As a gay man, I know
firsthand how detrimental traditional Christian teachings can be to gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people by those who would use Scriptures to
condemn us, berate us, dehumanize us, vilify us--and even kill us--in the Name
of God.
I
also know firsthand how this can have a detrimental effect on one’s personal
relationship with God, and how many Christians tend to push people away from
God, rather than drawing people nearer to Him, simply because they don't know
that the Scriptures actually speak loudly against such practices.
By
sharing these truths, it is my hope that Christians will take another look at
Scriptures they are familiar with, as well as to be introduced to Scriptures
they likely don’t even know exist, because the Church (both Catholic and
Protestant) has largely not taught on them.
It
is not my goal to change anyone’s mind or beliefs. My job is only to "convey," not to
"convince." Only the Holy
Spirit can convince you. Instead, it is
my intent to share my own understanding of the eunuchs mentioned throughout
Scripture as they pertain to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals
who are often told they cannot be both Christian and gay.
In
the process of this work, I discovered many Scriptures that (once restored to
their literary context), reveal Jesus teaching that gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people are born so from our mothers' wombs (Matthew 19:11-12), and
that single gender marriage was ordained by the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians
7:8-9). I share now how I discovered the
long history of eunuchs within the pages of Scriptures (including prophecies by
God Himself), that are not only dependent upon eunuchs for final fulfillment,
but that also prevent the Return of Jesus until they are fulfilled (Isaiah
55:11-56:12, Luke 24:44). Not only do
these prophecies point to at last making God’s House a House of Prayer for ALL
People, but how many Christian traditions have prevented the manifestation of
the Glory of the Lord in congregations all over the world, just as it did in
Solomon’s day. (2 Chronicles 7 and
Malachi 2-3).
Far
more than a case for Biblical gay marriage, The
Bed Keeper focuses on the most significant advent of Christianity,
and reveals roadblocks to Christ's return to the earth; roadblocks put in place
by the Church itself, whether intentionally, or unintentionally.
It
is also my intent to share with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
community, the facts about Scriptures that we have not heard of, and to shine
another light on interpreting the Scriptures we have. I hope that understanding these Scriptures
within their literary context, will help the Church learn how to properly bring
people back into the Christian fold; people who have all but rejected their
pursuit of a God they barely knew, because of the hurtful, demoralizing and
hate-filled words from so many Christians we've all known too well.
It
is not my intention to win a theological debate, but rather to demonstrate to
members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community how THEY can
win them within their own churches and families, all the while standing
confidently on the Word of God, and refusing to give up any promises it
contains for us, as we become empowered and emboldened to take our rightful and
God-ordained place in His House of Prayer for ALL people, and begin walking in
the prophetic purpose He designed specifically for us.
Religion vs. Forgiveness
This
book is also an effort to make sure that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people who find themselves being persecuted by Christians will have a resource
to study it out on their own--based on God’s Word--instead of relying only on
religious traditions of men. Who knows how
many teenagers will read this book and have the strength and courage to ask for
help upon realizing they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, instead of
committing suicide as so many do? What
if we could help people understand who they are in Christ, before they grew
hostile toward God, or His Word, or His people, or before they left their
church, their families, or even their very lives in some cases?
I
deeply believe this book will help them (as well as those who love and minister
to them), if accompanied with godly, loving and accurate Biblical counsel. Condemnation, rebukes, and ill-informed
messages of damnation will not save anyone.
We do not save a man
by revealing to him his sin, but by revealing to
him His Son!
But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ
reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with
Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed
we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].
And
then Romans 11:15 asks us to consider:
If their rejection and exclusion from the benefits of
salvation were [overruled] for the reconciliation of a world to God, what will
their acceptance and admission mean? [It will be nothing short of] life from
the dead!
Love,
compassion, and encouragement will do wonders when empowered by God through the
power of His Holy Spirit and the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ! But it takes an accurate and contextually
intact exploration of the Scriptures too.
In an attempt to equip Church ministry with a firm understanding of how
best to approach the subject, I think that refuting inaccurate traditional
teachings that go against (or short change) the Word of God is the first place
to start.
The Bed Keeper is such an attempt, as it endeavors to speak
to the hearts and minds of Christian believers everywhere in an effort to
challenge them to set aside religious tradition, and embrace
relationship--including a relationship with those of us who identify as gay,
lesbian, bisexual or transgender--and for one reason only: for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven!
It
is my hope that The Bed
Keeper empowers people everywhere to press in to what Scriptures
really have to say regarding those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender, as well as our families and the Church. It is my fervent desire that the fruit of
this information is one of a greater understanding that regardless of what
Christianity has traditionally taught regarding being gay and Christian, that
indeed there is a place for us at the King’s Table, and that the return of
Jesus Christ is prophetically dependent upon us gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people being there!
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender People
are Born Eunuchs
The Bed Keeper features many different Scriptural passages,
and helps us begin to see that there is a long history of Eunuchs in Scriptures
that most people have never heard of, because the Church has traditionally not
taught on them. Many times, they have
been purposely avoided altogether because they debunk so many of the traditional
teachings on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people that say we cannot
be gay and also be Christian. In fact,
most traditional teaching the Church has shared has stated that Jesus makes
absolutely no references in Scripture to gay people at all, except to condemn
us. When we look deeper, we find that
not only did Jesus not condemn us, but we find much Scriptural support for
our faith and belief that Christ died for all people, including those of us who
identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, whether the Church will ever
say so or not.
As
Mr. Spock quoted in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered
Country:"
"Logic is the beginning of wisdom. When you eliminate the impossible, whatever
is left--no matter how improbable--must be the truth."
It
is impossible to believe that God hates those of us who are gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender. Scriptures
show us that Jesus died for all our sins, and that God loved the whole world so
that whosoever
would believe on Him would have eternal Life. (John 3:16)
This
tells me that God loves ALL His children, and when it comes to His gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender children, I believe Scripture clearly shows
us His great, prophetic purpose for including us as part of His Divinely Created
Order, as we examine the historical and prophetic accounts of eunuchs contained
in His Word.
In
Luke 24:44, Jesus said, "...everything
which is written concerning Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the
Psalms must be fulfilled."
In
Isaiah 55:11-56:12 we see God issue His Own Prophecy regarding His House
becoming a House of Prayer for all people, including acceptance of those who
had formerly been turned away. As so
many Christians continue to proclaim that people cannot be both gay and
Christian, clearly we see that prophecy has not yet come to pass. The Bed
Keeper explores not only what the prophecy is saying--and to whom--but also
reveals how the Church has intentionally kept this prophecy a secret, as the
enemy has used even the Church itself to prevent the fulfillment of this
prophecy, hoping to prevent the return of Jesus Christ.
In
Matthew 19:11-12 we read:
“Jesus said to them, Not all men can accept this saying,
but it is for those to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given. For
there are eunuchs who have been BORN incapable of marriage; and there are
eunuchs who have been made so by men; and there are eunuchs who have made
themselves incapable of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him
who is able to accept this accept it.”
I
recall the day I read these Scriptures nearly 35 years ago during a Sunday
School class, and realized only recently how much they were actually great news
for me, and to millions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people all
over the world. I hope to illustrate why
I believe they will also become great news for the entire Body of Christ.
Realizing
that “born eunuchs” and LGBT people are one and the same took a greater
understanding of the Scriptures than I realized, because the Church and its
theologians have been selective in their definitions of the word
"eunuch," even intentionally omitting definitions for one type of
eunuch Jesus mentions: Born
Eunuchs.
Within
the historical accounts of eunuchs throughout Scripture, we see a subtle yet
unmistakable similarity between us. The
purpose of The Bed Keeper
is to share those discoveries as they begin to reveal a message of hope, love,
acceptance, and power, (as well as the prophetic role God has for gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people in the Church), that have heretofore been
purposely hidden or ignored over the centuries, by the Church itself.
It
is not my goal to “convince” anyone of anything. Instead, I intend only to share what I
believe is Good News from the Word of God with those who have an ear to hear,
and a heart to receive. I believe
Scriptures shine a new and profound light on the subject of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people being accepted as full participants in the
Kingdom of Heaven, just as God intended.
I also hope to encourage and empower those of us who have been excluded
from God’s promises for centuries, to lay hold of all that His Word
promises us as we begin to understand and fulfill our Scriptural and prophetic
purposes in God’s Kingdom.
For
the Church, accepting this means that we can finally put aside our erroneous
religious traditions and begin to truly reach out and embrace all of God’s
people, including those of us who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender. For gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender people, The Bed Keeper is
a renewed call from the Good Shepherd’s own voice to return to God’s Kingdom,
empowered by the very Word of God that so many have used to condemn us, and
finding instead that it promises more than we could dare hope, think or dream: a prophetic purpose, and a divine destiny!
As
a gay man ostracized by the Church and society, many times I felt condemned to
a life of hopelessness and spiritual atrophy.
I had no hope of knowing God, no hope of a marriage, no hope of
children, no hope of serving in ministry, and no hope of ever having free
access to the same faith and hope in Christ that He died to give you and me.
This
led me to more thoroughly study the Scriptures for myself. In doing so, I found that God actually has a
very special purpose in His Kingdom for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people. The only problem was that for
nearly 35 years, I didn't really know what a born eunuch was, aside from being
a castrated man, a person who had chosen celibacy, or someone who served in a
king's palace. After all, that's all the
Church had ever taught about them.
In
The Bed Keeper,
I share how I came to the realization that the "born eunuchs" Jesus
discussed in Matthew 19:11-12 are the same as modern day gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender people, as well as what all that means to those of us who
profess our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
By
thoroughly exploring the Scriptures regarding eunuchs, I discovered Biblical
support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender believers to at long last
be afforded the same promises that God grants to all other believers! This would include the ability to marry the
person God has chosen for us, adopt the children God has assigned to us, find a
supportive Church family that God has prepared for us, and to become ordained
clergy in God’s House of Prayer for ALL people, so we can faithfully, joyfully,
and Scripturally begin building strong, single gender marriages and families,
regardless of our sexuality.
I
hope by revealing these truths that Church Shepherds of all denominations will
soon begin to bring more souls into the Kingdom of Heaven than any other
generation has ever seen as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people--and our
families and friends--begin returning to Church. I look forward to the day that all believers
will be free of the shame and stigma that was once associated with being a
parent or friend or relative of someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender.
I
pray you’ll be blessed by these findings, and that God will open our eyes and
ears to understand what His Holy Spirit is revealing to us at this point in
human (and Church) history.
So
let’s get started!
***************************************************************
Part One:
UPDATE 10.27.12:
UPDATE 04.29.12:
Dear Valued Readers,
This blog is a work in progress. As events in the Church impact previously published posts, updates will be published at the end of each post in order to provide the utmost transparency and clarity to all concerned parties as this new move of God progresses. Readers may email thebedkeeper@gmail.com to discuss or comment on any posting. Please note that while all feedback is highly valued and appreciated, it may not be possible to reply to each email.
UPDATE 05.19.13: GREAT NEWS! Regarding the 04.29.12 UPDATE: After new considerations have come to light, I confidently continue my full personal endorsement of Lakewood Church as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship, and am pleased to encourage you to resume supporting this vibrant ministry financially. Details here.
UPDATE 03.05.13: GREAT NEWS! Regarding the 10.27.12 UPDATE: After new considerations have come to light, I confidently continue my full personal endorsement of Eagle Mountain International Church as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship, and am pleased to encourage you to resume supporting this vibrant ministry financially. Details here.
UPDATE 02.09.13: Listen in as Brian Anthony Bowen provides the NCK and Friends radio audience with valuable insights into Biblical support of Same Sex Marriage that the Church doesn't seem to want us to know!
UPDATE 05.19.13: GREAT NEWS! Regarding the 04.29.12 UPDATE: After new considerations have come to light, I confidently continue my full personal endorsement of Lakewood Church as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship, and am pleased to encourage you to resume supporting this vibrant ministry financially. Details here.
UPDATE 03.05.13: GREAT NEWS! Regarding the 10.27.12 UPDATE: After new considerations have come to light, I confidently continue my full personal endorsement of Eagle Mountain International Church as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship, and am pleased to encourage you to resume supporting this vibrant ministry financially. Details here.
UPDATE 02.09.13: Listen in as Brian Anthony Bowen provides the NCK and Friends radio audience with valuable insights into Biblical support of Same Sex Marriage that the Church doesn't seem to want us to know!
Part One:
Part Two:
UPDATE 10.27.12:
Eagle Mountain International Church took an official position on gay marriage in a sermon on 10.14.12. While not in support of gay marriage, Pastor George reminds his congregation that "those considered to be gay" are equally worthy of love and compassion. Pastor Terri continues to consider being gay as "being caught up in bondage." Several passages of Scripture were quoted to support their views, but no mention was made of any Scriptures that disprove their view, such as discussed in Chapter One: Born This Way and Chapter Two: God Sanctioned Gay Marriage. While I am not rescinding my endorsement of Eagle Mountain International Church as a safe space for LGBT people to worship, I am officially recommending we no longer support them financially. It is clear we have a long way to go in educating the Church, and I remain hopefully confident that after the 2012 elections are over, we will have more opportunities to walk further into the new revelations from God's Word shared throughout this blog. I encourage all LGBT people and our families to continue to hold Pastor George and Terri up in prayer, so that the eyes of their understanding may be flooded with light, and they come to more fully understand the prophetic role that LGBT people play in the spiritual life of the Christian Church, and the return of Jesus Christ.
UPDATE 04.29.12:
My previous endorsement of Lakewood Church is hereby retracted due to this interview: http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/04/29/473250/joel-osteen-gay-sin/?mobile=ncwherein Pastor Joel Osteen declares that "being gay" itself is a sin. That is NOT what the Bible says, and I cannot support it, nor ask anyone else to. I explained this in a previous letter to Pastor Joel in response to his interview with Piers Morgan, which can be reviewed here. I apologize for the mixed messages my own comments may tend to manifest themselves as in this case, but it is an unfortunate result of Pastor Joel's own mixed messages, and his decision to tailor his messages to the audience to whom he is speaking at the time. Should he publicly apologize for his unScriptural comments, and declare he has come to understand the difference between saying "being gay is a sin" and "homosexuality is a sin" (to reflect Scripture's own narrowly defined context of married men who engaged in adultery on their wives to be with men...which has nothing to do with LGBT people), I hope to renew my endorsement of Lakewood Church at some point in the future....but not until then.
UPDATE 01.15.12:
Lakewood Church officially endorsed as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship! Details here.
UPDATE 11.22.11:
Eagle Mountain International Church officially endorsed as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship! Details here.
UPDATE 12.16.11:
Please also review the response shared with a debate panel regarding the Bible's position on homosexuality, that reveals the unScriptural stance "ex-gay" theology manifests itself as here.
Lakewood Church officially endorsed as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship! Details here.
UPDATE 11.22.11:
Eagle Mountain International Church officially endorsed as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship! Details here.
UPDATE 12.16.11:
Please also review the response shared with a debate panel regarding the Bible's position on homosexuality, that reveals the unScriptural stance "ex-gay" theology manifests itself as here.
