Darren Calhoun

Heavy Burdens

Church Leadership & Ministry

“Heavy Burdens is the book about LGBTQ+ people in the church we’ve been hoping for. It clarifies why Christians are in such conflict about human sexuality, offers practical ideas for how we can do better, and sounds an urgent call for the church to bring hope and reconciliation to all God’s children. As a survivor of a spiritually abusive church, I could feel a tightness in my gut as Rivera shared firsthand experiences of the harmful things well-intentioned people say about sexuality, and my heart was gripped by the stories of other LGBTQ+ Christians interwoven throughout the book. Rivera’s grace, commitment to truth, balanced approach, and deep knowledge of Christian history shine through every page. Every follower of Jesus who has a heart for LGBTQ+ people can learn a lot from the wisdom she shares here.”