The Redwood Center

This post is part of the Uncommon Saints series hosted at Bakos Project that features inspiring works and sermons by LGBTQ followers of Christ who encourage us in the Christian faith.

Tim Otto is pastor of Church of the Sojourners in San Francisco, California, an intentional community that lives and serves together: “We believe God intends Christians to live out the pursuit of holiness not just individually but with a people, with a local church.” The community offers an apprenticeship program, where one can apply to join this unique fellowship for a year, as well as discern a long-term commitment. Tim, who is gay and theologically affirming of same-sex relationships, discerned a vow of celibacy in 2009 in order to devote himself to ministry. He has long given his life to serving others. As a Registered Nurse he was one of the first to work with AIDS patients. He has pastored Sojourners while simultaneously serving the broader San Francisco community.

Tim grew up in the Baptist church as a missionary kid (MK). Being an MK had its challenges, including attending seventeen different schools before he graduated high school. But Tim held fast to his Christian faith and began looking for ways to make a difference in the world from a young age, whether serving immigrants or teaching English through World Relief. In an article he wrote for Plough, he says, “Love perseveres in spite of failure, and humbly seeks forgiveness and love from God and others – and to forgive and love others – for the thousandth time. Love is rare because it is so difficult. At the Simple Way, a community known for service to its poor neighborhood, the participants say, ‘The most radical thing we do is choose to love each other…again and again.’” Tim has a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree from Duke Divinity School and has authored two books: Inhabiting the Church: Biblical Wisdom for a New Monasticism (co-authored with Jon Stock and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove) and Oriented to Faith: Transforming the Conflict Over Gay Relationships.

Listen to Tim Otto talk about the church and living in community in this podcast episode with pastor Tom of Sycamore Church.

This post is part of the Uncommon Saints series hosted at Bakos Project that features inspiring works and sermons by LGBTQ followers of Christ who encourage us in the Christian faith.

I first met Pastor Candace Hardnett about four or five years ago through ministry connections, and I was immediately struck by her deep passion for Christ. Pastor Candace was born and raised in a small Virginia town. After serving in the Marines, she planted a church called Agape Empowerment Ministries, which she has served for the past fourteen years. She also started a podcast called Godly and Gay. In 2021, she created a popular TikTok channel that uses humor to challenge prejudice against LGBTQ people. Pastor Candace and her wife, Erika, have three daughters and live in Savannah, Georgia.

Trust me, you do not want to miss this encouraging word from Pastor Candace. Click on the video below to listen to her sermon entitled, “I’m Still Standing.” She starts preaching about the 15 min 24 second mark. But, I encourage you to enjoy the worship from the beginning (opening prayer and singing). It will encourage your heart as well. If the challenges of life have you down, the Holy Spirit can lift you up.

This post is part of the Uncommon Saints series hosted at Bakos Project that features inspiring works and sermons by LGBTQ followers of Christ who encourage us in the Christian faith.

One of my favorite sermons is by a dear friend of mine, Matthew Vines, who directs a non-profit ministry called The Reformation Project. Matthew was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. In his late teens, he headed off to Massachusetts to attend college at Harvard. But, while there, he began to wrestle with the question of faith and sexuality. The burden reached such a point that he left school to return home. Over the next six months, his dad and mom compassionately studied the issue alongside him (go parents!). The result of that discernment process led both Matthew and his family to accept his reality as a gay man.

Matthew has a deep love for God, Scripture, and the church. In fact, those three things drive his ministry work, which seeks to create greater understanding of LGBTQ people and encourage churches to fully include sexual and gender minorities into fellowship and active leadership. At the last Reformation Project Conference, Matthew preached a classic gospel message entitled, “Yesterday, Today, and Forever: The Heart of Christianity.” I hope it will encourage you, as much as it encouraged me.