Rev. Aaron Strietzel is the lead pastor at One Church, a non-denominational Christian church in Chandler. He and his wife, a naturopathic medical student, have two children.
A Colorado native, Rev. Strietzel grew up in an Evangelical church and attended private Christian schools during his youth. As he grew older, he developed new personal relationships and his views about sexual orientation and gender identity began to change. After hearing his gay and transgender friends’ stories and struggles, Rev. Strietzel began to question the ideas about gay and transgender people that had been engrained in him growing up.
Rev. Strietzel began to understand the rejection and exclusion that his LGBTQ friends and family felt from the Christian community. Their stories led him to understand that sexual orientation and gender identity are not a choice. These characteristics, he learned, cannot and do not need to be changed.
Rev. Strietzel has since dedicated his life to standing against discrimination and celebrating all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.