Suspended Grace - by Gregory S Neal (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Grace is not an idea, but something lived, even when the institution forgets. For LGBTQIA+ believers who have felt pushed to the margins of the church they love--and for the leaders who long to welcome them fully--the path forward can feel uncertain and isolating. In Suspended Grace, Gregory Neal offers what so many have been searching for: a memoir of faith, cost, and resilience that speaks from the inside out. Spanning five decades, Neal recounts his journey from a Texas childhood faith through the lasting wounds of conversion therapy, years of ministry lived in secret, and the institutional reckoning that followed when he chose to live openly and honestly. His writing carries both theological seriousness and pastoral warmth -- making this as fitting for the pastor navigating a divided congregation as for the individual still finding their way back to faith. An included study guide extends the book's reach into small groups and progressive faith communities wrestling with questions of justice, inclusion, and what grace truly means when the church has taught you to doubt your own belonging. Neal's story moves readers from pain toward possibility.

About the Author

Gregory S. Neal is the Senior Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Des Moines, Iowa, where he serves alongside his husband, Kade Rogers. Ordained as a United Methodist elder, Rev. Neal has served in pastoral ministry for more than three decades across diverse congregational contexts. Rev. Neal holds degrees from Southern Methodist University and Duke Divinity School, where he also completed doctoral-level coursework in biblical studies and theology. He is an Associate of the Society of St. John the Evangelist, reflecting his commitment to spiritual discipline and liturgical practice. After being suspended from ministry in the North Texas Conference following his 2022 marriage, Rev. Neal transferred his credentials to the Iowa Conference, where he and Kade have been welcomed fully into congregational life. His ministry is grounded in Wesleyan theology, sacramental worship, and the conviction that God's grace extends to all people without exception.