Undivided by Vicky Beeching

Undivided by Vicky Beeching

Vicky Beeching, called arguably the most influential Christian of her generation in The Guardian, began writing songs for the church in her teens. By the time she reached her early thirties, Vicky was a household name in churches on both sides of the pond. Recording multiple albums and singing in America's largest megachurches, her music was used weekly around the globe and translated into numerous languages.

But this poster girl for evangelical Christianity lived with a debilitating inner battle: she was gay. The tens of thousands of traditional Christians she sang in front of were unanimous in their view - they staunchly opposed same-sex relationships and saw homosexuality as a grievous sin. Vicky knew if she ever spoke up about her identity it would cost her everything.

Faced with a major health crisis, at the age of thirty-five she decided to tell the world that she was gay. As a result, all hell broke loose. She lost her music career and livelihood, faced threats and vitriol from traditionalists, developed further health issues from the immense stress, and had to rebuild her life almost from scratch.

But despite losing so much she gained far more: she was finally able to live from a place of wholeness, vulnerability, and authenticity. She finally found peace. What's more, Vicky became a champion for others, fighting for LGBT equality in the church and in the corporate sector. Her courageous work is creating change in the US and the UK, as she urges people to celebrate diversity, live authentically, and become undivided.

Vicky Beeching is a writer, keynote speaker, and equality campaigner. Formerly, she worked as a Christian recording artist, writing and performing religious music for two decades. With a background in theology from Oxford University and a PhD under way, Beeching approaches faith both academically and personally. She often appears on BBC News, Sky News, and BBC Radio as a commentator, and writes for national newspapers. Beeching has won awards for her equality campaigning work in the church and in the corporate sector and is a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. She lives in London.