Bill is founder of Posture Shift, author of Guiding Families, and creator of Youth Belong. He has served as President since founding our missionary organization in 2006.
Posture Shift offers a credentialed, biblically-sound missional training curriculum on LGBT+ inclusion and care. Over 300,000 pastors and leaders around the globe have been trained.
Guiding Families is one of the most comprehensive and highly endorsed care plans available. Over 50,000 copies of the book have been sold in multiple editions and languages.
Youth Belong Digital is our latest resource with a focus on protecting gender minority youth.
Bill previously served as a board member of The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. He has taught Posture Shift at Denver Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
“I formed Posture Shift after witnessing the impact of mistreatment and trauma in the lives of countless LGBT+ youth. I am passionate about fostering safe churches and homes. It is a privilege to train and consult church leaders around the world – as well as serve LGBT+ people of all ages and offer thoughtful guidance for their families. The gospel calls us to faithfully honor God – and importantly, to radically love LGBT+ people.“
Our board, advisory council, and teaching staff hold to a traditional biblical view.
Bill enjoys family time, photography, hiking, adventure travel, and staying healthy. Bill and his wife Kang have two grown children. Anna is a registered nurse, and Andrew is a junior in college studying marketing and finance.
Paul Atwater is the founding pastor of North River Church in Pembroke MA, a role he has held since 1989. He has been married to his best friend, Susan, since 1981. They have two adult daughters, one son-in-law, and a cute little dachshund named Copper. Paul is a graduate of Wheaton College (B.A.) and Denver Seminary (M.Div.), where he is currently a D.Min. candidate. He has served on the Wheaton College Leadership Council, the board for New Hope Correctional Ministry, and was a contributing editor for Leadership Journal. He has been a monthly speaker at the Thursday Morning Men’s Breakfast in Boston for more than a decade.
Paul loves going on long walks, hikes and traveling with Sue. He gets excited when sharing the gospel of God’s grace with people who have lost hope or who never realized how profoundly God loves us.
He believes that the local church is still God’s primary tool for delivering the hope, love and grace of God that transforms lives. He is motivated by the growing opportunity that Posture Shift has in helping pastors and church leaders discover how to be faithful to Scripture in regard to marriage and sexuality while radically loving LGBT+ people in the church.
His favorite quote comes from Dr. Tim Keller: “The gospel is this: We are more sinful than we ever believed, and we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared believe.”
Dr. Raymond Pendleton served as Posture Shift’s board chairman from its inception until 2021 and has played an integral role in growth of the ministry.
Dr. Pendleton is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psychological Association. He currently serves as Assistant Rector, Director of Pastoral Care and Healing Ministry at Christ the Redeemer Church in Danvers, MA. He recently retired after 44 years as a full time faculty member at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. During his tenure he served as Senior Professor of Pastoral Care, Director of the Mentored Ministry Program, and with colleague Dr. Pablo Polischuk established the seminary’s Master of Arts in Counseling Program.
Dr. Pendleton spends much of his time with his wife of 61 years, Jan, their two daughters and four grandchildren. He also enjoys golf, music and cooking.
Annie is the Director of Guiding Families at Posture Shift. She hopes to foster a community of care as she connects people together through Guiding Families events and resources. She and her husband, CJ, live in California with their two teenage sons. Her family enjoys watching movies, laughing at funny videos, and having conversations over meals together.
Annie is passionate about sharing the love of Jesus through discussions about healthy relationships and sexuality. She has experience working with youth, young adults, parents, teachers, school administrators, and pastors.
“Before coming on staff at Posture Shift, I attended multiple trainings and have reached out to Bill Henson numerous times for wisdom and guidance in my ministry work over the years. I have shared the Guiding Families book with countless friends, pastors, and Christian leaders. I truly believe the Guiding Families book is the best resource in helping people care for LGBT+ family and friends. It also provides God-honoring guidance for homes, churches, and Christian schools/organizations to create a safer and more inclusive community for LGBT+ people.”
More about Annie: She enjoys playing the drums, cooking, and hanging out with friends.
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