The Reformation Project

Logo of The Reformation Project with a bird silhouette holding a branch, symbolizing freedom and renewal; promotes LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion, affirming church, inclusive faith.
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Advancing
an Orthodox and
Affirming Church

Compelled by our love for
God, the Bible, and the church

A thoughtful reconciliation
of faith and sexuality

God and the Gay Christian

New version available!

God And The Gay Christian

by Matthew Vines

Revised
Expanded

Reconcile and Reform
2025 National Conference

LGBTQ-affirming Christian Leaders

Speakers
Conference Label
Conference Speaker

How do we support Christians who are
discerning their beliefs about LGBTQ inclusion?

"I was seeking God’s heart—diligently searching for biblical answers—when I found The Reformation Project. Their resources helped me so much on my journey to becoming fully affirming."

A smiling woman with curly brown hair, wearing a textured white top and cross necklace, stands against a gray background, symbolizing LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion and diversity in an affirming church. Inclusive faith.

Rebekah

— An ambassador in Utah

“After much prayer and honest conversations, our mother-daughter relationship was restored and now we have the deepest love for each other—with Jesus as our foundation.“

Two people joyfully embrace in a classic black and white setting; one in a sequined dress, the other with a bow tie. This image embodies love, unity, and LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion, highlighting the spirit of an affirming church and inclusive faith.

Sarah and Julie

— Sarah and Julie

“Through The Reformation Project’s Leadership Development Cohort, I’ve learned how to engage with others in a way that reflects Christ’s love. It’s not about winning arguments; it’s about building bridges and fostering understanding.”

A bearded person wearing glasses and a blue-hooded jacket smiles warmly at the camera, embodying LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion. They stand before a misty landscape with trees and a town below an orange sky, representing affirming church and inclusive faith values.

Ettiene

— An ambassador in South Africa

“Coming to The Reformation Project’s Reconcile and Reform Conference was the turning point that moved me to become affirming. The organization’s resources made a huge difference for our family.”

Four people embody LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion on stage, featuring three men in suits and one in a black t-shirt. The colorful backdrop highlights their unity in an affirming church setting, promoting inclusive faith with camaraderie and joy.

Per-Olof

— A Swedish father of a gay son

"I was seeking God’s heart—diligently searching for biblical answers—when I found The Reformation Project. Their resources helped me so much on my journey to becoming fully affirming."

A smiling woman with curly brown hair, wearing a textured white top and cross necklace, stands against a gray background, symbolizing LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion and diversity in an affirming church. Inclusive faith.

Rebekah

— An ambassador in Utah

“After much prayer and honest conversations, our mother-daughter relationship was restored and now we have the deepest love for each other—with Jesus as our foundation.“

Two people joyfully embrace in a classic black and white setting; one in a sequined dress, the other with a bow tie. This image embodies love, unity, and LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion, highlighting the spirit of an affirming church and inclusive faith.

Sarah and Julie

— Sarah and Julie

“Through The Reformation Project’s Leadership Development Cohort, I’ve learned how to engage with others in a way that reflects Christ’s love. It’s not about winning arguments; it’s about building bridges and fostering understanding.”

A bearded person wearing glasses and a blue-hooded jacket smiles warmly at the camera, embodying LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion. They stand before a misty landscape with trees and a town below an orange sky, representing affirming church and inclusive faith values.

Ettiene

— An ambassador in South Africa

“Coming to The Reformation Project’s Reconcile and Reform Conference was the turning point that moved me to become affirming. The organization’s resources made a huge difference for our family.”

Four people embody LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion on stage, featuring three men in suits and one in a black t-shirt. The colorful backdrop highlights their unity in an affirming church setting, promoting inclusive faith with camaraderie and joy.

Per-Olof

— A Swedish father of a gay son

We envision

A global church that honors Scripture 
and fully affirms LGBTQ people.

Our vision and mission

We believe:

Christians can fully affirm the authority of the Bible and affirm monogamous, covenantal same-sex relationships.


Learn the
Biblical Case

Explore the key scriptural texts that refer to same-sex relations—and why the core principles of Scripture’s teachings on marriage and sexuality can encompass same-sex unions.

Explore the biblical case

Experience of sound Christian teachings should show good fruit, not bad fruit.

Non-affirming beliefs about same-sex relationships and transgender people contribute to serious harm in LGBTQ people's lives. From the inclusion of Gentiles in the church to the abolition of slavery, the church has a long history of revisiting the biblical text in light of compelling evidence that prevailing interpretations do not align with Jesus's teaching in Matthew 7 that good trees bear good fruit.

The Christian tradition doesn't address sexual orientation.

In the ancient world, same-sex behavior was widely considered to be a vice of excess that might tempt anyone, like gluttony or drunkenness. Same-sex attraction wasn't understood as the sexual orientation of a small minority of people. Affirming Christians are not overturning the Christian tradition on LGBTQ people—until recent decades, there has been no Christian tradition on LGBTQ people.

Celibacy is a gift, not a mandate.

The Bible honors celibacy as a worthy calling, but it also makes clear that celibacy is a gift that not all have (1 Corinthians 7:7-9, Matthew 19:11). Requiring that all gay Christians remain celibate for life because of their sexual orientation is at odds with the Bible's teachings on celibacy.

“Gender complementarity” is a broad category, not a universally normative biblical teaching.

“Gender complementarity” is a category, rather than an argument in its own right. It simply asserts that there is a normative pattern of similarity and difference between the genders, but it doesn’t state what that normative pattern is.

Steps we take

Step 1

An abstract pink line drawing of a book with an integrated cross symbolizes LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion, affirming church values, and inclusive faith.

Inform

Inform Christians about the biblical case for LGBTQ inclusion to show how they can fully affirm both the Bible and LGBTQ people.

Step 2

Pink line illustration of a hand cradling a heart, symbolizing LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion. Keywords: affirming church, inclusive faith.

Engage

Engage non-affirming Christians through outreach and advocacy to help them move toward LGBTQ affirmation.

Step 3

Minimalist pink line drawing of a dove with spread wings, symbolizing peace and LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion for an affirming church and inclusive faith.

Reform

Guide and support churches to reform their teachings and policies to fully affirm LGBTQ Christians.

Book cover of God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines, promoting LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion with an affirming church perspective. The orange and yellow design highlights the subtitle, The Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex Relationships, reinforcing inclusive faith values.

Read a Free Excerpt from God and the Gay Christian!

Download the introduction and first chapter from the revised and expanded edition of God and the Gay Christian, released in 2025.

Includes the updated introduction and first chapter

In this free excerpt, you’ll learn:

  • Why many Christians today are rethinking their views on same-sex relationships
  • What it means to judge by the “fruit”

Get involved!

Opportunities for everyone

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We host private gatherings specifically for pastors of non-affirming churches who want to move the conversation on LGBTQ inclusion forward in their churches.

Close-up of a microphone with blurred church pews and warm lights, setting the stage for an affirming speech on LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion and inclusive faith.
Two women, one older with gray hair and one younger with long dark hair, sit together smiling at a laptop. The younger woman in an orange sweater hugs the older woman in a light green cardigan. This image represents LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion, affirming churches, and inclusive faith.
Two people wearing brown and red sweaters sit at a table, hands clasped in prayer over an open Bible, embodying serenity and focus for LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion at an affirming church.
Speaker in black blazer and pink shirt smiles while addressing the Reform Conference on LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion from a wooden podium, set in a room with wooden paneling. Keywords: affirming church, inclusive faith.
Vibrant community gathering in a crowded auditorium, featuring musicians performing by a large organ, with banners promoting LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion and inclusive faith. Attendees focus on affirming church messages for an inclusive faith.

Conference

Join us in Atlanta this October 2-4 for
Reconcile and Reform
2025 National Conference

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Speaker in black blazer and pink shirt smiles while addressing the Reform Conference on LGBTQ+ Christian inclusion from a wooden podium, set in a room with wooden paneling. Keywords: affirming church, inclusive faith.

Soon!