Undivided

Format: Paperback

ISBN-13: 9780062439918

Amazon UK: Undivided

Language: English

Standpoint: 1 Fully inclusive and affirming

Genre(s): Contemporary Christian practice and experience and Memoir/autobiography

Topic(s): Accepting one's sexuality, Coming out, Discrimination against and hostility towards LGBT+ people, Inclusive Christianity, and Journeys towards acceptance

Especially suitable for: Evangelicals, Those struggling to accept their sexuality or gender identity, and Young people

“Arguably the most influential Christian of her generation” (The Guardian), Vicky Beeching chronicles her rise to the heights of Christian music and her brave decision to come out as gay – leading to self-acceptance and acknowledgement which changed her relationship with God and the practice of her faith.

From a young age, Vicky Beeching loved to write songs and lead worship in church. In singing, she experienced the fullest expression of herself, what God had uniquely blessed her to do. After college, Vicky quickly achieved stardom, touring with some of Christian music’s biggest names. But Vicky’s success was threatened by a terrifying secret. She was gay. There was no room in evangelical Christian music for a gay worship leader. For ten years, Vicky rejected who she really was – a denial that damaged her in body and soul. After leaving music behind to enrol in a theology program at Oxford University, Vicky discovered that she could not worship God with a pure heart if she did not accept who she was.

When she courageously came out publicly in 2014, Vicky lost the support of her Christian community. But she gained much more: the truth had set her free. Focusing on her speaking and writing instead of music, Vicky leads worship in a new way now, emphasizing God’s inclusive love and faithfulness. Undivided is the story of her transformation, a joyous tale of God’s love, and a call for all Christians to worship God in authentic ways.

Reviews/Comments

“I can’t imagine a better memoir about being a secretly gay Evangelical Christian music star wrestling honestly with your sexuality and your faith in God. It’s trying to be many things to many people – there is an air of ‘I need to explain Evangelical Christianity to my queer audience’, sitting strangely with ‘I need to explain why it is OK to be queer to my Christian audience’. And like all real-life stories it doesn’t come neatly tied up with a bow or a happy ever after. But it’s very honest, and very interesting, and if it didn’t tell me anything new, it feels like it is a book that will remain long after the world has moved on, with a ‘this is how we used to treat gay people and the way the world used to be’.” — atreic