About
Joe Cobb is a writer, ordained clergy with Metropolitan Community Churches, singer, and advocate for social justice.
Joe lives in Roanoke, Virginia with his husband, James, and their two children, Ginny and JJ. A native of Kansas, Joe earned a BA in Philosophy from Southwestern College in his home state and a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He will begin a Doctor of Ministry degree this Fall at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA.
Raised in the United Methodist Church, Joe was called into ministry in 1981, and was ordained as a deacon in 1985, an elder in 1991 and served for 20 years in parish ministry. Five years after coming out, Joe was ordained in the Metropolitan Community Church.
Joe is the co-author of Our Family Outing: A Memoir of Coming Out and Coming Through, written with his former spouse, Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor. Our Family Outing is the story of a gay man, a straight woman and their journey through marriage, children, coming out, divorce, healing, reconciliation – and creating a new way of being a family. To learn about the book visit: https://www.facebook.com/Our-Family-Outing-144035915698628/
This Pastor is Out 
Joe, Your response to Falwell got my attention. What a sad situation. I am a building contractor from Lynchburg, VA and write occasionally for Huffington Post. I wanted to share a couple of pieces I have written I hope they speak to you-
1. Today’s Churches– Filling Pews or Filling Hearts? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-gerdy/todays-churchesfilling-pe_b_4760339.html
2. Does a Gay Fetus Have Any Rights? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-gerdy/does-a-gay-fetus-have-any_b_840968.html
3. Jerry Falwell Jr. Steals From Richard Nixon’s Playbook http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-gerdy/jerry-falwell-jr-steals-f_b_527754.html
4. The Play-Doh Theory of Life http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-gerdy/the-play-doh-theory-of-li_b_154851.html
Also please check out a book I helped compile and publish titled, Insights From Inside
http://www.insightsfrominside.com
Peace,
Tom Gerdy