Greg Johnson describes himself as a 鈥済ay atheist teenager鈥� who fell for Jesus 鈥� and found himself at the center of evangelical Christianity鈥檚 internal battles over sexuality.
For nearly 20 years, Johnson has pastored Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, right across from Forest Park. He says he鈥檚 been gay and celibate the entire time. When he came out to his church, he said he received a standing ovation and shouts of 鈥淲e love you, Greg鈥� from congregants.
But since , pastors in his denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, have tried to banish clergy who identify as gay, even if they commit to celibacy.
Johnson has fought that. He says orientation is largely fixed 鈥� but believes there is still a place for people like him in conservative churches.
鈥淚 spent a lot of years convincing myself that I was a straight man with a disease called homosexuality that could be cured,鈥� Johnson said on Wednesday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air. 鈥淎nd, perhaps up to a million of us did that.鈥�
The million Johnson is referring to are people who participated in the so-called 鈥渆x-gay movement,鈥� which centered on the theory that one can change sexual orientation. The organization leading the charge, Exodus International, shuttered in 2013 after decades of fruitless attempts. Johnson said those efforts did more harm than good.
鈥淚 really believe that Jesus loves gay people, and I want evangelical churches to learn to say that and believe that,鈥� he said.
Last year, Johnson released a book called 鈥�,鈥� which describes the fall of the ex-gay movement. In the book, Johnson offers evangelicals a way forward, arguing that Christians must move from 鈥渃uring鈥� to 鈥渃aring.鈥�
When the PCA denomination voted last year on whether to keep gay people from becoming clergy members, one observer wrote that the action was designed to 鈥�.鈥�
More than 60% of regional church bodies voted in favor of barring people who identify as gay from becoming clergy, even if they do not engage in sexual behavior. The measure narrowly missed the supermajority required to change the church bylaws.
A group of pastors is attempting to put the same amendment up for a vote at the 2022 PCA general assembly, set for June.
For now, Johnson said he remains committed to the PCA denomination. But, he worries his story 鈥� he likens his ministry as being a 鈥渦nicorn among horses鈥� 鈥� could be weaponized by conservative Christians, especially his conviction to stay celibate.
鈥淢y constant fear is that somebody's going to tell their kid, 鈥榃hy can't you be one of the good gays like Greg Johnson?鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淚 don't want that, because they're gonna have to come to their own conclusions about what they believe and how they want to live their life.鈥�
Johnson said there鈥檚 a huge need within the evangelical church to train parents and pastors to love gay youth without trying to control them.
鈥淚f you're going to be in a denomination that says you can't have gay marriage, then you've got to provide alternate forms of community,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 can live without sex 鈥� but I can't live without intimacy. I can't live without love.鈥�
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , and . Jane Mather-Glass is our production assistant. The audio engineer is .
