Meet the transgender pastor who says the Bible 'wasn't written for 2024'

A California-based transgender Lutheran pastor said the Bible 'wasn't written for 2024' and intends to make a more inclusive ministry for the LGBTQ+ community.

Ordained minister Drew Stever, who identifies as a transgender man, works for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Hope Lutheran Church in Hollywood.

He says the notion that God created two genders that are clearly defined in the Bible is outdated.

'It's hard to relate it to modern-day time because it wasn't written for 2024, it was written for them.

'When we read in the scripture that God created man and woman, yes, and God created everyone else as well.'

Stever and his partner Hazel live with their three children and two dogs in southern California. 

He told CBS News that he lives an average life.

'We play board games, we garden, we make art and we remind the kids 12 times to pick up their socks in their bedroom.'

Stever was raised Lutheran in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, and went to Catholic school - going to church several days a week.

He said growing up, he dealt with anger and depression stemming from gender dysphoria.

The pastor's call to serve came from a homeroom teacher who introduced him to a different theology that was accepting of everyone.

When Stever came out of seminary in 2016 he began his transition from a woman to a man. 

'There was a moment where I woke up in the morning and the words that came to my mind was "You don't have to be angry anymore."'

Stever said in this moment it felt like God was speaking to him and he received support from his loved ones during his transition - but had to deal with hate online.

His partner Hazel is also an ordained minister. She said she's also felt discrimination from participating in the church, since many in the Christian faith don't believe women can be pastors.

When asked if Stever felt if the Lutheran church was a safe place for transgender people, he said it's 'trying so hard.'

In 2015, the ELCA ordained its first transgender priest which opened the door for others to step into spiritual roles - but the acceptance of trans clergy has been slow across Christian denominations. 

Sixty-eight percent of Protestants and 51% of Catholics believe that a person's gender is defined at birth, according to a study from PEW Research.

Transgender clergy serve in the Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches, but most Christian denominations forbid transgender people from serving in the clergy based off an excerpt from The Book of Genesis in the Bible.

'So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.'

On September 17, Stever posted on Facebook to condemn the vandalism of pride flags he'd erected outside of his church.

He wrote: 'One person's small worldview will not stop our commitment to love, justice, and empowering the disempowered.

 'If there's ever a time for it, now is the time to educate ourselves about the differences of others so that we stop moving from a place of fear and causing harm and moving from a place of curiosity and building community.'