We, the undersigned Pastors and Churches of Mobile, Alabama are united together under the name and authority of Jesus Christ and called to the particular task that we rise together today to address.
As evangelical Christian pastors across denominational lines, we stand today in expression of our calling to make disciples of all people (Matthew 28:18-20), to be salt and light in our community (Matthew 5:13-16), and to seek the good of our city (Jeremiah 29:7) as we live as citizens of heaven (1 Peter 2:9-11). We carry out this calling by preaching God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:1-5), praying for our leaders and fellow citizens (1 Timothy 2:1-3), loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:39), and calling all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:17).
We believe that the Bible is God’s authoritative and perfect Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) that must be declared to all (2 Timothy 4:1-5). Therefore, it is an essential aspect of our faith to speak out. To be silent in the face of evil would itself be a betrayal of our Lord’s command. Christianity makes exclusive claims and issues a universal call to all to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
Further, as confessing Christians, we believe the Bible’s clear and consistent teaching on human sexuality. God, in His goodness, created humanity in His own image, male and female. He established marriage as a covenantal, monogamous, and lifelong union (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25). For our own good and human flourishing, God condemns any sexual activity outside of His clearly defined creative intent and design as sinful in His sight. We accept the Bible’s unambiguous condemnation of sexual sin including homosexual sin in both the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13) and the New Testament (Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9-11; I Timothy 1:9-10). Our Lord and Savior, while on this earth, upheld God’s ordered sexual ethic in Matthew 19:1-12, giving no indication that God’s view of homosexual sin has changed.
The same scripture that reveals our sexual design and purpose also tells us that we are all image bearers of God. In upholding God’s teaching on homosexual sin, as revealed in Scripture and affirmed by Jesus, we in no way disparage the inherent worth and dignity of our gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered neighbors. We believe that all are sinners for whom Christ died, to whom the promise of forgiveness is offered on the basis of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ because of God’s great love for us. We do not single out these sins for exclusive condemnation. Rather, we announce the divine offer of forgiveness to all who repent. Rather than demanding societal celebration for particular sins, we declare the promise of divine forgiveness for all sins.
Now, while we speak in this authority, we also join our fellow neighbors and residents of the city of Mobile and Mobile County as grateful citizens of the United States of America. We realize some of our neighbors disagree with our faith. We respect their First Amendment freedoms to do so. And, we view them as peers worthy of respect and neighborly love.
But, as we express that, we also appeal plainly that government leaders should not use tax funding or official resources to actively promote ideologies that fundamentally oppose the beliefs of vast numbers of their constituents, especially sexually-focused activities and events in public places where children may be placed in jeopardy.
For this reason, we must declare our deep concern for the City of Mobile and Visit Mobile being used to publicly endorse, promote, or facilitate:
• Painting the War Memorial Canon in Rainbow, • Painting downtown crosswalks in Rainbow, • Drag Queen Story Hour in the Mobile Public Library, • City and county tax payer funding “Visit Mobile” promoting “family-friendly LGBTQ Pride events” featuring Drag Queens, • Tax payer funded Visit Mobile seeming to editorialize on their website and what appears to be on behalf of our city that “Mobile embraces all love,” and • A Drag Queen Performance held this month in Cathedral Park in front of The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and in front of children during city-promoted Loda Art Walk’s Pride Parade.
We also express disapproval and absolute objection to the public statements in media by the Visit Mobile CEO stating that using city and county taxes, Visit Mobile “will continue to promote Mobile and continue to promote Pride.” Visit Mobile is tasked with attracting visitors to Mobile. Because it is funded by Mobile City and County tax payers, Visit Mobile should not be used to promote special interest LGBTQ activism against the beliefs of the vast majority of Mobile residents.
This activist use of voter and taxpayer funds creates deep division among our citizens.
Further, grown men portraying sexually stereotyped women and performing under City sponsorship in front of children publicly, or reading LGBTQ material to children in our public library is a moral hazard that, according to Rasmussen, only 29% of Americans find acceptable. Considering that our city is a family-centered community largely committed to Judeo-Christian values, that percentage is most certainly much lower. Many in our community would regard such performances to be a form of grooming.
Therefore, we object to city-funded entities sponsoring and promoting activities that target our kids and expose them to overtly sexual behavior.
We cannot be silent concerning openly dangerous or offensive behaviors. Not speaking is itself speaking; not acting is itself acting. Biblical love always speaks the truth and never rejoices in sin (Ephesians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 13:6). We would be failing our neighbors if we remained silent.
We call on believers in this city to join us in prayer for our community, pleading with God to grant repentance and revival. We call on believers in this city to continue loving their neighbors and speaking the truth of the gospel. We call on believers in this city to join us in expressing our concerns to our God-given leaders, including the Mayor, the City Council, and the County Commission.
Even though our culture is increasingly in rebellion against God’s clear teaching on human identity and human sexuality, we endeavor to maintain a humble posture before the Lord, a sensitivity toward the Holy Spirit, and a gracious disposition toward all people as we proclaim the Good News of Jesus. To anyone reading this statement who does not enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ, we urge you to put your full trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
We are compelled by the Word of God to stand firmly in Biblical truth and in Biblical love as we declare the promise that anyone, anywhere, may become a “new creation in Christ,” redeemed and transformed by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Comments