Susan Cottrell's Blog, page 3

Why the Church is Nothing Like Jesus!

If you claim to follow of Jesus, then you are called to love without limits, show grace, and walk humbly with God. But as we listen to and watch many conservative, evangelical Christians today, they don’t reflect Jesus. Not at all. In fact, it’s often in complete contrast to his life and teachings. If you […]

Honoring the Pulse Shooting: Choose Love in a Time of Hate

As another anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting approaches, it’s time to stop and honor the 49 beautiful souls taken from us on June 12, 2016. Pulse was more than a nightclub; it was a sanctuary, a place of love and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community. That night shattered lives and broke hearts, not just […]

Jesus: The Original Deconstructionist

In the church, the term “deconstruction” often evokes images of modern critics and thinkers challenging established norms. However, a closer examination of the New Testament reveals that Jesus might be considered one of history’s most profound deconstructionists. His approach to the religious leaders, the law, and the interpretation of scripture highlights a radical departure from […]

What is a Christian to do with the Queer Community?

When two of our five children first came out, I was… let’s see, what’s the word? I wasn’t sad exactly, or even scared, but I was unprepared—that’s it. I was unprepared because our evangelical church involvement the previous twenty years had not prepared me. LGBTQ+ was not yet the bone of contention between “true believers […]

Church Proclaims Love Yet Turns Its Back on the Vulnerable

In the beautiful tapestry of human existence, our spiritual journey often leads us to seek solace and connection within the embrace of a church community. These sacred spaces are meant to emanate love, compassion, and radical acceptance, echoing the very essence of Jesus’ message. Yet, for many, the reality within these revered walls starkly contrasts […]

Has the Church Resealed the Tomb?

I used to be in the evangelical church. A leader. An influencer. I was sincere, but I was sincerely wrong. Now, I often ponder the path the church has taken. How its steps, meant to follow the footprints of Jesus, have veered so far away from the open tomb and Jesus’ message of lavish, unconditional […]

Finding the Divine Beyond the Church Walls

In the profound journey of spirituality, there’s a palpable sense of dissonance between the inclusive, love-infused teachings of Jesus Christ and the exclusive, rules-based reality within the walls of many modern churches. This dissonance has grown so stark, with the church’s immersion in politics and exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals, that it prompts a heart-wrenching question: […]

The Moral Majority, Politics & LGBTQ. Is History Repeating?

  Is history destined to repeat itself? Have we not learned from the damage and failures of efforts like Exodus International, The Moral Majority and others? In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the United States witnessed the emergence of a powerful political force known as the Moral Majority. Founded by Jerry Falwell, a prominent […]

‘Holy’ Hypocrisy: Christians, Rainbows & Forbidden Delights

In a world filled with rainbows, unicorns, and glitter, it seems that some Christians have taken a vow of hypocrisy. Now, before we dive into the deep end of this delightful pool of contradictions, I want to make one thing clear: I’m not here to bash Christianity or anyone’s faith. There are growing number of […]

The Anti-Gay Church: A Power-driven Modern Invention

The Christian church’s position on LGBTQ+ has been a topic of intense debate. While many still maintain an anti-gay stance, this is NOT deeply rooted in scripture or thousands of years of history. In truth, it gained popularity with the rise of the Moral Majority movement in the 1970s. Prior to the emergence of the […]