Jay Bakker to Speak at NC Pride
RALEIGH, N.C. — St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of Raleigh has announced that Jay Bakker will participate in NC Pride this September.
 |
Jay Bakker will speak at NC Pride this year. |
Originally from Charlotte, NC, Jay Bakker is the son of the PTL Club’s founders Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Baker-Messner. Bakker is also featured in the Sundance Channel’s One Punk Under God.
Bakker will be participating in the Pride festival and parade at Duke University’s East Campus in Durham, Saturday, September 27. He will also be the honored guest at a reception at The View within the Legends Night Club in Raleigh that evening.
Bakker will finish out the weekend by preaching at both of St. John’s MCC Sunday Services, on Sunday, September 28. The 11am service will be held in Broughton High School’s Auditorium and the 7pm service will be held in St. John’s MCC’s sanctuary, both in Raleigh.
“Having grown up in Charlotte, I was excited to receive the invitation to participate in the Pride activities of my home state,” says Bakker. “Although I have worked in cooperation with MCCs across the country sharing the Gospel of grace, this is the first opportunity I have had to work with the people at St. John’s MCC.”
After witnessing firsthand the excommunicative treatment his family received from the church, Bakker wanted nothing to do with God. He began a new life filled substanc abuse and nonstop partying to mask the pain and suffering caused by this surreal rejection. Eventually, Bakker was able to conquer his demons and made a personal decision to find out who God really was…God wasn’t some judgmental, condemning deity sitting on a throne waving an angry fist in the direction of sinners – rather, God was an understanding God offering a gift of love and grace with no strings attached.
In 1994, Bakker along with Kelli Miller and Mike Walls, started the first Revolution Church in Phoenix, AZ. Revolution seeks to meet the needs of a whole subculture of people ignored and even blatantly rejected by the established church, including the LGBTQcommunity. Revolution services have featured bands, DJs, art exhibits, a coffeehouse and guest speakers.
“Jay’s witness and ministry has a way of opening conversations with many people whose experience with church has been a less-than-positive reflection of God and God’s love,” says Rev. Belva Y. Boone, Senior Pastor of St. John’s MCC. “As a longstanding active participant in the North Carolina gay community, St. John’s is constantly seeking new ways to share God’s love for all people with those who have been subjected to Bible abuse.”