Trans Congress"man" Claims to Be Presbyterian Elder With Mail Order Ordination From Universal Life Church

Trans Identified Congressman Claims Presbyterian Ordination and Mail Order Ministry Credentials

Rep. Sarah McBride (D Del.), born Tim McBride, became the first transgender identifying member of Congress after winning election in 2024. In an interview last week with "Amanda's Mild Takes," McBride revealed holding dual religious credentials: elder status in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and ordination through the Universal Life Church.

"I am an ordained elder in the Presbyterian church. I'm also ordained in the Universal Life Church, so I can do weddings for both of those reasons. But I also can perform communion," McBride stated during the interview.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved LGBT ordination in 2011 and same sex marriage in 2015. The denomination featured McBride in a 2025 profile highlighting the McBride family's longstanding involvement in a Wilmington, Delaware congregation.

The Universal Life Church, founded in 1962 by Kirby James Hensley, a Baptist minister from the North Carolina mountains who was functionally illiterate and relied on others to read the Bible to him, ordains anyone who requests it regardless of belief system. The organization offers ordinations entirely by mail or online.

The clip from the interview went viral on social media after Breitbart News shared it on April 18, 2026. McBride had predicted during the interview that conservative critics would find the ecclesiastical credentials controversial.

"I think that will make some heads explode," McBride remarked, anticipating the public reaction.

McBride's election to Congress in 2024 immediately sparked debates over bathroom access policies on Capitol Hill, making the representative a focal point of ongoing cultural and political discussions surrounding gender identity.

Mail Order Ordination and Church Authority: How the Universal Life Church Became a Gateway to Ministry

The Universal Life Church has ordained millions of people since its founding, requiring no theological training, doctrinal agreement, or even belief in God. Critics have long questioned whether such ordinations carry genuine spiritual authority or trivialize the ministerial calling.

The PC(USA), meanwhile, has seen sharp membership declines since embracing progressive positions on sexuality and marriage, dropping from 2.4 million members in 2010 to fewer than 1.1 million today. Many conservative congregations have departed for more orthodox Reformed denominations.

The Crusader's Opinion

This is what happens when churches abandon Scripture to chase cultural approval. A denomination that ordains individuals living in open defiance of Biblical teaching has no business calling itself a church. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) traded the authority of God's Word for the applause of the world, and the Universal Life Church treats ordination like a magazine subscription. Meanwhile, faithful pastors around the globe risk their lives to preach the Gospel. The cheapening of holy orders is an affront to every minister who actually answered God's call, studied His Word, and submitted to His authority. This isn't progress. It's apostasy with a government seal.

Take Action

• Contact the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly at pcusa.org and respectfully express your concerns about ordination standards and doctrinal fidelity.
• Support faithful Reformed congregations that uphold Biblical authority. Consider directing your tithes toward churches that have not compromised on Scripture.
• Pray for Rep. McBride and all who have been led astray by false teaching. Pray for repentance and a return to God's Word in mainline denominations.
• Support organizations defending Christian values in the public square, such as the Alliance Defending Freedom at adflegal.org.
• Donate to www.TheShepherdsShield.org to support persecuted Christians worldwide who face real consequences for their faith.