JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If congregants of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville want to remain members, they have to sign a statement vowing to oppose LGBTQ+ freedoms.
Senior Pastor Heath Lambert has said such freedoms and the sexual revolution are a threat to First Baptist and he's giving members until March 19 to sign the statement.
THE QUESTION
Is First Baptist Church, 125 W Ashley St., Jacksonville, making members sign a statement opposing LGBTQ+ freedoms?
THE SOURCES
- First Baptist Church Senior Pastor Heath Lambert
- Church members who've reached out to First Coast News
THE ANSWER
WHAT WE FOUND
Lambert posted a video message on the church's website and YouTube stating, "We know that God created human beings as male and female and he created the institution of marriage between one man and one woman is the only outlet for sexual expression.
"It's right that every member agree to such a statement before they join us to receive our care," Lambert states in the video.
Read the full statement sent to members below:
First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida is a Church gathered under the authority of Jesus Christ and his Word, the Bible. Our church requires all members to agree with the following statement expressing a view of biblical sexuality that is basic to the Christian Scriptures. Requiring agreement with this statement for all members is an exercise in faithfulness to Jesus Christ whom we trust and serve. It is an exercise in clarity so that our members might understand our most fundamental commitments in a sexually confused world. It is also an exercise in love toward a lost world that desperately needs to know God’s standard for human sexuality.
Your signature and updated contact information on this document is required by March 19, 2023, and will ensure your membership at First Baptist Church continues without any interruption.