The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships
Jeff Mineris the pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was raised in fundamentalist independent Baptist churches, and received his undergraduate degree from Bob Jones University.In college, Jeff felt called to the ministry, but deferred that calling while trying to come to terms with being gay. In the meantime, he attended Harvard Law School, graduating with honors in 1983. Several years later, after intensive study of the Bible and homosexuality, Jeff came to peace with being gay. Soon he discovered the Metropolitan Community Churches, a Christian denomination that has arisen out of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. There, Jeff realized he could fulfill his call to ministry. He completed his clergy training and was ordained in 1997.Before his ordination, Jeff worked as an attorney for 13 years, last serving as a Deputy Chief Council for a federal banking agency.Jeff lives with his spouse, David Zier. They were joined in Holy Union on September 8, 1990.John Tyler Connoleyis the son of Wesleyan missionaries. He spent most of his childhood years in Zambia, Africa, and has lived in Korea, the Philippines, and all of the West Coast states.He came out to himself in 1991, while attending Indiana Wesleyan University, and has since sought to live a life that integrates his deep faith in God with his sexuality. While working on this book, Tyler completed his M.A. in Biblical Studies at Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.He is married to Rob Connoley.