Charles Michael Brill

Charles Michael Brill, former Southern Baptist minister was ordained at Riverside Baptist Church, Mobile, Alabama, in the summer of 1980 after graduating from Oklahoma Baptist University (BA Religion/Psychology). Attending OBU was life altering for Mike, as he learned new ways to think, process and understand the world around him. Next, he attended and graduated from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv/SW) in May 1984.

Michael Brill served various ministry positions over his 13-year career within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). These included a year overseas as a Missionary in Germany, inner city ministry in New York City, and working as an administrator at Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy, part of the mountain mission schools that began before there were public schools in the Appalachian Mountains. He also served several churches in Kentucky.

His last position within the SBC was at the University of Mobile where he served as Associate Director of Development and Alumni Affairs. When the SBC took a hard right turn, Michael realized it was imperative that he leave the university, on the advice of friends and mentors, as being gay or suspected of being gay would not be tolerated. After leaving, though very difficult, he finally accepted the fact that being gay was not a choice and was an unchangeable part of who he is.

He then pursued a career in Financial Advisement with New York Life for five years, then at Raymond James for twenty-five. Michael was successful in his financial career and was a member of the Leader’s 1 year (Top 20%), President’s 16 years (Top 10%) or Chairman’s 1 year (Top 5%) Clubs for the last 18 years.

Michael came fully out of the closet while at Raymond James by announcing to his training class of 1998-99 that one of his target groups was working with the LGBTQ+ community as at that time the company had no Financial Advisor (FA) committed to working with that group in the Tampa Bay area.

During these years in Tampa, Mike thrived and accepted various volunteer positions, including leadership roles, on non-profit boards including the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce (then known as the Tampa Bay Business Guild), Glazer Children’s Museum and the national non-profit Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC). Additionally, he supported the Tampa Bay Gay & Lesbian Film Festival for 25 years, St. Pete and Tampa Pride events, and was a lead organizer of the Human Rights Religion & Faith Initiative in Tampa Bay in [year or years ] and the rally was one of the largest held across the country.

The most impactful position Mike held was on the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee at Raymond James which reported directly to the board of directors. Mike was invited to participate at the first gay flag raising at the RJ national home office.

Michael accepted God’s love through Christ at age 13, after a revival at Riverside Baptist Church. This was a life-changing experience as he began to grasp the enormity of God’s unconditional love.

Mike felt called into ministry during high school. Even at an early stage in his faith walk, he began to see that not everyone was treated the same in the deeply segregated south of his youth, which was contrary to his understanding of Jesus’ teachings.

Michael struggled with accepting the fact that for him, being gay wasn’t a choice. It took years for him to reconcile himself to the fact that being a homosexual (what they were called in his youth) was how God created him, even if his faith community said otherwise.

Michael finally came out as gay in 1997 after a difficult struggle. He discovered Cornerstone MCC in Mobile, Alabama...the only place he knew where gays were welcomed to worship God. In 1999, he moved to Tampa Bay to work for Raymond James & Associates. In Tampa Bay Michael discovered King of Peace MCC in St. Petersburg, Florida, a place to worship and grow in his faith in his new metropolitan area.

Once in Tampa Bay, he also found three UCC churches: Faith, Trinity and Pass-a-Grill Beach Community Church; as he tended to do, he jumped in with both feet and helped each become fully accepting of the LGBTQ+ community through the ONA (Open and Affirming) process. For many of these years he held dual membership in both UCC and MCC churches.

Mike comes from a big, blended Southern family, most of whom are not accepting of gay people as a part of God’s Kingdom. This has led to estrangement, made even worse by the publication of his story: An Uncertain Life: Growing Up Gay & Southern Baptist, published by Santos Books where they believe “every story is sacred”.

Michael was challenged by Rev. Dr. Mel White more than 20 years ago to write his story. He tried twice and failed. But the year before he retired (2023), he felt God’s Spirit telling him, “Try again”. This time with encouragement from friends and faith leaders like Rev. Harry Knox, Rev. Dr. Eric Elnes, Rev. Dr. Guillermo Marquez-Sterling, Rev. Dr. Nancy Wilson, and Christian Singer, Song writer and author, Marsha Stevens-Pino, his book was published on the last day of December 2025.

(This biographical statement written by Charles Michael Brill.)

Biography Date: September 2026

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