Rev. Justin White – Faith Journey and Bio
I grew up United Methodist. From an early age I was involved in my local UMC in rural Mississippi. I was baptized at Shiloh United Methodist Church on Mother’s Day, May 13, 1984, and I honestly believe that that mysterious moment of grace has stayed deeply with me my whole life. I’ve always felt called to something bigger than myself, and the church is where I learned about the love that Jesus offers to all people. Whether it was in Sunday School, United Methodist Youth Fellowship, or even at home with family and friends; I was surrounded by faithful people and understood that my faith was also a communal faith. So very early, I understood Faith as a community-oriented love offered through the love of Jesus.
As I grew older, my faith wavered as it does. Deaths of friends, uncertainty about my own self, and being in a society that devalued people with differences made a mark on me that sometime left my faith in question. How can we say we love God, but we hate gay people and black people? These were questions I grappled with because the God I heard about in church and with my family said God loved all people. Period. It was in High School and college (Mississippi State University, 2006) where my faith took a turn and I begin following the Journey of a Christ that preached liberation and freedom from oppression. I always had a sense of that Christ, but never was able to articulate it or understand it because of the strong reformed, conservative, and very southern Baptist academy that I attended from K5 through 12th grade. Separating myself from that ingrained education and reading books written by civil rights religious leaders in college opened my eyes to a new understanding of Jesus who stands with the oppressed.
As I understood the liberating love of Christ, and as I got more involved in the United Methodist Church’s committees of advocacy and justice, I realized that I was called to be a minister. I started the process, went to seminary, and did all the things I needed to do in order to be a progressive ministerial voice in the deep south. This also meant that on my journey of Faith, I had to start hiding the fact that I was queer. It was in seminary (Duke Divinity School, 2010) where I first came to terms with my own sexuality, and finally embraced it as a gift and not a curse. Yet, to be ordained as a United Methodist Minister in Mississippi meant that I had to be in the closet and not be honest about who I was. As someone whose faith hinders on authenticity, this really affected my life in some of the most negative ways. My faith was shaken because I was preaching and doing work to help liberate others, and at the same time, I was not trying to liberate myself in relation to my sexuality. I served 7 years in churches in Mississippi and I do not regret it; my faith is stronger now because of that service. Yet looking back, I can honestly say there were times where the only faith I could even claim was that I was a beloved child of God because of my baptism. I didn’t know if I truly believed that, but I held on to it.
In 2018, after being in the Mississippi Delta for two and a half years, I decided to not be in ministry anymore because it was killing my faith. I thought that I could live more authentically and serve Jesus better outside of the church. I had a friend in the Pacific Northwest who talked with me and said, “let me contact you with someone up here. Don’t rush and turn your credentials in yet.” After conversations with DS’es in the PNW and promises that I could serve as an “out, queer” minister, I decided to move my entire life over 2000 miles to see what it could be like to serve openly. And here I am. My faith is steadfast in ways I never thought possible because for the first time in my life, I can serve God without fear of being found out. Faith is a roller coaster, and I still have dips and free falls, but I am beginning to realize the peaks of the track and even the dips are beautiful and a necessary part of my journey.
I am an only child and I am single. My parents live in Mississippi and take care of my grandparents who are 86 (maternal granddad) 83 (maternal grandmother), and 90 (fraternal grandmother).
I am a huge sports fan. I am involved in the PNW chapter of the Mississippi State University alumni chapter. I cheer for all the MSU sports! I am especially a fan of our women’s basketball team and our baseball team! Go Bulldogs! I am also a Duke fan (where I went to seminary). I love the Seattle Storm and the Seahawks, and I consider myself an Atlanta Braves fan, although I wish they would change their mascot.
I am reader of all things. I especially love memoirs, a good thriller, and books that make you think and feel deeply. I love music. I play the piano and am kinda okay at the guitar. I love singer-songwriter music. Dolly, Whitney Houston, Patty Griffin, and Beethoven are just a few of my favorite musical artists. I love the great outdoors and I love being on and in the water. I never swam competitively, but I spent most of my childhood late springs, summers, and early falls swimming.
I am also a cat lover. I do not currently have a cat because when I moved over 2000 miles two years ago, I didn’t think it was fair to uproot my two cats. One of my best friends adopted them, where they now get to play with 3 children who love them.
My birthday is January 18 and I am currently 37 years old.