(PR.co.nz) Awaken Conference brings together Christians, pastors, leaders and youth workers who are a part of or work with the LGBTI Community.
This Labour weekend, Auckland will host the Awaken Conference; an event for the LGBTI community who also identify as Christian. New Zealand churches are slowly progressing, but with the recent change that saw same-sex marriage upheld by law, the church has had to consider its position. In most cases, churches have taken a conservative view and see same-sex marriage as sinful, and have therefore restricted leadership and other duties for LGBT+ people.
It’s 24 years (October 1992) since the last Lesbian, Gay and Christian. National Conference was held in in Auckland.
This Labour weekend, the Awaken Conference will address similar issues The conference is designed to create a safe, supporting and encouraging place for the LGBTI Christian community. It also aims to provide education for church leaders and pastors wanting to explore these issues as they challenge and grow in their faith.
The main speaker is Justin Lee the founder and executive director of The Gay Christian Network (https://www.gaychristian.net/), an interdenominational nonprofit organisation serving LGBT Christians and those who care about them. He is the host of GCN Radio, a popular podcast on faith and sexuality, and author of Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate. Justin has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Dr. Phil, Anderson Cooper 360, NPR’s All Things Considered, and a front page story in The New York Times. He speaks frequently across the U.S.A, is a contributor to the Huntington Post, and writes about issues of faith and culture on his own blog, Crumbs from the Communion Table.
There are also workshops with Massey University’s Professor Peter Lineham and others on Biblical scriptural issues and other seminars including how to pastorally care for LGBT Christians: to move forward in including and loving LGBT people, regardless of theological position.
The Awaken conference team will also be running a FREE LECTURE for the public by Justin Lee at Auckland University on Thursday 20 October from 7-9pm, entitled ‘Rescuing the gospel from the Gays-vs-Christian Debate’. This will be chaired by Dr Nick Thompson, Theological and Religious Studies, University of Auckland and will be held at Library B15 Lecture Theatre (109-B15) 5 Alfred St, Auckland.
The conference itself is on over the this Labour Weekend and tickets itself are available from: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/awaken-2016-registration-26743767328