A prominent pastor and the leader of a Church Planting organization has come out as a transgender woman, reports The New York Times. Paul Williams, who led the conservative church planting organization Orchard Group for 20 years, is now beginning his new life as ‘Paula.’
“She said she’s transgender,” Paul’s son Jonathan said of his Father. “I was relieved for a split second, not really knowing or understanding what it was,” he further explained. “This was before Caitlyn Jenner or ‘Transparent.’ Then within minutes, going: ‘Oh, wait a second, wait a second. This is a way bigger deal. I would rather you be gay or be splitting up from Mom.’ It was this weird wave of emotion. We had a church Christmas party that night, so I get this information and I have to go to the church Christmas party and pretend everything’s O.K.”
“I drank too much and did my best to put on a happy face, but it was pretty brutal” the transgender pastor’s son reveals.
“I couldn’t say anything to anyone,” he told The Times. “Here I am going, ‘Let’s be authentic, let’s be a community that loves one another,’ and I’m not being authentic. I’m not telling people what’s going on in my life.”
Immediately after Paul had announced his gender change to his ministry, he “retired quietly,” according to a statement.
“Paul Williams gave vital leadership to Orchard Group for decades, including serving as President from 1989 until 2009 …. On December 31, 2013, Paul retired quietly from Orchard Group. The Orchard Group board, staff and extended church planting family wish Paul and Cathy (his wife) God’s best as they step into the future,” the announcement said.
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