Church Revokes Membership of Man Who Came out as Gay
- Veronica Neffinger iBelieve Contributor
- Updated Dec 01, 2015
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A young man has been excluded from the church of which he was a member after church leadership found out that he was gay.
According to Christian Today, Dylan Settles had attended Woods Chapel General Baptist Church in Brookland, Arkansas for six years when he received a letter from church leaders explaining to him that they had voted to remove him from the church’s membership list.
Settles said that he had struggled with his sexual orientation for years, but only came out about his same-sex attraction three months ago.
When Woods Chapel learned that Settles had come out as gay, they sent him a letter explaining their decision to revoke his membership.
“While we understand the struggles we all face with sin in our lives, we must also be aware of the consequences of our choices,” the letter read. “We as the church board … have with great sorrow voted to remove your name immediately from the church membership role.”
The letter also encouraged Settles to repent of his gay lifestyle and receive counselling.
“It is the desire of your church family you would turn from the sinful lifestyle you have chosen, repent of the sins you have committed and return to full fellowship with God and the church body.”
Settles, however, says he was shocked to receive the letter.
“I was like in awe. I was in so much shock, I couldn’t read like the rest of it,” Settles told Arkansas Matters.
Settles says he will not be returning to Woods Chapel.
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: December 1, 2015