A word from our lead pastor, John Jay…

We are a fully inclusive, open and affirming faith community. 

If you are Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Bisexual, or in process of discerning your gender or sexuality, then we want to express clearly that you are welcome to fully participate in the life of our community, AS YOU ARE. 

We are not obsessed with labels. We are not interested in being known as “The Straight Church” or “The Gay Church”. We are simply a gathering of Christians and other spiritual folks committed to discerning and practicing the Way of Jesus Christ in our given time and place. Many times a church may seem welcoming and safe for Gay Christians, until they get hit with some theology that wounds them. It can feel like a bait and switch, where people are made to feel safe, only to have the rug pulled out from under them right as they start to lean into vulnerability. If that is your story, I am sorry. That sucks. 

It is important to acknowledge the unique path that led you to our church, especially if you carry unprocessed wounds. Be patient with yourself. Trusting a new church takes time. If you need guidance as you heal and learn to open your heart again to a church community, we would be honored to help you along the way. Lots of folks in our church have made a similar journey, pastors included! You can reach me at johnjay@fbcpasadena.com if I can be helpful along the way. 

We consider our first responsibility to be the mutual formation of one another in the image of God as revealed in the flesh and blood Jesus Christ. All other values are subsumed within this calling. Too often, debates about sexuality and gender presuppose that those identities are the most salient ones we carry. The journey to becoming a fully integrated and whole human is the work of a lifetime, especially accepting and refining how we each understand our sexuality (how our desire moves us) and gender (how our enfleshed body is a gift God gives us and we give to the world). The surrounding cultural narratives are changing fast right now, which can be unsettling as old ways of understanding our humanity are being challenged. We do not want to amplify the anxiety caused by the unsettling of old categories, nor do we wish to become bound to any momentary cultural dogma. Our humanity should not be distilled into a political slogan or bumper sticker. When we talk of sexuality and desire, we are more concerned with the quality of our love, both of self and of others. Are you settled in how God made you, and can you bring love (including sexual love) through your body as a gift? If you choose to become part of our community, these are the questions that we will explore together. 

Officially our church adopted the following guidelines in the summer of 2021: “First Baptist Church of Pasadena invites all persons who profess that 'Jesus is Lord' into the FULL covenantal life of our community, including but not limited to baptism, family blessing, membership, marriage, leadership, and ordination. First Baptist Church of Pasadena makes no distinction between persons based on sexuality or gender (Acts 10:34).” To learn more about how we arrived at this clarified inclusion value, you can read the congregational letter that accompanied this new set of guidelines. 

We also maintain a Pride Group for all folks who want to learn and grow in the areas of inclusion, sexual expression, and community support. This group of LGBTQ+ Christians and allies meets monthly, shares a meal, and explores the intersection of theology, sexuality, and human belonging. We would love for you to join us. Learn more here. 

You might have noticed that this page does not include a robust defense of our inclusion policy. We know about the book of Leviticus. Yes, we have read Romans 1. We have studied and struggled with the question of human sexuality throughout church history. We have gone back to the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew/Greek). If you’re into debating scriptural context, our pastors do not shy away from detailed language debates over coffee; however, more importantly, our church seeks to be a place of mutual formation, which requires trust and vulnerability. It is difficult to be open and defensive at the same time. We choose to remain open through curiosity and generosity. This openness led us to clarify our inclusion guidelines years ago. That same openness is what leads us into the deep integration of this value throughout our congregation. We believe it is this same vulnerable openness that led you here. And if you stick around, it is because you resonate with this open-hearted posture. 

Less without you,

Pastor John Jay and the Community of FBCP 

P.S. "Less without you" — That is how we end all of our writing. At a root level, being fully inclusive allows us to be more of who God calls us to be as a church. Which means YOUR presence, as God made you, is a gift we are learning to honor. All of this takes practice, so I hope you join us for a Sunday worship service or a monthly Pride gathering, and a cup of coffee and honest conversation.