Ex-Lesbian Rapper Jackie Hill-Perry Says the Church Needs to Dig Deeper While Ministering to Gays
Jackie Hill-Perry, a Christian rapper who identifies as a former lesbian, recently explained why she thinks the leadership around her was effective in counseling to her as a homosexual and believes the church needs to look deeper than just a person's sexuality when it comes to ministering to gays.
The rapper recently spoke with The Gospel Coalition and was asked "what is the most important thing church leaders can do to help people in their congregations who struggle with same-sex attraction?"
"What was helpful for me was that my leadership did not isolate my same-sex attraction from my whole person. They looked to see 'how can I help her in a Gospel-centric way that's holistic' because it wasn't that I struggle with lesbianism. I struggled with hatred, bitterness, laziness, gluttony, lack of stewardship, pride. There was a lot to me that was much deeper than just my sexuality," said Hill-Perry.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"When I was able to see that all of me needed Jesus, all of me needed to be whole and all of me needed to be discipled, that's what helped me. Because it kind of humbles you where [I said] 'I'm real messed up because it's not this one little fraction of me. It's all of me' and I'm able to really crawl to Jesus and know He can fix me. Only He can make me whole."
Hill-Perry added that Christian leaders need to let people know that their identity is in more than just their sexuality.
The rapper, who is now married with a daughter, shared her testimony with Christian Broadcasting Network earlier this year.
Perry, who states that she was molested at a young age in her online biography, admitted to first feeling same-sex attraction as early as the first grade. She also struggled with gender identity.
"I just distinctly remember wanting to be a boy, wanting to be the dominant role in any type of relationship," said Perry to CBN.
She eventually gave in to her desires and began pursuing relationships with other women.
Being raised in the church, the rapper felt a sense of conviction while being in these relationships and at the age of 19, she had what she described as an encounter with God where she was forced to confront the eternal consequences of her actions.
"It was as if every thought I had was interrupted by this really strong thought that convicted me all at the same time. It felt as if God was showing me that the sins that I loved and were in would kill me, I would die and go to hell," said Hill-Perry.
She eventually turned her life over to Christ.
Perry has spoken on various topics in the past regarding sexuality and even weighed in on Bruce Jenner's transformation to become Caitlyn Jenner when she first announced her transition from man to woman in Vanity Fair in June.
"When God is involved, now it's a bigger deal. He created your body," said Perry to Rapzilla. "He sovereignly allows you to be male or female, so for you to go against Him is an eternal issue. He created your body, so you don't have the right to say, 'I can do with it whatever I want.' That's the most prideful thing you can do because it's an attack on the wisdom of God."
"I don't fully get it, but I get it because I dealt with gender confusion as a child and even growing up until I became a believer," added Hill-Perry. "I get and understand the feeling of, 'If I lived my life as somebody else, I would be happier than I am now."
