A popular poet, rapper and writer who left her lesbian life behind after becoming a Christian is offering some words of advice to the faithful about how they should approach the LGBT community.
Jackie Hill Perry was once in a long-term relationship with a woman before a radical encounter with God at the age of 19. She is now married to husband, Preston Perry, and mother to little girl Eden.
Hill Perry, now 28, believes Christians often get it wrong when it comes to trying to engage the LGBT community with the Gospel.
In her newly published book, 'Gay Girl, Good God', she draws from her own experiences as a lesbian-turned-Christian artist to write about how she thinks the church can do things better.
Speaking to Faithwire about the intention behind her book, she said Christians can tend to get absorbed in 'pointing people to heterosexuality instead of pointing them to Christ'.
But in her view, the goal for Christians should not be trying to lead LGBT people to 'straightness' but instead trying to lead them to Jesus.
She warned that if Christians try to build relationships with a change in sexuality first on the agenda instead of genuine friendship and love, it will negatively impact the discipleship.
'That leads to a segmented discipleship relationship, where it's just teaching you how to not be sexually immoral instead of teaching you how to be kind and merciful and self-controlled and wise,' she said.
She also thinks it's important that Christians be honest about what they promise non-believers.
She said: 'We have made Christianity mean you won't experience those same temptations instead of saying, "Come to Jesus. You might struggle, you might suffer, you might deal with some things, but you do have a Great High Priest who will be there to help you."
'I think we've promised people things that the Scriptures haven't.'
