Teddy Shupe ~ Pastor

by

Teddy Shupe ~ Pastor

by

In the past six months, I have had the opportunity to attend two separate presentations given by Wayne  Blakely. My impressions are as follows.

First, I very much appreciated Wayne’s humility. He is not on a band wagon, not an activist, and not in your face whatsoever. On the contrary, Wayne simply shares his own journey out of the homosexual lifestyle because of his life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ experienced through Scripture, as well as healthy friendships offered him by his SDA church family. Wayne does not claim to know it all and freely admits if he does not have an answer. He is willing to listen and learn as he shares what God has done in his life, and he remains patient, self-possessed, courteous and thoughtful when responding to questions or comments.

Second, Wayne’s integrity and transparency is genuine and refreshing. By tactfully revealing his own struggles and how God empowered him to transition from a homosexual identity to an identity of being in Christ, I was left feeling reassured that God really can transform all of us, gays included, who are willing to bask in God’s love and grace and follow where He leads.

Third, his understanding of the gay worldview is remarkably insightful. As a pastor I have found that people in the pews and in the community are confused about homosexuality, given the inundation of misinformation from the media. Having come out of this lifestyle himself has given Wayne exceptional awareness of the issues with real-life credibility. This is why his talks are so needed, helpful and timely.

Most important, Wayne helps Christians understand how to relate with gays without fear, how to engage them in conversations when they are ready, and how to share truths in a loving, inviting way. He certainly helped me think through the various gay issues from a solidly Bible-based, God-honoring SDA perspective. And given the soon-to-be-released documentary entitled, “Seventh-Gay Adventist”, I feel prepared to deal tactfully and truthfully with the confusing misinformation presented in the film.

Bottom line? It is my firm conviction that SDA churches need to invite Wayne to help educate SDAs on how to love and reach people in the gay lifestyle. He is clear, credible and trustworthy, and what he shares grabs the heart and mind, showing the best ways to reach and win their hearts for Christ.

If you have any questions or concerns about Wayne’s ministry, I would be happy to dialogue with you.

Peace and courage be yours from Christ Jesus our Lord,

Teddy Shupe, Pastor
Riverview Seventh-day Adventist Church

More Articles by Wayne

Understanding the Word “Homosexual” in The Bible

As published on Advindicate.com 7/19/19 Over the past several days, I’ve been researching the introduction of the word “homosexual” in God’s Holy Word. My research was ignited, largely due to an article/interview circulating on social media called: “Has ‘Homosexual’...

Why Jesus?

Ten years ago I decided to let go of self and invite Jesus to be in control.  How is your life different because of Jesus? Is He King? Have you contemplated your destiny? How does it end? This morning I prepared a warm bath, put on some Christian music and began to...

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My dear child, This letter to you is from your Heavenly Father.  I have witnessed the chaos and confusion among my children, which has prompted me to write reminding you of my “love in truth” for you. Many, including Christians, are convincing you of things at the use...

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I was rejected, even before I was born. My mother was indignant, making statements that she would not give birth to a boy. She only wanted girls. Her demeanor never changed, as my younger brother by birth was additionally rejected. At the age of two and a half, I was...

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You arrive at no choice of your own, and before you figure out what’s going on, you find you have feelings and attractions that don’t add up to anything that Jesus says He loves and approves. You begin to feel as though you are a disappointment. And before you can...

Don’t Hide God’s Transforming Love – It’s Fatal

What’s the meaning of love my friend, my brother and sister in Jesus? Have you abdicated from the original meaning? Have you muddied its value? “Just love them!” “We all just need to love one another.” “Just be yourself!” “Just make them ‘feel’ loved.”  Okay… So...

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I can tell you from personal experience that being bullied and harassed for not measuring up to “normal,” is a pain that aches through and through. And to experience it in the midst of “God’s people” is even more devastating. Decades of silence and the lack of...

Considering Christianity and LGBT+ Activism

Hello… My name is Wayne Blakely… Director of Know His Love Ministries. The world is made up of many different kinds of people and cultures. America prides itself in being the land of freedom. Freedom of speech and religious freedom. Today… militant activists are...

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Wayne, your journey has led you to proclaim a different message than what we often hear from popular culture. Why is that? For years, feelings were my truth, including intense feelings for the same sex. So I lived according to those feelings for nearly 40 years. One...

Reaching Out

This article is the unedited version of what was prepared for The Adventist Review April 15, 2010  issue. Growing up on the Word of God, left very little question as to what constitutes sin. It seemed pretty clear cut until I was nearing adulthood and began to have...

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