Mel White

James Melville 'Mel' White (born June 26, 1940) is an American clergyman and author. He played a behind-the-scenes role in the Evangelical Protestant movement during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, writing film and television specials and ghostwriting autobiographies for prominent televangelists like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and Billy Graham. In 1994, White publicly came out as gay, leading him to shift his focus towards ministering to the LGBTQ+ community. He has since dedicated himself to serving lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people while also extensively writing on the topic of gay Christians. Born in Santa Clara, California, White holds a BA from Warner Pacific College and an MA in communications from the University of Portland. He is the father of actor and filmmaker Mike White.