Undivided: Coming Out, Becoming Whole, and Living Free from Shame [9780062439901]

Overview

Vicky Beeching, called “arguably the most influential Christian of her generation” in The Guardian, began writing songs for the church in her teens. By the time she reached her early thirties, Vicky was a household name in churches on both sides of the pond. Recording multiple albums and singing in America’s largest megachurches, her music was used weekly around the globe and translated into numerous languages.

But this poster girl for evangelical Christianity lived with a debilitating inner battle: she was gay. The tens of thousands of traditional Christians she sang in front of were unanimous in their view – they staunchly opposed same-sex relationships and saw homosexuality as a grievous sin. Vicky knew if she ever spoke up about her identity it would cost her everything.

Faced with a major health crisis, at the age of thirty-five she decided to tell the world that she was gay. As a result, all hell broke loose. She lost her music career and livelihood, faced threats and vitriol from traditionalists, developed further health issues from the immense stress, and had to rebuild her life almost from scratch.

But despite losing so much she gained far more: she was finally able to live from a place of wholeness, vulnerability, and authenticity. She finally found peace. What’s more, Vicky became a champion for others, fighting for LGBT equality in the church and in the corporate sector. Her courageous work is creating change in the US and the UK, as she urges people to celebrate diversity, live authentically, and become undivided.

This raw and courageous spiritual memoir explores the price of secrecy and the freedom of becoming whole:

• A High-Stakes Coming Out Story: The journey of a beloved Christian music star who risked her career, her community, and her livelihood to finally tell the world she is gay.
• The Christian Music Industry: A rare, behind-the-scenes look at the world of American megachurches, worship conferences, and the pressures faced by a poster girl for evangelicalism.
• Purity Culture and Mental Health: An honest account of navigating the purity movement, the trauma of living in the closet, and the nervous breakdown that forced a path toward healing and authenticity.
• Reconciling Faith and Sexuality: Vicky's deeply personal study of scripture that led her to embrace her identity as a lesbian Christian and become a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ equality in the church.