An Evangelical Reading of Scripture That Is LGBTQ Affirming:
Webinar Resources
Before we dive into resources for those seeking an evangelical reading of scripture that is LGBTQ affirming, I want to remind you that our purpose at Small Church Big Table is not to convince people of a right reading of scripture. And remember that these teachings about the affirming reading of scripture were requested by our traditional friends to better gain a better understanding (what a gracious ask, right?).
🎥 Watch the Most Recent Recording
Here’s the latest recording of our 60-minute webinar:
👉 Click here to watch (We’ll update this link after each session.)
Why We Created This Webinar
At Small Church Big Table, we regularly meet pastors and ministry leaders who are navigating new questions—sometimes for the first time—about faith, sexuality, and Scripture. Many don’t begin to explore affirming theology until someone close to them comes out: a teen, a staff member, a child, or even themselves.
This webinar exists to create a gracious, non-combative space where people can explore the progressive/affirming interpretation of Scripture without fear or pressure.
We’re not here to debate. We’re here to tackle the hard texts, share thoughtful perspectives, and equip leaders to begin honest conversations in their own communities.
Featured Resources
Below are the links and tools referenced during the webinar (and a few we didn’t have time to include). I suggest picking up a few of these smart, helpful, and gracious books from differing perspectives:
📖 Scripture Deep Dive
All the Scripture covered in the Webinar – Google Doc
📚 Recommended Reading
- On Inclusion
- From the Traditional perspective: Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church by Bridget Eileen Rivera
- From the Traditional perspective: Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage by Preston Sprinkle
- From the Traditional perspective Mark Yarhouse has a collection of books
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- From the Third Way perspective: A Letter to My Congregation by Ken Wilson
- From the Third Way perspective: The Wideness of the Sea by Randal Rauser
- From the Third Way Perspective: Christlike Acceptance across Deep Difference by Ronald W. Pierce & Karen R. Keen
- From the Affirming perspective: Torn by Justin Lee
- From the Affirming perspective: God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines
- Progressive Evangelical Approaches to the Bible in General
- Inspired by Rachel Held Evans
- The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns
🎧 Podcasts
That Sounds Fun Podcast – Annie F. Downs interviews Jonathan Merritt (gay & affirming) & his father, Dr. James Merritt (conservative), about faith and sexuality.
📄 Articles from SCBT
Still Processing? Try These Next Steps
1. Take the “Is Your Church Ready?” Quiz
A quick, 5-minute diagnostic to help you see how prepared your church is to have these conversations.
👉 Take the quiz
2. Join a 6-Week Cohort
Our online coaching group walks leaders through the conversation at a deeper level. You don’t have to agree with affirming theology—we just help you explore it wisely.
👉 Learn more about our next cohort
3. Subscribe for Future Webinars & Resources
We host FREE webinars throughout the year. Get notified about future dates and new content.
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More about Bill White
I kept a personal blog about my own journey (and our church’s journey) around LGBTQ questions. For me, the journey started 34 years ago when my brother came out to me and I was blindsided. It shifted into high gear during a painful season 10 years ago when I realized my son was gay (I knew about 18 months before he came out to himself).
Our church formed an LGBTQ Study Team, studied a massive curriculum that we built, and ended up realizing that real Christians - starting with the early church - saw these sorts of things differently and that we’d honor those differences. We concluded the team with our church’s statement. And recently, my son wrote a piece for the New York Times about what it was like being gay and growing up in the home of an evangelical pastor, which also covers some of our church’s journey.
Want to Talk to Someone?
We love conversation—especially the hard ones. Whether you’re wrestling with what you heard, ready to dig deeper, or just need a human response, reach out.
👉Contact us
❕❕ Bookmark This Page ❕❕
We update this page every time we run the webinar. If new books, podcasts, or tools emerge, we’ll add them here. You’re always welcome to come back, revisit the recording, and share the resources with your team.