Episode 122: LGBTQ Inclusive Youth Ministry w/ Ross Murray

May 31, 2021

If you grew up evangelical, the thought of youth ministry is probably very triggering. It may bring back memories of shame and religiosity. Adolescence is a very tender time of our lives and that is exactly when a lot of the toxicity of fundamentalism was solidified. More likely than not, we heard rhetoric like, “Gay is sinful” and, “Love the sinner, hate the sin” all of the time.

Now, imagine what it would be like to have a youth ministry that is LGBTQ inclusive. This is the very thing that today’s guest is invested in and passionate about. Ross Murray is the founder of The Naming Project and the author of Made, Known, Loved: Developing LGBTQ Inclusive Youth Ministry. He is a strong advocate for LGBTQ inclusiveness in churches around the world.

In this episode, Ross and I discuss his background, where his passion for this kind of advocacy arose, what he is doing now to support LGBTQ kids, and how you can be a part of it.

Show Highlights:

Ross’s experience with the church and ministry throughout childhood and young adulthood.
How The Naming Project came to be.
How coming out later in life makes people relive their adolescence.
What Ross’s camps are like.
The connection between kids’ spirituality and sexuality.
How Ross balanaces his religion and his promotion of LGBTQ inclusiveness.
What his book is about.
How they figure out sleeping arrangements at his camps.
Why privacy doesn’t have to mean shameful.
Why youth ministries should stop using cutesy phrases and just say the hard things.