The Art of Coming Out

Cartoons for the LGBTQ Community

About the Author

David Hayward was baptized Anglican as a baby, came to faith in a Baptist church when he was a teenager, changed to Pentecostal in his late teens, married another Pentecostal named Lisa, was ordained Presbyterian, pastored a Vineyard church, and planted others. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as well as a Diploma in Religious Studies and Ministry from McGill University in Montreal. But in 2010 David left the professional paid clergy. He is still passionate about how people can find and follow their own spiritual path with courage and joy, as well as in how people can freely gather and form community in healthy ways. He is also passionate about articulating an intellectually valid and conscientious theory about spirituality. David started a blog called nakedpastor in 2006, and initiated his public analysis of religion, religious community and spirituality through his writings, art and cartoons. Thousands of people are challenged and entertained by nakedpastor every day. He also launched an online community called The Lasting Supper where people can learn and live spiritual independence. His art, cartoons, writings and book have found their way all around the world. David lives with his wife Lisa near Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. They have 3 grown children.

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About the Book

Many of the cartoons that Hayward has produced over the years have been aimed at revealing some of that abuse LGBTQ+ people have suffered in traditional churches. He’s taken 100 of those cartoons and put them in a new book called The Art of Coming Out: Cartoons for the LGBTQ Community.

The book is divided into three chapters: The Discrimination, The Struggle and The Affirmation that traces both the fear and love that LGBTQ+ people have experienced in their spiritual journeys.

Hayward hopes that his images of Jesus fully accepting LGBTQ+ people as they were created will help others achieve the same theological peace he found when he dreamed of that image of the waterfall of God’s all-inclusive love spilling over into the world.

“There is something magical about an image,” said Hayward. “You can say to somebody, ‘Jesus loves you as you are.’ But, when you show them a picture of it, people can understand that it’s true! It’s another way of truth telling.”

Candace Chellew in https://whosoever.org/naked-pastor-david-hayward/