Atlanta-area churchgoers are beg warned to stay away om a popular megachurch followg a staff member's on-stage participatn a "lap dance" at a gay bar.
Contents:
- GAY-AFFIRMG CHURCH STAFFER & DRAG QUEEN: HERETIL BO
- ‘FASTT GROWG MEGACHURCH’ THAT BEME ‘GAY-AFFIRMG’ GO OM 8K MEMBERS TO 150 ‘NEW AGERS’ MEETG ONLE
GAY-AFFIRMG CHURCH STAFFER & DRAG QUEEN: HERETIL BO
* gay affirming churches in atlanta *
“We believe that all people are wele to fellowship wh God and experience the fullns of the llg of God on their liv, cludg gay, lbian, bisexual, and transgenr dividuals. 30 special lled meetg of the Atlanta Baptist Associatn voted overwhelmgly to feat a motn to dismiss two homosexual-iendly church om membership and fellowship the two church, Oakhurst and Virgia-Highland, were expelled om the Geia Baptist Conventn 1999 for “affirmg and approvg and endorsg homosexual behavr. A motn was ma at the March 20, 2000, annual meetg of the associatn to remove Oakhurst and Virgia-Highland om the 153-ngregatn associatn of Southern Baptist team cid that “as an associatn of church we do not support or ndone homosexual activy, but neher n we support the motn to dismiss two church wh a great history of Christian mistry.
Our remendatn is that while we do not support or ndone homosexual activy we do not affirm the motn to dismiss the church, and that we pray for the renciliatn of thought and practice the church, which will strengthen the bond among . ”“In affirmg their ntued membership the associatn, the associatn do not ndone or support homosexualy. “If this [homosexualy] don’t disqualify you om membership the associatn, what would?
‘FASTT GROWG MEGACHURCH’ THAT BEME ‘GAY-AFFIRMG’ GO OM 8K MEMBERS TO 150 ‘NEW AGERS’ MEETG ONLE
And while Virgia-Highland is listed an official Southern Baptist database, he said the church end s active affiliatn wh the SBC church openly accepts homosexuals as ans and Sunday school teachers; performs same-sex unns; and regniz the orientatn of homosexuals rather than the liftyle of homosexuals. “It is our belief at this church that homosexualy is a not liftyle or behavr, ” he said. ”Shirley said the vote to reta fellowship is the first step outright support of homosexualy wh Atlanta’s Southern Baptist church.
“I thk that when more disveri are ma, the church as a whole will be much more acceptg of homosexuals. ”Joel Harrison, executive director of the Atlanta Baptist Associatn, told Baptist Prs he don’t expect s stance on homosexualy to change and lled any statements by Shirley premature.