Would I be welcomed?
The reality is that the Church in our nation has at times, given the impression that certain people aren't welcome, effectively labelling individuals and families and alienating certain types of people that it deemed undesirable.
We're sorry if this has happened to you or someone you care about.
In Matthew Chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable where He describes the Kingdom of heaven like a huge drag net as it is pulled across a lake to the beach. The parable is very specific in that the net is not only reaching a small shoal or just one type of fish: it catches all sorts, and is inclusive in nature and not selective. Everyone is welcome to respond to the good news of Jesus.
It is this Biblical teaching, and others like it, that drives us at Forest Gate Church to make a bold invitation that everyone is welcome to worship with us irrespective of age, background, colour, nationality, history, lifestyle, sexual orientation or any other label you might apply.
Whether you're young or old...
Whether you're bankrupt or wealthy...
Whether you're single, married, divorced or cohabiting...
Whether you have a criminal record, been in prison, innocent of misdemeanours or not yet caught...
Whether you're homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual or transsexual...
Whether you are a humanist, atheist, evolutionist or creationist...
Whether you are teetotal, like a drink occasionally or alcoholic...
Whether you are unemployed, seeking work, employed, student or retired...
Whether you are physically ill, mentally ill or altogether healthy and content...
Whether you have multiple qualifications or can't read or write...
Whether you smoke, take drugs, are addicted to porn or none of the above...
YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
Now that's not to say that nothing matters - it does. We are a community of people who believe that the Bible says 'come as you are but don't stay as you are'. A Jesus-modelled lifestyle calls all of us to evaluate our choices daily against God's standards, and as such, the Bible challenges our thought lives, decisions, habits and attitudes.
You're welcome to join us as we together discover what God's word says to us - whether our need is displayed as gossip, anger, adultery, jealousy, substance abuse, greed, selfishness, sexual misconduct, addiction, theft, lying or a bad attitude to others. The Bible challenges us on all these and more, and we commit to let God's Spirit pinpoint what He needs us to work on - labels or no labels.
What we promise is that you'll not be condemned, but loved. You'll not be excluded, but included, and that we will learn together what the Bible has to say about our choices and attitudes. You won't be singled out, but you'll receive no special treatment either - God's word applied to us all.
We're not scared to work with police and other authorities as necessary for any history you have - you'd not be the first nor the last! We look forward to welcoming you irrespective of any label you have had applied.
The only label that matters is 'loved' and God has put that over your life, so we ain't arguing!
