Colby Martin remains obstinately hopeful that the church can change the world.

Having experienced his fair share of pain and rejection from mainstream Christianity, Colby is awake to the flaws, tragic missteps, and misplaced earnestness that too often define the direction of the church. But God’s vision for creation as revealed in Jesus still compels him - a window into a way of being human that fosters wholeness, and can move communities away from shame into vulnerable, flourishing connection.

As author of “UnClobber: Rethinking our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality” and, “The Shift: Surviving and Thriving after Moving from Conservative to Progressive Christianity,” Colby has emerged as one of the leading voices of the Progressive Christian movement.

Together with his Co-Pastor and wife, Kate, they founded and lead Sojourn Grace Collective in San Diego, CA, while enjoying life with their four sons.

Colby is passionate about carving out a space within Christianity that includes:

a whole-heartedly affirming posture toward LGBTQ individuals,

a broader acceptance of other spiritual practices and religious perspectives,

an agreeableness toward science,

and a commitment to always growing, transforming, and trusting that the best days are yet to come.

Colby is currently partnering with other progressive Christian churches as a co-director for Launchpad Partners Inc, an organization committed to planting and resourcing similar faith communities all across the country.

It is Colby’s deeply held belief that when people are reminded they are loved children of God, wholly and exactly as they are, they begin to live from a place of freedom. His work as author and pastor aims to point us toward that freedom, stubbornly, hopefully, until we believe in it. Until we can live in it, that the church - fully loved, liberated, and empowered - may continue the long work of changing the world.