‘This is right, this is the future of the church’: gay black evangelist on coming out

The declaration by a highly influential black Christian gospel star that he is gay has exposed a generational divide in attitudes towards sexuality that could signal a transformation within evangelical churches.

Seth Pinnock, who founded a gospel choir and youth orchestra and was hailed by the Tony Blair Foundation as a “young leader to watch”, experienced depression, anxiety, self-hatred and drug addiction as a result of believing his sexuality was sinful.

Now, he told the Guardian, “just as churches have come to apologise for their entanglement with [historical] slavery, I can see a time when they will apologise for distancing and silencing queer people”.

Pinnock, 35, posted a poem he had written on social media earlier this month declaring that he was “Black, Queer, Christian, Here”. Reaction was “painful” from older members of the black Christian community, but “wonderful” from Gen Z and younger millennials, he said.

“I grew up in the black Pentecostal church, and my whole world has been that space – all my income, my leverage, my influence, my community, my family. The places that I would do my music were churches or church events. My whole ecosystem was the Christian space. I’m the poster child of this space.

“I knew that, in making this big announcement, there was a lot I could lose – practically, personally and professionally.

“I’ve always known I was gay, and those that were closest to me knew as well. It was an open secret, a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ situation. But it took me five years to work out how and when I was going to do this, to be truthful to who I am.”

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Over the years, Pinnock was warned of “eternal damnation”, that he was possessed by demons, and that his sexuality was akin to paedophilia.

He “spent many years hating myself”, had undergone conversion therapy – “trying to pray this away” – and had been hospitalised as a result of his drug addiction. The drugs, he said, were an “escape from the torture” of his life. He has been clean for seven years.

Eventually, he found progressive pastors who “helped me unlearn and relearn scripture, and to see this as a justice issue. I realised this was bigger than me, and that the platform I have means I could help change the trajectory of someone’s life.”

Since posting his poem, he has been inundated with messages. Negative responses came mainly from older people, but younger Christians were generally “super onboard”.

“They were saying, ‘Well done, this is right, this is the future of the church’.” Many were more educated than their elders, and more inclined to “view what the pastor says through a critical lens”. Some were themselves “in that [sexual] space, or have friends in that space”.

The response signalled inevitable change in the black Christian community, said Pinnock. “Younger people are listening to movements that are more inclusive. Will black churches continue to be as influential on younger people? No. Will they continue to be the north star? No.

“There are hundreds of thousands of young people who will now feel they can too be free. I know of churches that are already beginning to discuss LGBT+ issues because of my action.”

In the past, churches had colluded in slavery, permitted men to beat their wives, said divorce was wrong and forbidden women’s ministry based on Bible readings, said Pinnock. “We need to approach scripture with a modern, critical lens.”

He is now taking part in a documentary challenging harmful theological doctrines, and working on a new initiative to deter young people from crime. He is also collaborating with the NHS and the Terrence Higgins Trust to raise awareness about rising HIV rates in London, particularly among black and brown communities.

Pinnock wishes he had come out sooner. “I feel like I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, and I wish I’d had access to the resources [for young gay Christians] that we’re now creating.

“It’s time to stand up and speak the truth. There have been painful moments along the way but the moments of joy have been beautiful. Now I’m living in the light and not the dark, it is worth the journey.”