“All are Welcome”

Inclusion Statement

Brockport First Baptist is a welcoming and affirming congregation. That means that all people are welcome to lead, participate, and belong in our church, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. 

It is (unfortunately) not common to see the words Baptist and LGBTQ+ affirming used in the same sentence, but we are working to change that! For far too long, the Bible has been twisted to marginalize LGBTQ+ people. At Brockport First Baptist, we refuse to conform to a culture of hate and bigotry that creates spiritual insiders and outsiders. We believe that the gospel should be good news to all people. In fact, it is specifically because of our faithfulness to Scripture and desire to follow Jesus that we strive to be a safe and welcoming place where everyone is invited into the family of God. 

Thankfully, we are not alone in this quest. Our church is proudly affiliated with the Rochester Genesee Region of the American Baptist Churches USA, which counts a number of like-minded welcoming and affirming congregations in its ranks. We are also part of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (AWAB), a nationwide organization of LGBTQ+ affirming churches from a variety of Baptist denominations that are dedicated to advancing the radical welcome and love of God in Jesus Christ. 

If you're looking for a church that will accept you as you are and partner with you on your journey of faith, we hope you'll consider paying us a visit. 

More Resources

Are you an LGBTQ+ Christian (or former Christian) looking for support? An ally working to reconcile your faith with your heart for the LGBTQ+ community? Are you looking for fellowship and support from like-minded Christians who’ve been where you’re at? Here are some additional resources worth exploring:

• A Brief Biblical Case for LGBTQ Inclusion. From The Reformation Project, a Bible-based Christian organization, working to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church.

• The Clobber Verses: Six Passages Cited at Gays, Lesbians, Same-Sex Relationships, and the LGBTQ+. The Post-Barthian blog offers an in-depth look at the “clobber passages” of the Bible (verses that are often used to condemn and exclude members of the LGBT+ community) and what those passages actually talking about. SPOILER ALERT: They have nothing to do with sexual orientation as we understand it today.

• De-Clobbering Romans. A sermon from Pastor Dan on Romans 1:18-32.

• My Quest to Find the Word “Homosexual” in the Bible. Did you know that the word “homosexual” did not occur in any English Bible translations until 1946? In this excellent piece from Baptist News Global, Ed Oxford traces the history behind the creation of the RSV Bible, and how a simple mistranslation sparked the exclusionary readings of certain Bible passages that we are still working to correct today.

• The Bible and the Gay Christian: An Interview with Matthew Vines. In this episode of The Bible for Normal People podcast, Old Testament scholar Pete Enns interviews Matthew Vines, author of The Bible and the Gay Christian. They discuss the complexities of biblical interpretation around human sexuality.

• If I Have Gay Children: Four Promises from a Christian Pastor & Parent. A beautiful letter over at the Stuff That Needs to be Said blog, written by John Pavlovitz.

• The Christian Closet. An online therapeutic resource, staffed by a team of LGBTQ+ Christian counselor, offering 100% virtual therapeutic services for people trying to work out what it means to have an LGBTQI sexual identity, or gender identity within a Christian context.

• Resources for LGBTQ+ Parents with Special Needs Children. From the Cerebral Palsy Guide.

• LGBTQ+ College Student Guide. From Intelligent.com.

Looking for more support? Click here to contact our pastor. And if you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ affirming congregation but don’t live in our area, try worshipping with us online. Or visit the AWAB website to find an affirming church in your area.