STATEMENT BY PASTOR REGARDING SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

STATEMENT BY PASTOR REGARDING SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

1. I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, credentialed by Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee).

2. Affirming that God’s grace is available to all, I recognize our obligation before God to love all persons, understanding such love in the context of
God’s revealed truth.

3. Based on scriptural passages such as Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:3-9, it is the long-established biblical/religious belief of Church of God, to which position and belief I adhere, that marriage is a spiritual union in  which one man and one woman are joined by God to live together as  one.

4. It is my personal religious belief and the belief and policy of my  credentialing Church that same-sex marriages are not God’s design for  marriage and are contrary to biblical teaching. Therefore, I will only  perform or participate in marriage ceremonies or marriage blessings  between one woman and one man.

5. According to the requirements of Church of God, my local congregation  shall only hold, provide facilities for, conduct or preside over weddings, wedding receptions and anniversaries (and other gatherings related to weddings, receptions, and anniversaries) that celebrate the marriage or  blessing between one man and one woman, as marriage is defined in  the Bible. This shall include any activity or service involving marriage or
relationships between one man and one woman, such as dedication of  children.

6. This church, and I as its pastor, rely on all protections of the free exercise of religion granted by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution as well as other applicable state and federal laws.