In this interview with Dan, he shares about how friends have supported him when he came out about his same-sex attraction. In the second half, he talks about how God brought him back from a period of sexual experimentation and freed him from shame and regret.

Dan also gives helpful insight into his experience of singleness and how the church can support those of us who are unmarried.

Resources mentioned

• How Can I Find Freedom from the Weight of Sexual Sin? Dan Reid
• When the Single Life Feels Long Dan Reid
• Support to Grieve Anne Witton
• Is God Anti-Gay?: A Review Dan Reid
• What God Has to Say About Our Bodies: A Review Dan Reid

Jo and Anne talk about their friendship and how Jo has supported Anne with her same-sex attraction over the years, as well as how they've encouraged each other to press on with Jesus.

Jo also talks about her experience of engaging with LGBT issues in the secular world, particularly at her boys' school. She also shares about how she talks to her children about sexuality.

Resources mentioned

• The Call To All Jo Arkell
• Stewardship website
• Agapé Family Life website

Stuart is the Director of True Freedom Trust (TfT), a ministry that supports same-sex attracted Christians. In this interview we talk with him about his work and the help that TfT offers.

We also discuss Stuart's own story of becoming a Christian and experiencing same-sex attraction and find out what it is that enables him to press on with Jesus.

Resources mentioned

• True Freedom Trust website
• Purposeful Sexuality: A Review Stuart Parker

Ashleigh shares her story of being a Christian teenager with same-sex attraction. We discuss how she shared that with friends and family, the support she received and how she now supports young people in their own struggles with sexuality.

We also talk about how following Jesus has shaped Ashleigh's identity and why she trusts God's pattern for sexuality in a world that increasingly rejects it.

Resources mentioned

• 15, Same-sex Attracted... and Christian? Ashleigh Hull 
• Living In A Gray World Preston Sprinkle
• Living In A Gray World: A Review Ashleigh Hull 

In this fascinating interview with Greg, we learn more of his story of reconciling his faith and sexuality. We also talk about how Jesus releases us from shame.

In the second half, we discuss Greg's book, Still time to Care, which explains the history of the ex-gay movement, how terminology has changed and how we can move from a paradigm of cure to a paradigm of care for sexual minorities.

Resources mentioned

• Gay Shame and Jesus Greg Johnson
• Still Time to Care Greg Johnson
• Still Time to Care: A Review Ed Shaw
• The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World Alan Downs
• Revoice website

Church leader Jez Field shares why he found Glynn Harrison's book 'A Better Story' so helpful in understanding and critiquing our culture's take on sexuality.

He also explains how he seeks to better understand our culture in order to be more effective in communicating faith, building relationship and making disciples.

Resources mentioned

• A Better Story: God, Sex & Human Flourishing Glynn Harrison
• A Better Story: A Review Jez Field
• The Life and Leadership podcast
• From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life Arthur C. Brooks
• The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution Carl R. Trueman
• Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment Francis Fukuyama
• Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention Johann Hari
• A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World Will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders Mark Sayers
• LGBTQ & Faith courses The Center For Faith, Sexuality & Gender
• Prince Caspian C. S. Lewis
• Crossroads Jonathan Franzen 

Today we're joined by writer, editor and speaker Jennie Pollock, author of the book If Only: Finding Contentment in the Face of Lack and Longing.

We discuss how to face the reality of disappointments in life when it doesn't turn out as hoped. Jennie shares her thoughts on singleness and sexuality, how to critique the culture more effectively and how to find a real joy in following Jesus.

Resources mentioned

• If Only Jennie Pollock
• If Only: A Review Jeanette Howard
• Divine Sex: A Review Jennie Pollock
• Gender Identity and Trans Identification - for Pastors Andrew Bunt
• Gender Identity and Trans Identification - for Youth Workers Andrew Bunt
• Gender Identity and Trans Identification - for Parents Julie Maxwell and Andrew Bunt
• Living Out stories
• Born Again This Way Rachel Gilson
• The Life We're Looking For Andy Crouch
• Art of Manliness Podcast #796: The Life We’re Looking For

We kick off a new Meet The Authors podcast series by interviewing Greg Coles. Greg is a writer, blogger, speaker and Senior Research Fellow at the Center For Faith, Sexuality and Gender. In the show he shares his experience of growing up gay and Christian, how he wrestled with biblical teaching and came to appreciate many of the blessings of singleness.

We also discuss his books, how he went public about his sexuality, and how we can all experience intimacy and belonging.

Resources mentioned

• Single Gay Christian Gregory Coles
• No Longer Strangers Gregory Coles
• On Scandalous Housing Arrangements Gregory Coles
• You Will Never Be Ready Gregory Coles
• Greg's website
• Center For Faith Pastoral Paper 11. What Pronouns Should Christians Use For Transgender People? Gregory Coles
• The Center For Faith, Sexuality and Gender website

For the last show in this current series, we're joined by Tom Putt who is the vicar at St John the Baptist, Burford. Tom shares about what he learned at a Living Out course and how he's been navigating the sexuality conversation in his own church. We also talk about the points of the church audit that are most challenging for him and how he hopes to embed biblical inclusion at the heart of his church's life together.

We have a dedicated Church Leaders area of the website where you can download the church audit to work through in your own context. You can also find out about Living Out courses in your area or get in touch with us to explore hosting one yourself.

Resources mentioned and related

• The Living Out Church Audit
• The Living Out Course

In this series we're looking at how churches can be more biblically inclusive, working through our 10-point Living Out Church Audit.

In this episode, we discuss statements eight and nine:

• God's gifts of either singleness or marriage are equally promoted, valued and practically supported in your church's family life together.
• Church family members instinctively share meals, homes, holidays, festivals, money and family life with others from different backgrounds and life situations to them.

Resources mentioned and related

• The Living Out Church Audit
• Power in the Mundane Andrew Bunt
• Secure in Singleness Anne Witton
• Singles Need Family Time Too Andrew Bunt
• Anne and Abby on Their Community House Anne Witton
• What Does Jesus Teach About Nuclear Family? Andrew Bunt
• Singleness resources The Living Out Team
• Single-Minded Kate Wharton