Toward the end of the forum, Lambert expressed again that anyone is welcome to attend the church, even if they are not a member and disagree with some of what the church teaches, saying, “Anyone is welcome to come into this room, into our worship, receive our love and our care. We don’t ask them to prove anything. We just want them here.”
Following the event, Lambert told ChurchLeaders that he felt the open mic was effective at clarifying the message and reasoning behind the church’s statement. While not everyone in attendance was satisfied with the answers the church provided, a number of people were surprised to find that media coverage of the statement had misrepresented the details surrounding its implementation.
“Over the last few days, we have discovered that the local Jacksonville media as well as social media have distorted this beyond any recognition. I was able to take the time to explain that this is no personal oath to me, and certainly no oath against LGBTQ rights,” Lambert said. “It is a confessional statement about what our church believes regarding gender, marriage, and sexuality. It calls out no specific person or group, and is anything but hateful.”
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Lambert continued, “Instead, it is an expression of what Christians have believed for millennia is the Bible’s teaching regarding these important things. It was approved by our entire church.”
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“We still had people who left angry at our event. I am sorry that they were upset, but at least they heard the truth, and their presence proved that all are welcome in our assembly,” Lambert said. “We also had a number of people who came to rebuke us, but once they heard the truth, they were shocked at how much the media had distorted what we were doing. Still others expressed a desire to join our church because of the stand we are taking on biblical truth.”
