Pastor Reveals Details About Caitlyn Jenner's Reported Church Attendance

A pastor and worship leader who says he once worked at a church attended by Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, has published an op-ed about the former Olympian's gender transition, writing that Jenner has taught him "more about Jesus."

Josh Cobia of Resonate Church in Santa Monica, California, wrote a piece for the Huffington Post this week, explaining how he met Jenner and his ex-wife Kris when Cobia took a job years ago at a church in Calabasas, California — a house of worship that the Kardashian family reportedly helped launch, with then-Bruce Jenner playing a key role in recruiting the lead pastor there.

"As soon as I moved to Hollywood I was contacted by Kris Jenner and asked to meet her at her home. I drove up to their larger than life mansion in Calabasas in the busted-up Honda I still drive today," Cobia wrote. "She shared that she hoped her young daughters, Kendall and Kylie, would find God and he would be a huge part of their lives. I had a blast going to the Kardashian home over several visits."

Image source: Vanity Fair

Cobia fondly described the family and their house, noting that Kendall Jenner invited the pastor to begin hosting the church's youth group at the Kardashian family home, where he interacted with Caitlyn Jenner years before the transition announcement.

"Here on the set of reality TV and a family home I began to have conversations with Caitlyn before youth group. We would make smalltalk as she microwaved a giant plate of spaghetti," Cobia wrote. "Students dropped cupcakes in her pool and she was stellar enough to tell me not to worry about it. I would then later watch her scoop it out of the pool herself."

As time went on, the pastor said that the younger Jenner girls and Kris stopped coming to church regularly due to their busy schedules — but that Caitlyn Jenner continued coming every week.

"She was there at church almost every Sunday, sitting in the front row and singing along to every song if she could. She would chat with me before services and make fun of how I wore sandals every day," the pastor said. "I used to think that I was wasting her time before the service ... why would this Olympian/reality TV super star want to talk with me?"

Cobia continued, "But the more I talked with her on Sundays the more I realized she actually cared about me. She wanted to know what was going on in my career and why I wasn't preaching yet. I knew her family, I knew her simply as a parent to two girls in my youth group, and she just wanted someone to talk to. We did just that."

Before the pastor left the church to start another house of worship, he said that Jenner was there on his final Sunday to say goodbye. Not long after, he claims that the media began reporting about the reality TV star's decision to transition.

(L-R) Brandon Jenner, Brody Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Bruce Jenner and Leah Jenner pose for a photo at the Brandon & Leah EP Release Party on Monday April 8, 2013 in Los Angeles. (AP)

So far, Cobia said that he's only seen nonbelievers offering support to Jenner, with Christians either remaining silent or being negative about it — something he decried.

"Caitlyn knows who Jesus is, and Jesus knows her by name. Whether that sits comfortably on a timeline or blog comment, I know firsthand that Caitlyn has heard the good news," he said. "And, Caitlyn has taught me more about Jesus. Caitlyn taught me to be bold. That's why I'm posting this. I'll gladly take the heat if it means standing for what is right."

Cobia went on to write that Jenner has shown him that life has "many twists and turns," adding that he has no idea whether Jenner would claim "to know Christ now," but that the reality TV star would likely give a well-thought out response to such a question.

He encouraged other Christians to remain open to the gay, lesbian and transgender community. Read Cobia's piece here. 

Jenner had previously told ABC's Diane Sawyer that he identifies as a Christian Republican — an admission that sparked a fair amount of controversy after he unveiled his gender transition back in April.