76. Mike Maeshiro - Bethel, Coming Out, and Leaning In to Your Discomfort

Bethel Church is a charismatic evangelical church in Redding, California. It is famous for the church music it pumps out prolifically, and it has a Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry which hosts over 2,000 students annually from over 60 countries. Mike Maeshiro worked for Bethel coordinating events (which they do on a huge scale and frequency), travelled the world preaching, and was a teacher of spiritual discernment at the School of Supernatural Ministry until coming out as gay just a couple of years ago. Since then life has changed dramatically for Mike, losing his role, his income, many friends, but gaining a whole lot too. Mike shares about that journey in the episode.  We talk about how it was actually Mike's relationship with God, not his abandonment of faith, that led to his coming out. We also discuss the way he's been treated by those who are supposed to be God's examples of love to the world, and how he now uses the platforms he built while at Bethel to support others who are wrestling with faith and sexuality, or who are simply asking questions about the faith they've been handed.  Hear Mike's coming out story on his own podcast 'Confessions of a Reformer' on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find resources for exploring theology and sexuality at mikemaeshiro.com/lgbtq-resources Find Mike on Instagram, YouTube, LinkTree, or mikemaeshiro.com ___ Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations  Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations Email: [email protected]