We invite our fellow church pastors, leaders, and members to join us in this statement of apology—and to express it in the life and mission of our church. We also invite pastors and local church leaders to share this statement in their church, read it in a worship service, vote it at a church board meeting, or share it as part of a website, newsletter, or bulletin.
Dear LGBTQ+ friends and family,
We’re sorry. As pastors, leaders, and members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we apologize and seek your forgiveness as an act of reconciliation and peacemaking.
Whatever your experience of our community of faith or your current engagement with us, you have always been part of the Adventist community. Many of you remain in our churches, schools, and families—despite the neglect, judgment, and abuse you have received. We are humbled by your faithfulness and perseverance.
Many of you have left and we understand that you might not return. We admire your courage to step away from the community you have known and your commitment to seeking a better expression of what it means to live and love well.
At a time when many Christians are known for being anti-gay, we seek to be known for our love, as Jesus prayed his followers would be (John 13:35). Rather than relying on a few verses to hurt and exclude, we choose to prioritize the Bible’s greatest commands: to love (Matthew 22:36– 40). As 1 Corinthians 13:2 put it, “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing” (NLT).
For times when we as individuals have failed to live up to our calling to love, we are sorry.
We believe that “truth can afford to be fair” (Counsels to Writers and Editors, page 35). We believe that we should lay down our assumptions that we are right, and take up our calling to be humble and listen. We believe our faith should make us kinder, not meaner, people: “Men may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world” (The Desire of Ages, page 310).
We recognize that our denomination, entities, and churches have often failed to live up to the calling of Jesus and the faith we claim. We have preached when sometimes we should have listened; we have been silent when we should have spoken up; we have asked you to change when we needed transformation that would bring greater insight and sensitivity.
As a church, we have been more likely to defend our right to discriminate than to speak up for your safety and opportunity. We have forced you to choose between your community of faith and your authentic selves, asked you to choose loneliness rather than the relationships we have championed for others, and forced parents to choose between their church and their children.
We call on our church to join us in this statement of apology—or to make its own; to honestly and prayerfully consider whether we need to revisit our church’s statements on human sexuality and gender orientation; and to speak up to defend the rights, respect, and safety of LGBTQ+ people around the world.
In all our theology and praxis, may we affirm the statement from Ellen White: “I wish we had much more the Spirit of Christ and a great deal less of self and less of human opinions. If we err, let it be on the side of mercy rather than on the side of condemnation and harsh dealings” (Testimonies of Sexual Behaviour, Adultery, and Divorce, page 242).
We affirm the right for LGBTQ+ people to belong in our churches, participate in our worship, and serve in our mission. We are sorry that often this has not been a reality. We regret the opportunities we have missed to grow and learn together and to better minister to our communities and our world together.
LGBTQ+ friends and family, please continue to work with us to help us do better together, for the good of our church and our world, in the name of Jesus, our Prince of Peace and reconciling Savior.
Alburn Binkley - Elder Hollywood Adventist Church CA USA
Alexander Carpenter - Executive Editor - Spectrum USA
Anwar Ottley - Pastor Takoma Park SDA Church MD USA
Barbara White - Victorian Conference Melbourne VIC AUSTRALIA
Branden Stoltz - Pastor Hollywood + Burbank Churches CA USA
Brenton Stacey - The Open House SunshineNSWAUSTRALIA
Bruce Manners - Pastor (ret) Lilydale Church VIC AUSTRALIA
Charles Sandefur - Fmr President ADRA Intl, Union Pres MD USA
Chris Blake - Pastor San Luis Obispo/Morro Bay SDA CA USA
Clansi Roger - VP Sydney Adventist Forum NSW AUSTRALIA
Daniel Xisto -PastorTakoma Park SDA ChurchTakoma ParkMDUSA
Dave Gemmell -Pastor (ret)NAD Ministerial Association USA
David Sedlacek - Professor Andrews University MI USA
Drechelle McCray - Principal Takoma Academy Prep School MD USA
Eileen Gemmell -Nurse Practitioner (ret)
Faye Stothers - Pastor Victorian Conference VIC AUSTRALIA
Gilbert Valentine - Adjunct Prof, La Sierra University CA USA
Greg Hoenes - Director Southern California Conference CA USA
Iki Tolu Taimi - Pastor La Sierra University Church Riverside CA USA
Joanna Darby - Arts Educator Newcastle NSWAUSTRALIA
Joshua Wood - Pastor Victorian Conference VIC AUSTRALIA
Justin Bone - Pastor Victorian Conference VIC AUSTRALIA
Justin Knapp -PastorLewiston SDA ChurchLewistonIDUSA
Kaleb Eisele -FounderHumans of AdventismPortlandORUSA
Kelly Jackman - Departmental Assistant AUC VIC AUSTRALIA
Kendra Haloviak Valentine - Professor, La Sierra Uni CA USA
Kevin McGill -PastorGreen Lake SDA ChurchSeattleWAUSA
Kirsten Salvador - Elder Hollywood SDA Church CA USA
Kylie Stacey -The Open HouseSunshineNSWAUSTRALIA
Leighton Darby -TradesmanNewcastleNSWAUSTRALIA
Lisa Clark Diller - Professor Southern Adventist University TNUSA
Marci Corea -APF OfficerAdventist Peace FellowshipMDUSA
Martin Vukmanic - Pastor Kellyville SDA Church NSW AUSTRALIA
Maury Jackson - Associate Prof La Sierra University CA USA
Michelle Villis -The Open HouseSunshineNSWAUSTRALIA
Moe Stiles - Pastor Crosswalk Melbourne VIC AUSTRALIA
Nathan Brown -EditorSigns PublishingWarburtonVICAUSTRALIA
Neville Salvador Elder Hollywood Adventist Church CA USA
Nicholas Zork - Pastor Church of the Advent Hope NY USA
Rebecca Dunn -Medical DoctorBrisbaneQLDAUSTRALIA
Reinder Bruinsma -(Ret) Pastor & Church Admin THE NETHERLANDS
Roger Henley- Pastor (Retired)SpringwoodQLDAUSTRALIA
Sigve K. Tonstad - Research Professor Loma Linda University CA USA
Stephen Chavez - Admin Board Chair Sligo SDA Church MD USA
Steven Hulbert - Pastor Bodmin/Redruth Churches ENGLAND
Tiffany Llewellyn - Founder Adventists for Social Justice NY USA
TJ Sands - Pastor Edmond SDA Church Edmond OK USA
Todd J. Leonard - Pastor Glendale City Church CA USA
Todd Stout - Pastor Church of the Advent Hope NY USA
Tommy Tamaleaa - Pastor Edmonds Adventist Church WA USA
Wendy Saluni - Pastor Victorian Conference VIC AUSTRALIA
