I dare you to quit snapping your fingers and start strategizing your liberation; ….I dare you to lead!

I dare you to quit obsessing over fashion and start obsessing over God; I dare you to lead!

I dare you to quit gossiping about each other and start praising and uplifting one another; …….I dare you to lead!

I dare you to quit re-discovering your sexual organs and start discovering and uncovering your spiritual path; ……I dare you to lead!

I dare you to forcibly take your place at the table of inclusion versus timidly asking for it; …….I dare you to lead!

I dare you to quit jumping and shouting on Sunday mornings and instead finally get out the choir loft, off the organ, off the piano, off the drums, off the church committees, off the deacon pew, and off the parishioner pews when your pastor/bishop begins to gay bash; ……I dare you to lead!

I dare you to study the spiritual meaning of scripture within its original cultural and linguistic interpretation, beyond the black and white print of King James; ……I dare you to lead!

I dare you to support those who put their lives on the line while you sit back and criticize them for it; …….I dare you to lead!

I dare you to stand in the mirror and proudly proclaim, herald, and celebrate your sexual orientation without fear, shame, or guilt; ……..I dare you to lead!

I dare you to pursue and engage in a same-gender-loving, spiritual romance versus a shallow, guilt-ridden sexual relationship; ………I dare you to lead!

I dare you…I double dare you …in fact I triple dare you to lead! Leadership comes in all forms, shapes, sizes, colors, and paths. Leadership could mean you striving to be the very best human being you can possibly be or it could mean you becoming an outspoken social architect for change.

Leadership could simply mean quietly admitting to yourself who and what you are and living your life accordingly; or it could mean loudly proclaiming who and what you are and allowing God's presence to be seen in you by all.

Further, remember that leadership does NOT equate to fame or fortune. Instead leadership can come through the medium of the unknown, the poor, and the distressed. Leadership is allowing the God that resides inside of you to firmly take root, and for you to follow it, pursue it, and exist within it, however and whenever possible.

I dare you to lead in whatever capacity in which you are called. I dare you to grow much stronger, more confident, and further reconciled. I dare you to embrace the joy of beautiful faith and to discard the ugliness of agonizing fear.

But through it all, I simply ask, urge, request, challenge, demand, but most importantly, I simply dare you to lead!