Sacked Baptist minister to talk on God, gays and the Gospel
Having recently been stood down over his support for marriage equality, Baptist minister Reverend Matt Glover will be one of the speakers at a special event organised by Freedom2b early next month to help improve the dialogue between the LGBTI community and churches.
The ‘Preaching in a Gay Bar’ event on Friday, June 1 will see Glover sharing his story with the LGBTI Christian advocacy group of how he recently found himself preaching in a gay bar about Jesus despite being a heterosexual man and married with two children.
Last year in early December, Glover made national headlines when he was sacked as Minister of Lilydale Baptist Church in Melbourne after he publicly declared his support for same-sex marriage as part of Australian Marriage Equality’s ‘Christians4Equality’ campaign.
Glover had ministered at Lilydale Church for two years and was popular with parishioners for encouraging community outreach and engagement, including ministering to LGBT people
Shane Cathcart, from Freedom2b, said Glover was an example of someone who had bravely stood up against discrimination.
“For Matt, his experience of working with gay and lesbian people and his strong faith had taught him to stand up for what is right, even if it means losing your job,” Cathcart said.
“Although anti-gay attitudes still exist within areas of the Christian church, Matt is one of many Christian leaders who are now speaking out for the rights of LGBTI people.”
‘Preaching in a Gay Bar’ is on 7pm, Friday, June 1 at the ACON Building, 414 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills. For more information, contact Shane Cathcart on 0413 374 650 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
- Tags: ACON, Christianity, Community, Event, Forum, Freedom2b, Gender Identity, Lilydale Baptist Church, Matt Glover, Meeting, Religion, Sexuality, SX, Sydney
Comments (4)
After a few years of discussion with me, my local Anglican Bishop has come out supporting Marriage Equality. He said the Church never owned Marriage, and fools tell such stories. We have had discussions on topics from Samurai Gay weddings, to traditional marriage. Monogamy he told me is something new. The great kings in the Bible tell us people did have more than one wife. Although the majority of Christians, as the polls show, support equality, it is delightful to see church leaders come out. My husband is descendant from China, and my father-in law tells me his grandfather had two wives. Perhaps we need to leave marriage up to the couple and their family and friends, and leave government out of marriage. This is about attempting to define the most intimate part of your life is it not?
Dave, I'm all for polygamy. I'd love to have multiple husbands!
Well it's not for me, if they were all upset with me at the same time I would have a breakdown!
Dave, my husbands would never be upset with me. I'd make sure they were all called Mr Baanstra!