What if reading the Bible resulted in Adventists showing more love to 
people in our communities?

Embrace your faith and show love to the 
LGBTQ community

The book, UnClobber, was written by an evangelical Christian pastor in the US, who was torn between his conservative tr of the Bible, and , and wanting to show love to all God's people. 
Pastor Colby Martin shares his research about the common texts used to justify conservative Christians' stances toward LGBTQ people and issues.

What makes it hard for Adventists to love the LGBTQ community

As Adventists, we take the Bible seriously. We have heard the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and can point to Leviticus and Romans, then say LGBTQ+ issues or homosexuality conflict with our values. Yet many Adventists have never deeply researched LGBTQ issues,  those specific biblical passages along with their historical contexts. We've studied the Sabbath, Daniel and Revelation and can understand not only the verses, but also the cultural and historical contexts for what verses mean and how to interpret them. But for those 6 passages, we have avoided research and deep study for how we should treat those who are LGBTQ+ in our families and communities. Additionally, when some well-meaning Adventists try and stand up for their values, they may be labeled as a bigot or homophobic, transphobic, or worse. 
  • Confusion: Many Adventists are unsure how to connect with LGBTQ people because they think acceptance of a person is condoning of their choices.
  • ​Lack of Knowledge: Many Adventists have never deeply researched LGBTQ issues or the the biblical passages and context around the few verses in the Bible that are commonly referred to when it comes to LGBTQ people. We've studied the Sabbath, Daniel and Revelation and can understand not only the verses, but also the cultural and historical contexts for what verses mean and how to interpret them. But for those 6 verses, there usually has not been a deep study. 
  • ​​​​Politics: Adventists have always supported Religious Liberty, and due to the politicized nature of debate in these times, it can be challenging to know how to balance the voting with our spiritual beliefs for leaders that embody our values, and also remembering our Adventist roots and the downside of governments who promote one, or any, religion above others.  
  • ​Polarization and Division: Due to politics, media and social media we are increasingly divided. People are forced to choose a side on issues, and then create bubbles or echo chambers, where they never speak to or engage with people who are different. Each side believes it has the moral high ground, then dehumanizes and ignores the other side. This is obvious in political spheres, but it has seeped into our churches, communities and even within families. 
  • ​​​Lack of Love and Humility: We all know the greatest commandments would be to Love God, and Love others as we love ourselves. Yet, it is a challenge to actively love someone, especially if we believe we have the truth. And see them living lives we disagree with. The temptation to judge can be strong, and we also do not want to become tempted to stumble in our own walks. 

What if there was a way for us to take the Bible seriously, and go deeper into God's word on these issues. If the Bible is authoritative in our lives, deeper study will help us find the balance of living Biblically AND treating everyone with dignity, respect and love.

Introducing... UnClobber for Adventists

UnClobber helps Adventists go deeper into God's word, and specifically those texts, and shows a path forward that can bring more love and compassion into the world

  • Biblical Research: Chapters go through each of the 6 texts, explain their historical and cultural contexts, and how there are honest interpretations that provide a clearer understanding of their meaning  
  • A Pastor's Personal Journey: Colby shares his personal journey of how he first began to research these questions, along with the challenge of a pastor, who is called to serve everyone but doesn't know how to serve the LGBTQ+ people in his church
  • Ideas for Change: What if your local church, your community, and even your family were to grow in love and compassion for others and better able to show the love of Jesus to everyone? Even if there may be continuing disagreements? What if people knew we were christians by the amount of love and compassion we showed them, instead of pointing to our 28 fundamental beliefs and our doctrine? 

UnClobber may not change how you think or believe, but we do believe it will change how we have this conversation... and we pray that it will lead to more compassion, conversations and coming together at Jesus' shared table.

What Adventists are already saying?

Over the past 12 months, we have sent over 1,200 books to Adventists in the US, Europe, Australia and Canada. Here are some of the responses so far:
 This book has really challenged me. The exegeses are mind-opening. This is a welcome breath of fresh air. 
 I'm 20 pages into the book. It's what my heart and soul needed! Thank you for thinking of me. 
Wow. Though I'm not a biblical scholar I found this book gripped my attention so much I read it in three nights. I am still wrestling. Thank you.
 I'm now sending this book out. We need to open more conversations. 
 Thank you for this important read. We look forward to diving in. 

Order a free copy of UnClobber to read and join the conversation

Enter the Shipping Destination for UnClobber

Meet the Author

Pastor Colby Martin

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Colby Martin joined the Adventist Today Sabbath school to take questions and share ideas of his spiritual journey and growth when it came to LGBTQ issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to receive my order?
For US e-Book orders, you can expect to receive an email with an Amazon Kindle digital download code in 1-3 days.
For US paperback orders, we typically email the bulk orders on Thursdays to the publisher allowing for delivery by the following Friday.
For all international order, the deliveries may take a longer time depending on the country. Books should be received within 7-14 business days.
Where can the book be ordered or shipped to? 
We are currently able to ship paperback books to locations in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.
E-Books are purchased through Amazon Kindle, and we are not able to send e-Books to users outside of the US due to Amazon's policies.
We are working to procure desArmar through another publisher and hope to send out the spanish translation 
How can I order books in bulk for my Sabbath School or Church book club?
We support people taking the initiative to connect with members in their church to read the book together. We suggest placing multiple orders on the site and adding their addresses. You can also email unclobber@sdakinship.org to request orders of 15 or more. 
Is there a way to connect with other Adventist readers of UnClobber?
Yes. We have created a private Facebook group for people to connect, where they can share their thoughts, insights, ask each other questions, and even share any disagreements they may have.  After you order UnClobber you will be emailed a link to join the private Facebook group.
Will there be a way to ask questions about this topic or have more research?
Every month we will be having a short Zoom webinar where we update people about this project and answer any questions people may have?
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