The Thomas Road Baptist Church will never conduct same-sex marriages even if pressed to do so by the law and pro-gay groups, Pastor Jonathan Falwell has assured.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again here today just to make sure that we're clear: At Thomas Road Baptist Church there will never be a same-sex marriage or any other form of marriage outside of between a man and a woman conducted at this church as long as I am your pastor," he said during Sunday service, according to Newsmax.
Jonathan is the son of Jerry Falwell, the late televangelist and the founder of Moral Majority. The Falwells have always been outspoken regarding their stance against homosexuality and gay marriage. They believe that "any sexual activity outside of the marriage between one man and one woman is absolutely sin."
The pastor also clarified that the church is not being judgmental or driven by hate when they preach against sin. "It is our job, it is our duty and it is our God-given responsibility. And the church does not have the luxury of choosing which sins we will stand up against and which ones we will remain silent about," he said.
Church leaders have a duty to stand up against sin and warn church members against it, he said. Even though the Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage in all 50 states, Falwell maintained that they should still listen to God.
"God created marriage, not the state, so God gets to define marriage — not the state," he simply said.
At the same time, Christians should practice love and kindness when dealing with sensitive issues such as homosexuality and gay marriage. Instead of fighting with those who have opposing beliefs, Falwell strongly believes that God's people should "speak with gentleness" because they "should be displaying the love of Christ that drew us to Him in the first place."
