have heard). Thank you for this Pastor
There are truly no words to describe the gratitude I feel for your outstanding wisdom to embrace this needed exposure on a truth that has been
,through ignorance ,fear ,lack of compassion and love ignored .
You are a ray of God consciousness that needs to be embraced by all ,especially those who choose to call themselves Christian s.
I have tried to understand how those identifying as such ,professing to be fowling the teachings of Jesus Christ and totally ignore the
part about Oneness and Love .
You have opened Pandora’s box just to find all is needed is understanding and Love 🙏🏻👍👍💕
Thank you pastor, it is good to see Jesus through you!
Wow. There are so many comments about how wrong he is as a pastor. Why can't, instead, if you disagree with a part of it, just take the good aspects of it away? One of the bottom lines of this talk was that people should be loved; regardless of sexuality or identity, people should be loved as anyone should.
A Pastor has a special calling. And that is to share God's truth: God's word. And not peoples personal opinions. God does not need his help. He is deceived.
C Pope: God has said precisely NOTHING in the negative about trans people, I defy you to cite specific, interpreted with proper accepted exegesis, Scripture that condemns being trans or transitioning. It's not there. All you have is a traditional doctrine based on isegesis of unrelated passages, using inference and assumption to confirm what you wanted to believe in the first place.
Yours is not the religion of Christ but of the Pharisees.
Deuteronomy 22:5. A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.
Now you can play around and look for justification to support anything you want to. Just don't get that confused with what God says. God is a God of order. And everything about him is about order and purpose. And I submit to God, because personally, Sweetie, even when I have went against God in my own life, after it is all said and done, I have found his word to have been the best. Even now, looking back, as far as a lot of the problems youth have today, most of it goes back to disorder in families, AND, for them personally, disobedience to parents. As God said, children obey your parents so all will go well with you and you will live a long life in the land(paraphrased).
The word of truth is eternal and unchanging-dependable like day follows night. The better question is why would you want to base your eternal life on something that is always changing and is evidence of being unreliable? What age in history was perfect and unchanging? What age of human knowledge was unchanging and reliable? Try whatever you like. But you will undoubtedly when you get up close and personal see the INFERIORITY in that which is set up as an alternative to what the Bible professes. AND IT HAS BEEN PROVEN. YOU ARE JUST UNEDUCATED IN SUCH MATTERS!!!
Have you found evidence that their is no God? Show your proof. the Bible is the proof. It is accurate today as it was thousands of years ago. Go check your science books from two thousand years ago. the Bible HAS NOT NEEDED TO CHANGE!
This is the age of Google! You can find all sorts of evidence so you are without excuse. Here's one of hundreds of sights with PROOF! CHECK OUT THIS SITE AS well as any others you can find.
evidence to support the bible is fact
I am an atheist and live in a very religious country (aka the USA). I wish every pastor were like Mr. Wingfield and could except those who are different from themselves with such grace. This is the kind of man that I would love to have as my neighbor.
Excellent presentation best wishes for continued success in your endeavor to educate people about human beings that God created in his own way👍⭐️🙋♂️🌈💪✝️🏳️🌈🇺🇸💙✡️💜
All the negative comments are from people who just call this man a conforming leftist or a sinful heathen and just take verses out of context without elaborating why he's wrong. Really goes to show how these people will immediately disregard anything that doesn't line up with their interpretation of the Christian belief.
My respects to you pastor, you certainly show God's love 👏👏👏👏
This has to be the best thing I've ever heard from a pastor. God bless you, sir! This one gets it!
Everybody deserves love, to be accepted, and to be at peace given who they really are. Jesus died on the cross, and was resurrected for all.
God be Praised, Jesus is Lord,I cried after I saw this, someone get it, they understand. Thank you Pastor Mark for being Jesus' hands and arms embracing us and loving us. I love Jesus and praise Him for whatever comes into my life, But I prayed for God to take these desires and feelings from me. Two years ago He asked if I would praise Him for them,No problem. A month later God said will you embrace this and transition, this goes against all I have been taught,Confused I said yes, It was like a breath of fresh air. As I have gotten into the trans community on youtube and at meetings, I PRAISE GOD! I'm right where He wants me. I get to be His hand reaching out in love and His voice to tell them God loves you immensely and you are valuable to Him. God bless you, Tiffany Joy, God sees the heart
Okay, may be progress. Anything else?
God told you to transition??? wow!
You held on to the computer and God sent the message through. Your words were definitely inspired by God 🙏
Wow, that certainly wasn't the reception I got from our Southern Baptist Church. Thank You for your Christ Consciousness.
What a wonderful person. What a wonderful pastor. Thanks so much for this.
This trans girl is cheering! Thank you for these words, and for your love of a community that needs Christ as much as a tax collector or Pharisee.
being trans is not a sin but i feel like it can cause you to sin. just thinking that god doesn't love and accept you makes a lot of trans people turn to satan when they dont need to
I wish sooooo sooooo much that you were my pastor.. -cries-
Wish you were closer by I would definitely go to your church no doubt
What a wonderful, Godly man...I'm going to find out more about him.
Mark Shealy don’t judge
Thank you for listening
God's richest blessing be with you. You are such a wonderful man. You are a gift from God.
Rozamund Omand why are you judging him? You’re not God.
God Bless you, you have given me back my faith in God Your trans sister in Christ Nicole
i’m so happy for you! God bless!
Thank you for this informative presentation! Very insightful.
thank you pastor you told my story thank you this brought tears to my eyes
I think it's super cool how this group of his was ready to learn new things instead of just drilling that 2000yo book all over again. Good jub. All pastors should be like that.
I met you a few years ago when you were speaking at Oakhurst Baptist in Decatur, GA. I wish all ministers could see us as you do.
That's it...yall wanna be accepted by man but not god..but woe unto those who lead others a stray
God is not author of confusion...both old n new testament speaks clearly on homosexuality sighs
This gives me Hope I know God loves me but it’s the works around me that makes it so hard for me to deal with on a daily basis
I want to blast this all over the internet
I'm a Christian and I support LGBT rights. Anyone who is unhappy with this can leave.
Like I said, no one said you had to be here.
I was convinced that such a person like you did not exist, and could not exist. But you, combined with the speech of this wonderful gentleman above, have changed my mind.
One cannot be LGBT when Born Again in the Definition of What Born Again is according toJesus Christ...for once Born of the Spirit of God we become new creatures in Christ Himself , and He and His Holy Spirit literally lives within us. HE transforms every aspect of our lives...we are never going to be the same as we once were.. this includes who we are as humans beings..we are no longer led by the old nature of man, who is led by the sensual things .. rather than the New man who is led by the Holy Spirit ...sin rules the life of the sensual man or woman. If one continues in their old way of thinking and living , and they claim to be Born Again, they are liars and
And They do NOT know God in the Biblical sense
Kay Dyser your entire argument is based on the very questionable premises that such is sin and only about lust 🙄
Compassion wins
Please forgive me if this story is considered inappropriate within this context? To advance some concepts I would like to present some quotes.
First:
Isa 56:4-5 KJV 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
Second:
Mat 19:11-12 KJV 11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
Third:
Act 8:26-40 KJV (The baptism of the eunuch which I consider too long to be quoted here.)
I would love to note first that the term eunuch in these quotes seems to be defined by the Lord Jesus himself to include intersex individuals (eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb). Unwilling (some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men) and willing (eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs) individuals appear similarly defined.
May I also note the quote (unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters). I am aware that original Hebrew literally is translated "a hand and a name" greater than of sons and of daughters. I am, however, quite intrigued by the implications that eunuchs are given recognition separate from sons and from daughters.
I consider myself to be a eunuch (trans). I am not exactly a son and not exactly a daughter. I have a woefully masculine face and physique but I am definitely not a son (AMAB, MTF, post SRS (GCS)). Therefore I do not fit in sons' spaces or daughters' spaces.
I have immersed myself in the philosophical, psychological, political and theological literature and media for a significant portion of seven decades and conclude that I am physically, politically, perceptually and theologically non-binary. Psychologically, I have identified as female since the age of two or three but diligent discipline discouraged any hint or discussion of my feminine identity or behavior. My ideal puberty would have included hormone blockers until a legally acceptable age to begin HRT and GCS (SRS) and then as nearly normal womanhood as attainable.
In actuality, the diligent discipline has induced my voluntary celibacy and perception that I have been insidiously gaslighted and have a subtle incidence of complex traumatic stress disorder by the dismissing, ignoring, denying and suppressing of my gender identity.
I hope my comments and the quotes are discovered to be beneficial. I pray that nothing is found to be triggering because my intent was to be somehow loving, compassionate and empathetic to each and everyone. If you have deigned to read this entire comment, thank you much!
Thank you so much for your presentation. your acknowledgement and your kindness!
It does impress me when I read how some of you are more open-minded than I would expect. I would expect only a few medical specialists to be able to understand such phenomena as gender variance. This Baptist pastor must be very intelligent!
i dont think i can go back to christianity after what ive gone through as a trans guy, and what i went through even before i even allowed myself to believe i was trans. but this at least gives me hope that i could one day live in peace with my christian family. i want to be close to them more than anything. it terrifies me how much i need the love of people who hurt me in the name of god. but maybe there's hope. if not with my born family, then at least somewhere in my highly christian community. it seems like christians can love a person like me, after all.
We love you!
Christianity is not a relegion
PoHazard - listen to Walt Heyer on you tube.
There's allways hope and rember just because people use God name doze not mean they are Christian's
@@marygrech1837 Right.
And the United Kingdom is not a country.
See, you just lost all credubility by saying Christianity is not a religion.
Thank you.
I almost cried in the last view seconds when he talked about Claire. There was something so touching about this message....
I've hear this before and it's so encouraging
There are only two questions a real Christian can ask another, do you love the lord with all your heart and do you accept the blood of Christ that takes away all your sins. Every Christian without exception sins with literally every thought every moment and those who claim to be less sinful and therefore able to judge others is in fact likely no child of God and I keep them far from me.
Your thoughts are not counted as sin
So sad to hear this message .
@@awomanforgodsglory5245 that you are not God yourself? Yeah how about that... God is the one who judges sin, so you are in fact a heretic for judging other's sins, or even GRAVER of a sin is to suggest that YOU yourself have the authority of God. What that means is speaking about other peoples choices, behavior, etc SHOWS real people of God that you have not actually comprehended his word. Last i checked you have not been brought into the kingdom of heaven, cause you sit here judging on the internet. Last i checked, you are still struggling with the same temptations we all are. To suggest that Christianity has ALREADY granted you access to heaven, you would not exist on this earth.
You are tempted til the day you die.
Thats why You dont understand.
He sounds like a pastor that wants to be accepted by both sides instead of standing up for what is truth.
lewis irvine EXACTLY
or he's a pastor that accepts scientific and medical evidence?
I agree with you Lewis In the last days people will gather false prophets who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear, God have mercy on this man for diluting the truth of the word of God.
@@gordonheart8000
Truth is truth. God does not deal in lies. If he speaks the truth, then it's God's truth.
As a non-trans christian who avoids churches like the plague who preach on the lgbtq community in an unflattering light,I am so relieved. I need the community back that i once had. But i cast it aside in my early 20s when the pastor at my church began condemning other churches for marrying the "gays". I was appalled. I had no idea that the man that i had looked to every sunday and Wednesday thought this way. And when all the heads around me began nodding and mumbling to each other i knew i no longer belonged there. I could not be a part of something so hateful. Something so hateful to a process that should be nothing but full of love, marriage.
Pastor Mark you are just like Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel who reached out to the disenfranchised druggies and surfer bums back in the 60's...ironically he so dramaticly showed these "outcasts" the unmerited love of the Lord that a large portion of these throw-aways became pastors just like you and are now transforming lives that were "broken"...just like you...keep on doing what the creator of the stars has commissioned you to do which is not just talk about the immeasurable love of the Lord...but show it BY YOUR ACTIONS!
Beautiful talking, the story of Clara is really touching... In my country there is a lot of ignorance and silence too... Thank you for standing out about it.
I'm currently studying to be a priest and this was truly inspiring. Thank you!
"Transformation from indifference to compassion" - this is what Yeshua taught the Jewish leaders about healing on the Sabbath.
kudos to this guy for setting a good example - not just for us Christians - that we if could just spend a bit of time to understand what other people are going through instead of staying in our own heads
As a christian, I have to admit that there are things said in the bible that are against certain things, but I choose to believe that anyone should have the freedom to be whoever they are and do whatever they want as long as it doesn't harm anyone else
Maybe. Any thoughts on Numbers 31:17, though?
You are a true man of God.
No he isnt..do not be deceived
I'm only partway through this, and I'm sure I am going to LOVE this, but I need to ask something first ... I'm at 2:04 and I'm hearing a whispering voice ... does anyone else hear this???
Me Too, I Thought I Was Going Crazy.
God bless you Pastor, GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
You sir, have just challenged my own bias of Baptist preachers. Thank you kindly for your work.
I DO NOT RESPOND TO HOW PEOPLE ARE DRESSED.
I COULD NOT CARE LESS.
I HAVE NO INTEREST IN WHO AND HOW PEOPLE LOVE.
I MIND MY OWN BUSINESS.
WHATS THE HARD PART?
THERE IS NONE.
As a nonbinary, I didn't really realize I was trans until I hit puberty, and my parents didn't think anything was different because I liked both girl and boy things, but listened to the encouragement to lean towards girl things. At about 11, my English teacher divided up the class by gender and had us recreate versions of Cinderella from around the world that we had read in class. I wound up being the prince. At first I fought it, but at the end I realized I loved it. I still have the jacket I wore that day with the flower sticker we used as a prop still on it.
And then I heard the word genderqueer, which was the first time I had ever heard any kind trans label and I immediately knew it was me because of that play. I ever told my mom, but she bawled about how most trans kids attempt suicide and scared me back into the closet for her sake.
At about 12 I started going through puberty and complaining about the dysphoria of no longer being androgynous, and my mom and her friend told me I would come to like it. I've made my peace with hips but that's about it.
In the last year I accidentally came out as nonbinary in front of a bully, and she ganged up with a friend and harassed me in front of class, worse than ever. For the first time someone remembered I was bullied. Ever since I've been making it a point to come out whenever possible, even if my family tells me to shut up because I'm not trans enough, I don't feel welcome in church (only the priest knows because I know he would never do anything to hurt me even if he doesn't accept it), I get picked on, and I have to explain what being non-binary. I just hope that telling more people about it will end up with more accepting people like you, sir.
Wow pastor you are such a blessing
God loves each of you and offers forgiveness to everyone . All anyone who asks Him. I love each of you as well