Megachurch Pastor Comes Out

The pastor of a megachurch in Conyers, Ga., told his congregation last week that he’s gay, saying that while he knows his announcement might ruin his career, the recent rash of suicides pushed him to speak out.

Jim Swilley, 52, founded Rockdale County’s Church in the Now 25 years ago. His wife, Debye, was the associate pastor, and together they had four children.

Swilley says he’s known that he’s gay since he was a boy, and his wife knew when they got married. Jim and Debye are now divorced, but they kept his secret for more than 21 years. Earlier this year, Swilley says, Debye told him she thought it was time he stop living a lie.

Swilley says he decided she was right after reading stories about kids being harassed by antigay bullies and committing suicide.

“As a father, thinking about your 16-, 17-year-old killing themselves, I thought somebody needed to say something,” he told WSB TV in Atlanta. “I know all the hateful stuff that’s being written about me online, whatever. To think about saving a teenager, yeah, I'll risk my reputation for that.”

Watch Jim Swilley's interview here.

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Reader Comments

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Name: dee
Date posted: 8/15/2011 1:15:33 PM
Hometown: detroit

Comment:
There is no such thing as a in the closet christian either your saved or lost dead to sin or dead in sin if u want to be saved and go to heaven when u die come out and confess Jesus as Lord over your life and trust in the power of God to deliver you out of your sin thats what Jesus died for
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Name: dee
Date posted: 8/15/2011 1:09:31 PM
Hometown: detroit

Comment:
Its good that he came out but he needs to asked God to deliver him from that if he dies in that sin he will not go to heaven hell will be his home I pray that ther Lord will save and deliver him he needs to be saved
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Name: Apostle C. Bacon - SOLICM
Date posted: 12/28/2010 8:51:13 AM
Hometown: Toledo, OH

Comment:
Here's a simple solution - let's ask ourselves - Did I create anyone did I make something out of nothing? If your answer was no then you are not GOD. We do have the power to develop and make something out of what God has placed here. Now that we realize that we are not GOD - remember the bible has specific instructions concerning judging others. Also, there are specific instructions concerning men with men and women with women - God loves us - but God does not love our fleshy desires. Also, remember the word Christian means Christ-Like, so please consider this-how can you say you are a Christian if you are doing those things that Christ would not do.
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Name: Steve
Date posted: 12/8/2010 12:13:21 AM
Hometown: boise

Comment:
Regardless that this minister cares more about the lives of peoples' children and their future well-being than his own reputation, it doesn't matter. The Bible, the word of GOD, makes some things very clear. It lays down how homosexuals should be killed. It lays down guidelines on selling your daughter, who is just a piece of property, into sexual slavery. It explains through allegory when it is okay to kill children and when it is not. Appropriate occasions to sacrifice animals on altars. The worst crime of all is that the people are being kept from their god given right to stone to death or drive out those who do not align with proper, true Christian beliefs as laid down in the Bible!
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Name: Closeted Admirer
Date posted: 11/22/2010 1:00:50 PM
Hometown: Indiana

Comment:
Admirable. As I am a Christian "in the closet," I think it's just great that this pastor had the courage to reveal this aspect of his life. I have just one question: why would he have risked rejection, losing his church, and losing the confidence of many in his Christian family just to open up and be honest about himself? Why would he have chosen homosexual attraction in the first place? Hmmm. Maybe he didn't choose... Seriously, I know little about same-sex attraction, but I know that I certainly didn't choose to be this way. I'm also sure that if I "came out" to my acquaintances, I would be risking everything as I know it. Would it be worth it? This pastor obviously thought so. It must feel quite liberating.
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Name: Rodney Tom
Date posted: 11/16/2010 7:04:26 PM
Hometown: Port Moresby

Comment:
The whole purpose of Christianity is to become more like The Master...Jesus Christ. He is our role model. No matter what society accepts today as being the norm, Christianity is all about Jesus, who is the same, yeasterday, today and forever. Our ultimate aim is to bear the Fruit of The Spirit in our lives and living a gay life is not one of the Fruit of The Spirit. Pastor, you have disqualified yourself from being a minister of the Word. You cannot save the 16-17 year olds...only Jesus can and you have just denied His Power to save them. You are now setting your own standard of righteousness and manipulating the congregation to accept it. You should be ministering God's standard of righteousness in Christ Jesus for the people to recieve by faith. You are supposed to be the salt of the world but right now you have lost your flavor and are good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot by men.. REPENT, THE GRACE OF GOD IS STILL SUFFICIENT TO SAVE AND KEEP YOU STANDING (Rom.5:2)
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Name: Kathy P.
Date posted: 11/4/2010 9:13:06 AM
Hometown: Mandeville, LA

Comment:
Contact 'Love Won Out' Pastor Swilley, that is your next step. So sad you kept this secret lie for so long, THAT is what Satan wants us to do, hide and stay stuck in our sin. Now step out in faith and take the next step.... Contact 'Love Won Out' May God bless you with His healing touch.
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Name: James Purpura
Date posted: 11/3/2010 10:12:43 PM
Hometown: New York City

Comment:
Oh my God, a pastor with a conscience--unlike the other so-called bigots on pulpits. Very refreshing and don't pay a heed of work to the previous writer. The last thing we need is some bigot saying gays can't preach the word of God.
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Name: Tim Thompson
Date posted: 11/3/2010 3:03:45 PM
Hometown: Tulsa,Ok

Comment:
I PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR COMMENT,If a person is going to come against the word of God they have no business at all preaching the word of God and I am so pleased Haggard is no longer preaching.We need real men and Woman of God speaking and preaching the truth and I dont care what excuses they use because sin is sin.
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Name: Tim THOMPSON
Date posted: 11/3/2010 2:57:04 PM
Hometown: TULSA

Comment:
Thank you for posting this,I 100% agree with you and I am building a minestry and it saddens me how people are taking the power of God and making it so weak.I was a psychic before I got saved.I have seen the power of God transform my life so much in 20 years.I wrote a book called A PSYCHIC DISCOVERS JESUS,and in my book I point out that we as men of God have to quit testing and playing games because God is going to hold us accoutable.Tim Thompson

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