The Way Of Hope


Whether we (as a church collective) like it or not, the issue of sexual orientation and gender is the issue of the day. More and more people are "coming out", and Christians need to have the right response. The right response must balance the truth of God's Word with the love of Christ, and this can be a very difficult balance to strike. I was super intrigued to read The Way of Hope: A Fresh Perspective on Sexual Identity, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Church by Melissa Fisher, because she is a woman who used to be in a same-sex marriage and now is a Christian, on staff of a church, and identifies as straight. The back cover says:

""Am I welcome here?"

It's the most challenging question churches face today. With a history of condemning people for their sexual temptations, desires, or orientations, many churches and Christians in an attempt to right that wrong have simply adopted the world's more indulgent view.

What if the church could show up in a different way?

With deep understanding born from her own painful experiences, Melissa shows that somewhere between the extremes of condemning and condoning is the way of Jesus, a way marked with courage, compassion, and hope. The Way of Hope aims to equip the church to make a positive impact in the lives of those hurting from their relational or sexual differences. It aims to inspire everyone, regardless of sexual identity or gender orientation, toward a relationship with Jesus, who wants to offer us all love and hope greater than anything we've ever known.


"In this book, Melissa takes you into her journey--a journey common to all people searching for faith and navigating the confusing waters of the church and culture. Whether you are gay or straight, confused or secure in your identity, consider another way--the way of hope."--from the foreword by John Burke, pastor of Gateway Church Austin, author of No Perfect People Allowed and Imagine Heaven


Perfect for pastors, parents, siblings, and friends wanting to love, support, and understand, as well as anyone who identifies as LGBT and who longs to have a safe place to explore the truth and love of Jesus.


Melissa Fisher is on staff at Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. Having seen God's power work in her own life, she is passionate about seeing the lost, broken, dechurched, and unchurched find freedom, healing, and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Connect with her at www.gothewayofhope.com."

I couldn't put this book down! Part memoir, part call to action, part guidebook, The Way of Hope first takes you through Melissa's unique story and journey. I have to admit, I can find it difficult to connect with or understand homosexual people. However, after reading Melissa's story, I have much more sympathy and understanding for their plight. I found her story encouraging and inspiring, and her life is really a testimony to God's grace and mercy. Melissa really was able to draw a hard line on calling sin sin while still explaining how we can welcome homosexual people into our churches and lives and show them love and grace. As a church, we need to have the right balance when welcoming people struggling with these issues into our church. It's really a gift hearing from someone on the other side of the fence telling us how it feels and what the correct response should be. I highly recommend this book to every Christian struggling with how to respond to these issues in a loving, but truthful way.

I received a copy of this book from Baker Books in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

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