RI Pastors Resolution On Marriage

RESOLUTION ON MARRIAGE IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

By Bible Believing Pastors and Church Leaders of Rhode Island

 

Relative to bill H-5015 before the RI General Assembly

WHEREAS, The laws of nature, human reason, and thousands of years of human tradition in all cultures have always affirmed marriage to be a heterosexual institution; and

WHEREAS, Our own society has been based from the beginning on the Judeo-Christian ethic which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman; and

WHEREAS, The Bible and Jesus Christ in particular define marriage as a heterosexual union between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6); and

WHEREAS, Monogamous heterosexual marriage, involving the intimate, permanent union between the two complementary sexes, male and female, is uniquely and naturally suited to fulfill our deepest needs for human companionship; and

WHEREAS, Under normal circumstances, children are best nurtured in the context of a two parent family, where appropriate male behavior is modeled by a loving father and appropriate female behavior is modeled by a loving mother; and

WHEREAS, Heterosexual marriage provides the strong moral, social, and economic foundation for both family and community life; and

WHEREAS, The Bible in both the Old Testament and the New Testament clearly and specifically forbids homosexual conduct – as well as all other forms of sexual misconduct outside the bounds of heterosexual marriage (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:8-11); and

WHEREAS, The Bible plainly declares that God loves all people, regardless of their lifestyle, and that he accepts, forgives, heals, and transforms all who come to him in genuine repentance and faith; and

WHEREAS, It is the function of government to provide for the common good of society, to protect marriage and family life, and to promote social righteousness; and

WHEREAS, Civil laws play a decisive role in influencing patterns of thought and behavior in society; and

WHEREAS, Our concern as clergy is not merely to preserve the institution of heterosexual marriage as a religious rite within our own denominations but to preserve the well-being of marriage and family life throughout our state and society; and

WHEREAS, The passage of laws legalizing the marriage of two persons of the same gender will force the teaching of the validity of this lifestyle in the public schools of our state; and

WHEREAS, The passage of laws legalizing the marriage of two persons of the same gender will place persons of conscience who oppose such unions for moral reasons in jeopardy before the law in their business and legal relationships;

Now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, That we urge our General Assembly to defeat H-5015, which broadens the definition of persons eligible to marry to include persons of the same gender; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to upholding the sanctity of monogamous heterosexual marriage in our churches and local communities both by our preaching and teaching and by our marriage practices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to strongly deplore any hateful speech or violent behavior toward persons of a homosexual lifestyle, such speech and behavior being incompatible with Christian love; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to proclaim the love of God toward all persons, whatever their lifestyle, and to offer the hope of forgiveness, acceptance, wholeness, and transformation to all who come to him in genuine repentance and faith; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That we welcome people of all lifestyles to attend the public services of our churches so that they might discover and experience the forgiving grace of God in their lives as we have in our own lives.

SIGNED AND AGREED to 9 January 2013

Alejandro Gaete- Church of the Master, Providence

Alexander Kollie- Solid Rock Assembly of God Church 1753 Phenix Avenue, Cranston

Alexander Martinez- Anchor Baptist Church, Cranston

Archie Emerson- Ocean State Baptist Church, Smithfield

Bernie Norman- Faith Bible Chapel, Westerly

Bill Balson- Stillwater Fellowship, Hope

Bill Reynolds- Beacon Free Will Baptist Church, Exeter

Bryan Speroni-Community Baptist Church, Pascoag

Clinton Smith Sr. – Narragansett Bay Baptist Church, East Greenwich

Chris Baker- Knotty Oak Baptist Church, Coventry

Dave Aucoin- Abundant Life Assembly of God, Swansea

Dan Carrillo, New Hope Chapel, Hope Valley, Rhode Island

Dan Crichton – Grace Bible Church, Cranston

Dave Gadoury- Cranston Christian Fellowship, Cranston

Dave Medeiros- Harvest Community Church, Woonsocket

David Lachance- Christian Hill Community Church, West Warwick

David Smith- Faith Baptist Church, Warwick

D. Paul Lawrence- American Baptists Churches of RI

Don Stiles- Calvary Baptist Church, Narragansett

Doug Brandenburg- Narragansett Bay Baptist Church, East Greenwich

Douglas W. Tourgee- Riverpoint Advent Christian Church, West Warwick

Drew Boyd-First Baptist Church of Warwick, Warwick

Emmanuel D.T. Bautista- Frenchtown Baptist Church, East Greenwich

Ernie Robillard- First Baptist Church in East Providence, Rumford

Gary Muniz- North Kingstown Assembly of God, North Kingstown

Gene Giguere- Harvest Community Church, Woonsocket

George Barclay, Norwood Baptist Church, Warwick

George Warren- New Hope Baptist Church, Pascoag

Hugh Fisher- Narragansett Bay Baptist Church, East Greenwich

Jeffrey R. Francoeur- Colonial Baptist Church, Rumford

Jim Menzies- Perryville Bible Church, Wakefield

Jim Ricci- Cranston Christian Fellowship, Cranston

Jim Sole- Quidnessett Baptist Church, North Kingstown

Joe Campbell- Quidneck Baptist Church, Coventry

Joel Fraser- Narragansett Bay Baptist Church, East Greenwich

John Gibson- Heritage Christian Fellowship, Warwick

John Goasdone- First Baptist Church of Narragansett

John Lawson- Cranston Bible Chapel, Cranston

John Wheeler- Stony Lane Baptist Church, North Kingstown

Jonathan Angell- North Kingstown Assembly of God, North Kingstown

Keith Mlyniec- West Kingston Baptist Church, West Kingston

Lester Sedam III- Pilgrims Baptist Church, Ashaway

Lyle Mook- Christ Church, East Greenwich

Mark Cote- Jamestown Chapel, Jamestown

Mark Galloway- the Church of The Apostles, Coventry

Michael Hamilton- North Tiverton Baptist Church, North Tiverton

Michael J. Ives- Presbyterian Reformed Church of R.I, East Greenwich

Michael Link- Quidnessett Baptist Church, North Kingstown

Mike Sokoll- Providence Baptist Church, Providence

Nash Desent-Historic Baptist Church, North Kingstown

Norman Seiders, Warwick Church of Christ, Warwick

Olivier Bala- Mount Hope Community Baptist Church, Providence

Paul Chapman- Curtis Corner Baptist Church- Wakefield

Paul Martins- Barrington Baptist Church, Barrington

Peter Atkin- Living Hope Christian Church, North Kingstown

Phil Curtis- Exeter Chapel, Exeter

Randy Lewis- Blackstone Valley Baptist Church, Cumberland

Ray Tierney- Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Providence

Rich Chapman- Calvary Chapel Greenmeadow, North Kingstown

Richard K. Leahey- Solid Rock Church, Cranston

Rick Ferris President – C12 Group So. New England

Robert Akinrimisi Lighthouse Gospel Ministries, Providence

Robert Burnock – Darlington Congregational Church, Pawtucket

Robert Mathis- Friendship Baptist Church, Warwick

Robert Santaniello- Exeter Chapel, Exeter

Roger L. Stafford- Chepachet Union Church, Chepachet

Scott Aiken- North Scituate Advent Christian Church, North Scituate

Scott Finkbeiner- Shannock Baptist Church, Shannock

Scott Tucker- Calvary Baptist Church, Middletown

Steve Bacon- Harvest Community Church, Woonsocket

Steve Boyce- New Life Worship Center, Smithfield

Steve Martel- Harvest Community Church, Woonsocket

Stephen DeSantis – Warwick Assembly of God, Warwick

Timothy Kuhn- Bible Baptist Church, Central Falls

Todd Stricklin- Narragansett Bay Baptist Church, East Greenwich

Tony Phelps- Christ Our Hope Presbyterian Church, Peace Dale

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