Pastor Justin Hoke of Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church in Weed, California, has lost his job following both community and alleged internal backlash over the language used in his most recent church sign.
In early January, Hoke designed a sign that read: "Bruce Jenner is still a man. Homosexuality is still a sin. The culture may change. The Bible does not."
According to SFGate, "a couple dozen" community members gathered to protest the sign on January 6. The protest, called the "Shastina Love Rally," was organized in part by local resident Amelia Mallory.
A second protest was held on Sunday. According to the most recent count on the official Facebook invite page, 71 people were "going" to the event, and 182 people were "interested."
In a pinned post on the official Love Rally Facebook page, a message from Mallory reads in part:
It didn't stop there. The sign was vandalized.We are there to support the LGBTQ+ community in a positive way. Debating with any church members isn't the goal. We are not there for them. Some of us on our side of the street still are also religious. All of us are capable of treating everyone with respect, even if we disagree. Do not engage anyone trying to escalate the situation to violence.
Reverend Hoke's Facebook statement about what went down:
As of today, I am no longer the pastor of Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church.After much prayer and counsel, I have decided that it is best to briefly communicate what has taken place.1. I was informed by our other elder that he felt he could no longer follow my lead as Pastor of TBPC.2. I was informed that essentially all but one couple in membership would leave the church if I continued as pastor of TBPC.3. Our other elder and the couple felt that those who left would likely return if I would leave.4. Our other elder was agreeable to stay and assume the pastoral responsibilities.Therefore it was determined that it would be in the best interest of the local body for us (TBPC and the Hoke family) to part ways.
Congregants in some post-American "churches" now feel free to hound their pastors out of their jobs for upholding sound doctrine.
It is very late in the day.
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