The Vision Church Of Atlanta

I've been attending The Vision Church of Atlanta since I moved to Atlanta a year ago and I've only written about the church once on this site and not for any particular reason. But with all of the drama surrounding the Juanita Bynum situation and the homophobic sermon I wrote about here that enraged me to the point where I had to stop and pray, I felt it was necessary to offer an alternative to the dogma and fire and brimstone messages we're used to hearing.The Vison Church of Atlanta under the leadership of Pastor O.C. Allen III is an LGBT affirming church that is inclusive and accpeting of all of God's people. But beyond that it is a place you can go where God's love is extended to you despite your circumstances, and where his word is taught in an effort to build a relationship and not as a tool of oppression and division.There are a lot of gays and lesbians who refuse to enter a church like Vision, so many of us are so used to being spiritually abused Sunday after Sunday that we reject love from a church that empowers you to grow in Christ and does not cite your sexual orientation as a hinderance in doing so. Pastor Clay often says he ministers to a congregation of "wounded people" and he's exactly right. Most of the members that make up Vision and churches like it at one point were told they were abominable, a disgrace in the eyes of God, unworthy of love, rejected by family, friends, and often suffered from their own internalized homophobia as a result. I made up in my mind years ago that despite what man or T.D. Jakes or Eddie Long had to say about me I would not allow their prejudice and interpetation of the bible convince me that I wasn't worthy of God's love. I thank God for my pastor and The Vision Church for teaching a radically inclusive word. If you've been rejected by your church because you're different I want you to know that you haven't been rejected by God. You were made in his image and he knew who you were going to be before you knew yourself. Your life is not a mistake! I invite you to take a few minutes out of your day and listen to highlights from a radical word from Pastor Clay by clicking on the link below. It just might change your life. A Radical Word :Pastor O.C. Allen III

Source: goddesses-and-gods.blogspot.com