Author Caleb Kaltenbach once found himself saying, “I never want to be a Christian,” but a blatant attempt to try to disprove the Bible left him in the most surprising circumstances: to accept Christianity and transform her heart and mind in the process.

Kaltenbach’s journey of faith and theological views are particularly surprising given that he was raised by three gay parents in an activist environment prior to his conversion.

LISTEN: HEAR KALTENBACH SHARE ITS POWERFUL CONVERSION HISTORY

“My parents divorced when I was two and they both had same-sex relationships,” he said. said the podcast “Edifi With Billy Hallowell”.

Hear Kaltenbach share his story:

This trip took Kaltenbach and his family through years of pro-LGBTQ activism where he often encountered the hatred and anger of some who called themselves Christians – people who left him feeling in his early years as if he would never want to be part of the faith. .

“I learned very quickly from the things that I saw in the pride parades, the way I saw Christians treating people, the way I saw families ignore their young sons dying of AIDS. in the 1980s – I saw very quickly that Christians hated gay people, “he said.” And I thought to myself, “Dude, I never wanna be a Christian. If Christians are that bad, I can’t. not imagine how horrible Jesus must be if he is their leader.

But something unexpected happened during his teenage years. Kaltenbach joined a Bible study at the age of 16 in an attempt to try to disprove Christianity. Despite his best efforts, Kaltenbach found himself shockingly enthralled with the Scriptures – and that all changed.

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“I became a Christian, I changed my view of sexuality to what I consider today – that God designed sexual intimacy and affection to be expressed in a marriage between a man and a woman” , did he declare.

The journey from there was not easy, especially when Kaltenbach’s family learned of his conversion. His parents kicked him out of the house, although they later reconciled.

“I think my parents came to realize that I was not one of ‘those’ Christians,” he explained, referring to the angry people his family had met during his time. youth.

Kaltenbach’s journey of faith did not stop there; he decided to enter the ministry and became a pastor. As for her parents, they too became Christians in their later years.

In addition to having biblical views on marriage, Kaltenbach said he also embraces another claim: that “theological beliefs should never be a catalyst to devalue others.”

He attacks these beliefs in his new book, “Disorderly Truth: How to Foster Community Without Sacrificing Belief“, as he continues to help Christians find a balance between truth and love and to create” a sense of belonging for all “.

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Kaltenbach told “Edifi” that he thinks it is important for Christians to empathize with others, but to differentiate between having compassion and letting go of values.

“We have to have a lot of empathy… I don’t mean empathy is child’s play,” he said. “To me, empathy is similar to humility… empathy is acknowledging someone’s reality.

It is from there that Kaltenbach believes people can be reached with the gospel.

As for the culture’s current distancing from traditional values, Kaltenbach admitted that it has been difficult to watch, but he continues on his way to helping Christians deal with societal change in a positive and uplifting way.

Listen to the full interview to learn more about Kaltenbach’s opinions and his journey.