Love is an Orientation by Andrew Marin

Okay so I just listened to this amazing, absolutely amazing podcast from Neue Ministry. They were interviewing Andrew Marin. Marin grew up in Aurora, IL and now currently resides in the “Boystown,” the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, & trans-gender) neighborhood in Chicago with his wife. “Boystown” is located near Vietnamese town and Wrigleyville (near Wrigley Field) on the north side of Chicago. He just wrote a book called “Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation With the Gay Community.” Here are some things that he said that really captivated me:

Only 20% of the GLBT community seek out organizations and ministries to help them out. That means that there is still another 80% of that community that don’t want anything to do with the church or with God. The church still has a lot of work to do with reaching the other 80%.

The church is willing to send a missionary to the Africa because there are people in need. The church is willing to send a missionary to the slums of India because there are people in need. But if a missionary wanted to move into downtown Houston, right into the center of the GLBT community, the church will jump ship, stop funding, and start criticizing.

Here’s what really blew me away! 86% of the gay and lesbian community of America was raised in a denominationally Christian church. WOW! 86% EIGHTY-SIX PERCENT grew up in the churches that we grew up in, went to Wednesday Night bible study with us, went to Youth Group with us! WOW! EIGHTY-SIX PERCENT!

*mind-blowing stuff*