“Transgender community goes face to face with pastor opposing parts of bill c-16.” This is the title of a CBC news story from last year. This week (and next week) we chat with the pastor referred to here – pastor Paul Dirks. In this week’s conversation, Paul helps us understand some of the terms used in the general transgender issue, as well talks about his personal story in how he got involved. Paul also helps us think biblically about the transgender issue.

 

Who is Our Guest?

Paul Dirks is the Lead Pastor of New West Community Church. He lives in the neighbourhood of Sapperton with his wife Rachel, and his five children. He came to know Christ at a young age through the godly influence of his parents and thinks that such a conversion is as exciting as any. Paul has a big smile and loud laugh. He enjoys basketball, history and music. Paul loves preaching and teaching and enjoys books by John Piper, CS Lewis and GK Chesterton.

Episode Links

Make sure to check out Paul’s YouTube channel in which he goes in depth on different transgender studies. Also, take a look at WomanMeansSomething.com. Again, tons of information.

 

 

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Isaac:

With me today is Paul Dirks. Paul is a husband. He’s a father. He’s a local church pastor, and I found out yesterday he’s a musician as well, which is awesome. Paul is also the founder of Woman Means Something, which we’ll get into in a bit. Anyways, thanks for being here with me today, Paul.

Paul:

Yeah. It’s my privilege. Thank you so much, Isaac.

Isaac:

Before we jump into this topic, and I do want to spend a lot of time on this topic, but I think it’s important just for people that have never heard of you, who are you? Maybe what’s your brief kind of testimony? How’d you come to faith?

Paul:

Thank you. Yeah. I grew up in a Christian home where God was glorified and His word upheld, attended Fellowship Baptist churches. That’s a bit of my theological heritage. Yeah, I came to know Christ from an early age. I remember I had two kind of main pastors that served in our church for quite some time in my late childhood and adolescence. I remember that one of those men, Jack Purdy, was preaching on I think it was a Sunday evening. I went home at a young age, I think probably around five years of age, realizing there is something that I was being called to that I hadn’t yet done.

I remember kneeling with my mother and asking the Lord Jesus to have my life and asking for the forgiveness of my sins. The Lord’s been with me since then. I’m so thankful for the rich heritage I have.

I know there’s a lot of people that don’t have that same kind of benefit and upbringing. I’ve always had a bit of an idea from an early age that to those whom much is given, much is expected. It’s a privilege, although I never really saw it coming in the early years that … Now I get to serve the body of Christ as a pastor and that’s a privilege as well, of course, as being the leader of my little flock at home of five kids with my beautiful wife, Rachel.

Isaac:

That’s so awesome. That’s really good. As I consider people listening to this across the country and even around the world, you pastor in this place called New Westminster.