Welcome to our resource webpage for the First Baptist Statement on Biblical Sexuality. Since approving the statement, we have received many questions about what the Bible teaches concerning sexuality and marriage. In response to this, we have put together this webpage. On this page you will find all our church resources on LGBTQ+ issues, the Sexuality Statement, and biblical wisdom for living in a world confused about gender and sexuality.
As a member of First Baptist Church, I believe that God creates people in his image as either male or female, and that this creation is a fixed matter of human biology, not individual choice. I believe marriage is instituted by God, not government, is between one man and one woman, and is the only context for sexual desire and expression.
Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
On October 9, 2022 at a special called business meeting after the Sunday morning worship service, the congregation overwhelmingly approved the following motion:
“That First Baptist Church adopt the Statement on Biblical Sexuality and require every member to agree with it. The church authorizes its staff to make good faith efforts to encourage all current members to endorse this statement. Any person not asserting their agreement with the statement by March 19, 2023, will be considered by the church to have resigned their membership.”
All current church members are being asked to sign the Statement as well as any new, incoming prospective members going through the membership process. We ask that one form per individual be filled out.
Per the motion adopted by the church, you will be considered to have resigned your membership from First Baptist. But you can always join again by going through our membership process – attending the membership class, meeting with a pastor, and being voted on by the congregation.
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.
You are under no obligation to sign this Statement today if you have more questions or want to think further about it. You are free to mail signed Statements in later or request a deacon to pick up your copy for drop off. At the same time, we want to encourage you to take action and not put off this important step of faithfulness. For any further questions or to request more copies of the form for individuals in your household, please contact the church office at (904) 356-6077 from 8:30 AM — 4:30 PM Mondays through Thursdays.
Our pastors are available and want to talk with you through this process, so please reach out to the church if you have questions or concerns.
No, not in any way. We believe members of the LGBTQ+ community are free to live their lives as they wish, the same as we are.
First Baptist Church has made no statements opposing LGBTQ+ rights and so no statement exists for members to sign.
Yes. We agree with the Bible and nearly every society throughout all of human history that the existence of two genders is a basic biological fact.
Yes. Every single person is welcome to attend any of our services.