about nicholas Ryan
Nicholas Ryan’s Mission
Nicholas Ryan, a queer Christian, is on a mission to bridge the gap between the faith and queer communities. Having experienced hurt from both communities due to his involvement in the other, he aims to serve as an example of coexistence. He achieves this by reminding the faith community that their sole mission from God is to love unconditionally and demonstrating the love of God to the queer community that yearns for it.
Nicholas Ryan’s Values
Logic
Emotions are valid and crucial, but they aren’t always precise. Taking the time to delve into and comprehend the underlying logic of something helps prevent misunderstandings.
Empathy
Every individual possesses a unique life experience. Engaging in active listening and learning from others serves as a cornerstone for building meaningful relationships and nurturing one’s own emotional well-being.
Truth
Engaging with logic and emotion enables us to discover and embrace the truth, rather than reinforcing preconceived notions.
Nicholas Ryan’s Story
Nicholas Ryan, raised in a Christian household, attended church regularly and was repeatedly taught that God was love and that the church was a family. However, despite these teachings, Nicholas never truly felt a deep connection. This was because, not only was he taught that God was love, but he was also taught that being gay was wrong. Growing up as a Christian who was gay, Nicholas Ryan struggled for many years with feelings of inadequacy, believing that he wasn’t good enough for God. To compensate for his sexuality, he became overly involved in the church and zealous in his evangelizing efforts.
This fervent desire to serve God prompted him to pursue an education in youth ministry and biblical studies. Attending a conservative school, Nicholas Ryan diligently concealed his identity for several years. However, after confiding in a few other queer Christians, the administration terminated his position as a small group leader and mandated that he attend on-campus counseling. These experiences of exclusion, judgment, and the inability to genuinely connect with others intensified his exploration of his faith and the teachings of the church. Nicholas Ryan authored papers and delivered speeches that critically examined the evangelical church’s teachings regarding homosexuality, employing the very principles of biblical interpretation that the school had taught.
These studies opened Nicholas Ryan’s eyes to the truth: God doesn’t care about your sexual orientation; He loves everyone the same. God welcomes everyone the same. Growing up feeling like an outcast, unable to be his true self, alone, Nicholas Ryan now strives to help others realize their worth and that they are loved. He wants everyone who interacts with him to feel loved not only by himself but by God. His creative narratives and music connect with people who have felt the same way, in ways that only music can, while he continues to engage in biblical scholarship, challenging many long-held beliefs of the evangelical church he grew up in.
