Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories | Season 6 Episode 4 | Greg Bullard

🌈 Welcome to another episode of "Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories"!In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal interviews Pastor Greg Bullard, the longest-serving affirming pastor in Tennessee. They discuss Greg's coming out journey, the importance of community in faith, and the role of acceptance within the church. Greg shares his experiences growing up in a strict religious environment and how he found his place in the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). the conversation delves into the challenges of language in faith, the duality of love, and the need for community support. Greg emphasizes the importance of transforming hate into love and creating a beautiful world through action and connection.❓ What to Expect in This Episode:✔️ Emphasis on the importance of community to faith and salvation.✔️ The importance of language in faith matters and how it can be a barrier or a bridge.✔️The power of transforming hate into love and more!✨ Why This Matters:Many within the LGBTQIA+ community experience rejection from their faith communities and suffer religious trauma. Pastor Greg Bullard offers a perspective that makes space for queer individuals and emphasizes that church trauma stems from individuals, not God. Finding friendship and support within a faith community can be deeply meaningful and healing for those who have suffered religious trauma.📌🎙️About Pastor Greg Bullard:Pastor Greg Bullard started his ministry in northern Alabama when he first felt the call at his home church. His pastor, then, said, “Greg, I’m sorry you’ll never be able to be in ministry because of who you are, and that’s not fair.” Over three decades later, Pastor Greg has built one of the most long-standing affirming ministries in the Southeast. A graduate of The University of Alabama in Huntsville, he made Nashville his permanent home in the late 1990s. With an accounting and business systems background, he marries his analytical side with his humor and storytelling each week as he ministers in the community and his home church. Greg has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign, Tennessee Equality Project, Middle Tennessee State University, and Hands On Nashville for his work in LGBTQ+ ministry and food security. He and his husband, Brian, live with their son, Micah, born in 2011 and daughter, Esther, born in 2014. You’ll find his other son, Zach, on the piano bench every Sunday, sharing the ministry. Learn more about Greg here: https://www.covenantofthecross.com/staff-nav💬 Join the Conversation:What does faith mean to you? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.🔗 Visit our website:Anne-Marie's : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]🌟 Why Watch This Episode?If you're a queer person who has been impacted by a conservative faith tradition and feeling the loss of acceptance by your faith community, let this episode inspire you and help you to know that you are inherently lovable and that there is space for you in an affirming church.🔗 Follow us on social media:💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/You can also tune into this episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Apple Podcasts: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coming-out-beyond-lgbtqia-stories/id1569859569)Spotify: (https://open.spotify.com/show/27kocr4llm6syHKaeX1x9e)👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories and advice on navigating life, love, and everything in between!