I still remember the Sunday I broke my silence on LGBTQ+ inclusion. As Elie Wiesel said in his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, “silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” I was serving as the pastor of a church in a small North Carolina community where the influences of the Bible Belt were strong. We didn’t use the label “Purple Church” back then, but my people represented a broad spectrum of beliefs and political...
Purple church possibilities
Whether you desire a new building or a new interpretation of Scripture, progress cannot be made if leaders are conflict-averse, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
