Organization:The Evangelical Network (TEN)

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The Evangelical Network (TEN)
The Evangelical Network (TEN) Logo.png
Founded1988, Phoenix, Arizona
FounderFred Pattison
Typenon-profit, religious
Location
  • Savannah, Georgia
President
David Thomas
Websitewww.TEN.lgbt

The Evangelical Network (also known as TEN)[1] is an association of Christian and Evangelical ministries that are a part of and are affirming to the LGBTQ community and their relationships. The TEN website describes its focus in a mission statement including the following goals:

  • To provide a safe place for LGBTQ Christians.
  • To bring people of a shared faith experience to worship together in an annual conference.
  • To be a voice in media and public discussion supporting LGBTQ struggles for equality.

The Evangelical Network is not a denomination (as explained on their FAQ page[2]), and includes in its statement of beliefs that "a person can be Christian and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight."

History of TEN

The Evangelical Network[3] (TEN) was founded in 1988 by Fred Pattison,[4] a Metropolitan Community Church (UFMCC) pastor who began networking within that denomination to find other Evangelical Christians. TEN originally was intended to be a network within the UFMCC, however, Pattison's church later chose to withdraw from the denomination and the focus of TEN changed to reaching independent Evangelical churches.

Pattison retired[5] his presidency in 1997 and requested Todd Ferrell[6] succeed him. Ferrell was serving as an Elder at Freedom on Christ Church, a TEN affiliate located in San Francisco, CA. He served for approximately 4 years, followed by a 4-year presidency under Ronnie Pigg (who succeeded Fred Pattison as pastor at the founding church). In 2004, the church affiliates of TEN voted in a new board with Todd Ferrell returning as president and Ferrell continued to successfully lead the organization until 2017 when David Thomas, pastor of Abundant Grace Church in Granite Falls, NC was chosen to take the leadership of the organization.

In addition to many years of conferences/gatherings, TEN has been also been active in social justice issues including:

  • The Worlds AIDS Conference at Saddleback Church
  • An invitation to the United Nations to address homophobia in Uganda
  • Meeting with the US Secretary of Labor concerning workplace safety for the LGBT community
  • Support of same sex marriage and adoption.

Theology

The TEN Statement of Faith[7] is similar in content to many mainstream Christian organizations, The organizations Statement of Faith states that they believe:

  • The Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
  • There is one true God eternally existent in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  • In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
  • That for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
  • The present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
  • In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost until the resurrection of damnation.
  • In the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • That all who seek to live faithfully regardless of ability, age, class, ethnicity, gender, gender-identity, race or sexual orientation are full participants in the Body of Christ. We welcome and affirm all into the life of the church.

While there are other LGBT affirming Christian organizations (such as Q Christian Fellowship and The Reformation Project[8]), TEN's embrace of Evangelicals and outreach specifically to the LGBTQ Evangelical community, makes it unique.

Annual TEN Conference

Each year, The Evangelical Network hosts a conference including times of worship, keynote speakers, and workshops. The conference is held annually in a different US city generally during the summer months (as evidenced by their posted past conference dates and locations).[9] Previous guests and speakers have included: Tony Campolo, Ray Boltz, Stan Mitchell,[10] Marsha Stevens-Pino, Jay Bakker, Mark Tidd,[11] and Kenny Bishop.

References

  1. ↑ "LGBT Religious And Spiritual Organizations, National And International". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/24/gay-friendly-religious-communities_n_1616510.html. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  2. ↑ "FAQ/General Information". The Evangelical Network. 2016-01-22. http://www.theevangelicalnetwork.net/?page=FAQ. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  3. ↑ "Our History". The Evangelical Network. 2016-01-22. http://www.theevangelicalnetwork.net/?page=OurHistory. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20161121185357/https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=257. Retrieved 2016-11-14. 
  5. ↑ PETER STEINFELS (1996-01-31). "Evangelical Group Defends Laws Protecting Endangered Species as aModern 'Noah's Ark' - The New York Times". https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/31/us/evangelical-group-defends-laws-protecting-endangered-species-amodern-noah-s-ark.html. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20131211004211/http://www.linkedin.com/in/tempoent. Retrieved 2016-11-14. 
  7. ↑ "The TEN Statement Of Faith". The Evangelical Network. 2016-01-22. http://www.theevangelicalnetwork.net/?page=StatementOfFaith. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  8. ↑ "The Reformation Project". The Reformation Project. http://www.reformationproject.org. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  9. ↑ "Past Conferences2". The Evangelical Network. 2016-01-22. http://www.theevangelicalnetwork.net/page/PastConferen2. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  10. ↑ "Stan’S Blog | Gracepointe Church". http://gracepointe.net/category/blogs/stans_blog. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 
  11. ↑ Draper, Electa (2013-07-18). "Denver church growing again after fully accepting gays – The Denver Post". http://www.denverpost.com/2010/09/10/denver-church-growing-again-after-fully-accepting-gays. Retrieved 2016-12-30. 

External links




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