La Sierra University Church Votes Welcome Statement For LGBTQ People

On January 19, the La Sierra Church met in Business Session and voted the following welcome statement

Welcome

La Sierra University Church is a church “between,” bridging generations and communities. We are a diverse Christian congregation situated in the 92505 neighborhood of western Riverside, next to two campuses, La Sierra Academy and La Sierra University. As one of only thirteen campus churches in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in North America, we recognize our unique responsibility to future generations. 

We strive to be authentic, transparent, inclusive, and compassionate—to be congruent between our talk and our walk. Grace shapes the ways we pattern our shared lives and is expressed in a commitment to wellness. We are as weak as our most vulnerable member and as strong as our healthiest. Thus, our congregational liturgy closes with, “Be Well.” 

We are at our best when we are willing to be relevant, raw, and wrestling with our faith.

We are also seeking reconciliation with those we have left out. Though we have said, “You are welcome here,” we realize that many in the LGBT+ community, in particular, do not feel included. We confess that we have fallen short. Aspiring to follow Christ’s command to love one another, we resolve to work for change in our church community to be fully welcoming and affirming for all LGBT+ people. As we work to make concrete changes and open new conversations, please hear us when we say, “ALL are welcome here.”

Notice that they are “seeking reconciliation” with LGBTQ individuals. This suggests that they are eager to affirm sexual deviancy and identity.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).

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