Trans pastor fosters church where everyone is welcome

Across the United States, various faiths and religions are making efforts to become more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. However, according to the Pew Research Center, most Christians still believe that a person’s gender is determined by the sex assigned at birth.

The ‘CBS Mornings’ series, “The State of Spirituality with Lisa Ling,” examines diverse journeys to faith, spirituality, and religion in the U.S.A.. The latest episode features a Lutheran pastor in California who strives to create an inclusive community simply by being himself.

According to ‘CBS News’, Drew Stever lives with his partner Hazel, their three children, and two dogs in California. He describes his life as quite ordinary. “We play board games, and we garden and we make art,” he shared.

Stever is a trans man and an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). While some Christian denominations have become more inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals, the acceptance of transgender clergy has been notably slower. The ELCA ordained its first transgender priest in 2015, followed by several others, including Stever. Transgender clergy also serve in the Methodist, Episcopal, and Presbyterian churches, but most denominations still prohibit it, citing the Bible verse Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Stever finds it challenging to relate this verse to today’s world, as it was “written for then, not for 2024,” he explained. “When we read in the scripture that God created, man and woman, yes. And God created everyone else as well.”

At Hope Lutheran Church in Hollywood, where Stever serves, congregants have expressed that when he says “all are welcome,” he genuinely means it. “Pastor Drew is a good pastor and I think he focuses on Jesus' commands. We should love God and love our neighbor as ourselves,” said congregant Steven Novak.

Emma Halbert, another congregant, mentioned, “Pastor Drew just brings such a light and life and just encapsulates everything we've always believed in in learning to really spread a message that is just love.”

Raised Lutheran in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Stever also attended Catholic school and church multiple days each week. “I grew up female and in the female context and I just never felt like that worked for me,” he said, mentioning the internal conflict he felt.

Throughout his childhood, Stever experienced anger due to gender dysphoria. “There were definitely times where I like, if I can't exist in one way, I don't want to exist at all,” he said. Feeling intense pain, he sometimes thought he’d be better off not living.

Stever credits a compassionate homeroom teacher at his Catholic school for introducing him to an inclusive Christian theology. This newfound understanding led him to pursue becoming a pastor. He entered seminary as a woman but underwent a significant personal change by the time he left, particularly amid rising anti-transgender rhetoric during the 2016 election. Stever realised he could no longer deny his true identity as a man.

“There was a moment where I woke up in the morning…and the words that came to my mind was 'you don't have to be angry anymore’,” he recalled, feeling as if “God just took a snowball and just like threw it at my face.”

While Stever received support from family and friends during his transition, he also encountered online hostility. He mentioned concerns about openly sharing his story due to his family's safety being his top concern. “And I believe for those who need to hear, will hear,” he added.

Stever’s spouse, Hazel, who is also a Lutheran pastor, understands the discrimination faced by many in the church. “There's a lot of people in the Christian faith who don't even believe women can be pastors,” she pointed out. Despite this, she noted that she and Stever lead a fairly “boring” life, contrary to what some may assume.

Stever aims to help more individuals feel seen and safe in church by being true to himself. “I would say specifically to folks of color, to people living with disabilities, people who are LGBTQ+…you are good. Nothing is wrong with you. You are so good. And you don't need the church to tell you that,” he emphasized.

After CBS News filmed at his church, someone damaged the pride flag hanging outside. Nevertheless, Stever rehung the flag and stated he is “not deterred by one person's small worldview.”