Does What We Do Really Matter? (For LGBTQ+ Christians in South Africa)
Author: ettie.v
Author Location: Germiston, South Africa
If you’ve ever wondered whether All R Called really makes a difference, you’re not alone. In a world full of needs, causes, and crises, it’s easy to ask: Does what we do actually matter—especially as an affirming Christian community in South Africa serving LGBTQ+ people?
For LGBTQ+ Christians in South Africa, the answer is a clear and urgent yes. All R Called’s mission is not optional — it is life-saving.
Why What We Do Matters
1. LGBTQ+ people face a higher risk of suicide
Research consistently shows, across many countries, that LGBTQ+ people, including LGBTQ+ Christians, face far higher rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts than heterosexual and cisgender people.
This is not because there is something “wrong” with being LGBTQ+.
It is because of what many LGBTQ+ people are forced to carry:
- Stigma
- Rejection
- Isolation
- Fear of being outed or condemned
LGBTQ+ people often walk into any space — religious or secular — already carrying increased mental health vulnerability.
All R Called exists specifically to serve this community. We are not a general ministry that happens to be affirming; we are a ministry created for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. That means we are intentionally present with a group that is statistically more at risk, more isolated, and more in need of compassionate community support than the general population.
2. Faith can heal — but in non-affirming spaces, it can also harm
For many people, religion is protective. Being part of a faith community can lower suicide risk because it offers:
- Belonging
- Hope
- Community
- Spiritual meaning
But for LGBTQ+ people, this is often not the case. For many LGBTQ Christians in South Africa, non-affirming churches and ministries increase shame, isolation, and suicide risk instead of offering safety. In non-affirming religious environments, research shows:
- Suicidal thoughts increase
- Suicide attempts increase
- Depression and anxiety increase
When families use religious beliefs to reject or condemn an LGBTQ+ child, the risk of a suicide attempt can rise dramatically. Young people whose parents weaponize religion against their identity are far more likely to struggle with suicidality than those whose parents do not.
The problem is not faith itself.
The problem is rejection.
3. Affirming spiritual spaces change the story
The good news is that the story does not have to end in rejection and despair.
When LGBTQ+ people find affirming Christian spaces and LGBTQ+ Christian support, the story begins to change. Research shows:
- Suicidal thoughts decrease
- Suicide attempts decrease
- Self-esteem increases
- Depression and anxiety are reduced
- Belonging, purpose, and safety increase
In affirming Christian communities, the risk for LGBTQ+ people often looks similar to what we see in other affirming environments — and sometimes even better, because spiritual support, community bonds, and meaning-making are powerful sources of resilience.
Affirming Christian communities do something crucial:
They restore the protective power of faith instead of weaponizing it.
This is exactly what All R Called is here to do.
4. Without affirming spaces, many LGBTQ+ Christians are spiritually homeless
Across South Africa, there are thousands of LGBTQ+ people who feel torn between two worlds:
- Their faith, which is deeply meaningful
- Their identity, which many churches condemn
In non-affirming environments, they are often given impossible choices:
- Hide who they are
- Abandon their faith
- Endure shame, fear, and spiritual abuse
- Walk away from church and community altogether
This spiritual displacement is not a minor discomfort. It is strongly linked with:
- Loneliness
- Self-hatred
- Trauma
- Suicidal thinking
Many are searching for an affirming church in South Africa or a safe spiritual home where they don’t have to choose between their faith and their identity.
Affirming ministries like All R Called are not “nice extras” in the body of Christ. They meet a deep human and spiritual need that most churches are not yet equipped or willing to meet.
5. All R Called fills a critical gap in South Africa
In South Africa, there are very few openly LGBTQ-affirming Christian ministries that are community-oriented, spiritually rich, trauma-aware, interdenominational and accessible nationwide . All R Called stands in a unique place.
All R Called exists as an affirming Christian community in South Africa, offering a spiritual home for LGBTQ+ Christians and those who love them. We offer what many LGBTQ+ Christians in South Africa cannot find elsewhere: a safe spiritual home.
This is not only emotionally comforting. It is deeply practical and protective.
Affirming spiritual communities have been shown to:
- Reduce suicide risk
- Restore dignity
- Rebuild a sense of belonging and hope
When you support All R Called, you are supporting a ministry that stands in the gap where almost no one else is standing.
6. Our work is a direct suicide-prevention strategy
When you put the research and the lived experience together, the picture is clear:
- LGBTQ+ people are at elevated suicide risk
- Non-affirming religious spaces often make that risk worse
- Affirming religious spaces help bring that risk down
- Many LGBTQ+ people cannot — and do not want to — abandon their faith
Therefore, affirming Christian communities are not optional.
They are essential to protecting lives.
Our ministry is both a form of LGBTQ Christian support and a practical suicide-prevention and mental-health intervention.
Every community group, every conversation, every prayer, every retreat, every WhatsApp message of support — all of this becomes part of a protective environment that reduces suicidality and heals spiritual wounds.
This is not just discipleship.
It is suicide prevention.
It is trauma care.
It is spiritual restoration.
So… does what we do really matter?
Yes. It matters more than we can fully see.
All R Called’s mission — to create safe, affirming places where LGBTQ+ people can belong, grow, and worship Jesus without fear — is not a side project.
It is:
- A mental-health intervention
- A suicide-prevention effort
- A healing space for those wounded by religion
- A community that restores belonging
- A spiritual home for the spiritually displaced
Supporting All R Called means supporting work that:
- Saves lives
- Prevents trauma
- Heals faith
- Provides a vital spiritual refuge for a vulnerable community
In a context where safe, affirming Christian spaces for LGBTQ+ people are still rare in South Africa, this kind of community is not optional — it is essential. Many feel forced to choose between their identity and their faith. All R Called exists so that no one has to make that choice.
How You Can Be Part of This Life-Saving Work
If you’ve ever wondered, “But what can I actually do?” — here are concrete ways to participate in this mission:
1. Join a Community Group
If you are LGBTQ+, questioning, or an ally who wants to journey with us, you are warmly invited to join one of our online Community Groups.
These groups are safe spaces to:
- Share your story
- Pray together
- Explore faith
- Build real friendships
Our online Community Groups are safe, affirming Christian spaces where LGBTQ+ people in South Africa and beyond can belong, grow, and worship Jesus without fear.
You don’t have to walk this road alone.
Learn more and sign up here:
Join a Community Group
2. Volunteer Your Time and Gifts
If you have leadership skills, a pastoral heart, admin strengths, or simply a willingness to serve, your contribution can literally help save lives.
We need volunteers to:
- Help facilitate groups
- Support events and outreach
- Assist with admin and communication
- Offer professional skills where possible
If you’re ready to serve others in a loving, affirming Christian community, consider becoming a volunteer:
Become a Volunteer
3. Become a Member and Support Us Monthly
Our work is only sustainable when people stand with us financially.
By becoming a Member of All R Called and giving a monthly donation, you help us:
- Keep our groups running
- Train and support volunteers
- Reach more people who need a safe spiritual home
- Plan retreats, events, and resources for our community
Even a small monthly amount makes a real difference.
Explore our membership levels and become a supporter here:
Become a Member
4. Partner With Us Through Tax-Deductible Giving
If you have a business, or if you are personally able to give more substantially, your financial partnership can help us expand our reach and deepen our impact.
All R Called is able to provide a Section 18A tax certificate, which means your donation can be tax-deductible.Your generosity helps us:
- Invest in better support structures
- Reach more LGBTQ+ Christians across South Africa
- Strengthen our suicide-prevention and pastoral care efforts
To explore once-off or ongoing giving and receive a Section 18A certificate, please reach out to us or visit our Support Us page.
Your Participation Matters
Does what we do really matter?
Yes — because people’s lives, faith, and dignity are at stake.
And your participation matters just as much.
Whether you:
- Join a Community Group
- Offer your time as a volunteer
- Become a monthly Member
- Or support us through a tax-deductible donation
— you are helping to build an affirming Christian community in South Africa where LGBTQ+ people can know, without question: “I am loved. I am welcome. I belong.” Thank you for standing with us in this life-saving work.