Robert Cottrell

5 days ago | patheos.com | Robert Cottrell

Today, we honor the sacred strength of mothers. But not just any mothers. Today, we honor you—the mother who chose her LGBTQ+ child in a world that told her not to. We see you. We see the way you were met with condemnation from your church when your child came out. The whispers. The phone calls that stopped. The invitations that disappeared. The subtle messages that said, “You can be part of us, but only if your child disappears.”But you didn’t disappear your child. You chose them.

2 weeks ago | patheos.com | Robert Cottrell

“One prayer gets the cameras. The other gets the handcuffs. One is praised. The other is prosecuted. And both say they follow Jesus.”This week in America, we saw two very public acts of prayer. One took place at the White House. The other in the Capitol Rotunda. Both claimed to be Christian. But only one looked like Jesus.

1 month ago | patheos.com | Robert Cottrell

There was a time when we could disagree and still hold space for each other’s humanity. A time when conversations could be passionate, yet civil. A time when, even in the midst of our differences, we could recognize the heart in another person. But today, we are witnessing the erosion of something sacred—our ability to see, to feel, and to stand in the shoes of another. And when empathy disappears, the most vulnerable among us pay the highest price. The slow unraveling of empathy is not accidental.

2 months ago | patheos.com | Robert Cottrell

There was a time when truth mattered. When a fact was a fact, when reality wasn’t up for debate. But somewhere along the way, truth lost its footing. Now, truth seems to bend and shift depending on who’s speaking, and facts are dismissed if they don’t serve an agenda. We are living in a time when deception isn’t just tolerated—it’s expected. People lie, rewrite history, manipulate, and gaslight, all while claiming to hold the moral high ground. And it’s exhausting, isn’t it?

Jan 11, 2025 | patheos.com | Robert Cottrell

Today, we are outraged. As parents of LGBTQ+ children and leaders of a supportive community of tens of thousands, we have witnessed firsthand the pain caused by the church’s anti-gay false teachings, beliefs and actions, and the escalating legislative attacks on our transgender loved ones. It is time to stand up, speak out, and unconditionally love and support our LGBTQ+ loved ones. Let us not lose hope for a future where love triumphs over hate.