Pastor Loran Livingston’s Message to People Who Have Had Sex Changes

In a recent, emotionally charged sermon at Central Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Pastor Loran Livingston stepped away from his prepared notes to deliver what he described as a prophetic word. Addressing a congregation he sensed was burdened by “hopelessness and discouragement,” Livingston focused on the story of Lazarus in John 11—a narrative of death, delay, and the sovereign power of the resurrection. While the sermon touched on a variety of personal and spiritual struggles, it resonated with particular intensity regarding the modern cultural and personal crises, including the challenges faced by those who have undergone sex changes and their grieving families.

The Appearance of the Impossible

Livingston’s message centered on the concept of the “appointed time.” He described the agony of Martha and Mary, who watched their brother Lazarus die and saw him buried in a tomb for four days. He drew a parallel between their situation and the many congregants who feel they have crossed a point of no return.

“There are many of you in here today who have already said this is probably over,” Livingston stated. “You had a certain line and you said as long as they don’t cross this line, there’s probably hope… but I’m afraid if it goes beyond that, then it’s over.”

Livingston directly addressed the heartache of parents and families, acknowledging the profound pain felt when a child makes life-altering decisions, such as a sex change, which parents may view as an irreversible or devastating departure from their hopes and values. To these individuals, Livingston offered a radical, uncompromising message of hope: “I’ve preached to people whose children have had sex changes and they thought it was over. And I stand before you and tell you it is not over.”

The God of the Supernatural

Livingston’s theology rejects the idea that any human situation can outpace the power of God. He argued that the modern tendency is to limit God’s intervention based on human reasoning or the gravity of the circumstances. He urged his listeners to stop evaluating the work of God through the lens of their own mortality and short-sightedness.

“It really doesn’t matter to God [how impossible it looks],” Livingston proclaimed. “He’s a God of the supernatural, and He knows no limitation whatsoever.” The pastor insisted that God is a God of resurrection and that, at the “appointed time” already marked on God’s calendar, He will manifest His power. For families devastated by the complex and often painful transitions of their loved ones, Livingston’s sermon was a call to prayer, persistence, and unwavering trust in a God who can breathe life into “dry bones.”

Prophesying to the “Dry Bones”

The sermon reached a climax as Livingston transitioned to the vision of Ezekiel 37—the valley of dry, chaotic, and impossible-to-reanimate bones. He used this imagery to challenge the congregation to stop passively observing their “dead” situations and start speaking life into them.

Livingston encouraged his listeners to “prophesy” to their own dead circumstances. He modeled a prayer of spiritual authority, calling upon the Holy Spirit from the north, south, east, and west to breathe life into that which was “very dead, very dry, and very hopeless.” For the parent of a child who has undergone a sex change, or for anyone watching a dream or a loved one seem to perish, Livingston’s message was clear: do not stop praying. He asserted that the “rattling” noise that accompanies spiritual transition is not the end, but the sound of God putting things back together.

The Other Side of the Mountain

To illustrate the necessity of trusting God during the “agony of the ascent,” Livingston recounted the story of Abraham and Isaac. He described Abraham’s climb up the mountain as a journey of increasing fear and heartbreak, yet Abraham continued because he knew God had commanded him. He urged his listeners to keep climbing their own mountains of despair, reminding them that on the other side—a side they cannot currently see—God has already provided the “ram.”

“Keep climbing,” Livingston urged. “It looks like you’re going to lose everything, but He’s got everything you need on the other side.”

A Place of Authenticity and Hope

The response from the congregation was immediate and overwhelming, as hundreds flocked to the altar. Livingston emphasized that he does not pray out of habit, but because he believes that prayer effects change in the unseen world. He encouraged the church to “get ready” for their children to come home to Christ, regardless of how dark the current reality may appear.

Livingston’s message was a profound departure from any sense of condemnation. Instead, it was an appeal to the transformative power of Jesus, who he described as a Savior who laughs at death and breaks its back. By shifting the focus from the complexity of the struggle to the simplicity of God’s sovereignty, Livingston provided a spiritual anchor for those caught in the storm of modern cultural and personal battles. His sermon concluded with a promise: the glory of the Lord will be manifested, and those who trust in Him will find that their prayers were not in vain, for they are anchored in a God who is currently working out the impossible for their good and His glory.

Disclaimer: This article summarizes the content of a sermon and the perspectives shared by Pastor Loran Livingston. It addresses the emotional and spiritual challenges faced by families dealing with gender transition, as interpreted through the lens of the pastor’s theology.