All Means All
Is everyone welcome?
It's commonplace for churches to say, "Everyone is welcome here." What does that mean, practically, though? Sure, everyone is welcome to enter the building, right? But once they get inside and decide they'd like to call that particular church community their home, just how welcome are they?
What if they're a non-believer or a follower of a different faith? What if they're not heterosexual? What if they have very strong opinions about things that are different from that of the majority of the people in the congregation? Are they welcome, too?
Ryan Phipps is the Senior Minister at Church In Bethesda.
Raised in the church, becoming a pastor was the one thing Ryan vowed he would never do. After spending many years away from faith, he found that for all of its flaws, the church can still occupy a unique place of good in the world if it is willing to evolve with reason and empathy.
Ryan has a special place in his heart for those who have been damaged or disillusioned by the church, and longs to lead those within it toward a more just and generous expression of itself.