The top pastor at one of the Coachella Valley’s largest churches has been asked to resign because of his views on same-sex marriage.
Gerald Sharon has been with Southwest Church since 2013, but will resign this week – according to the Desert Sun:
Church elders announced Sharon’s abrupt departure to their members during Saturday’s evening service, hours before a gunman killed about 50 people in a gay nightclub in Orlando. Several families walked out of the service after hearing the elders’ message.
And the announcement continued on Sunday, even after the terrorist attack:
Church elders announced the resignation before each service throughout the weekend. The church elders asked Sharon to resign because his views on same-sex marriage had recently changed, according to several people who attended weekend services at Southwest.
It is not immediately clear if Sharon was asked to step down because he supports same-sex marriage or because he refused to condemn it publicly. In an ambiguous statement, the church declined to say specifically why Sharon resigned.
When asked about their stance on same-sex marriage, the church released some sort of riddle a statement: ‘Everyone is welcome, nobody is perfect, and anything is possible.’ Southwest’s stance on all issues of our beliefs is to balance grace and truth, in love.”
The church did not have a moment of silence or even a mention of the massacre in Orlando during Sunday’s 11 a.m. service, according to the newspaper.
Since the announcement, messages of support for Sharon have been posted on the church’s Facebook page:
(Update: it would appear the church has disabled comments on their Facebook page from visitors, which also makes the comments originally embedded on this page here not visible)
https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestChurchCV/posts/10154914931384951
https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestChurchCV/posts/10154914176139951
https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestChurchCV/posts/10154914491954951
https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestChurchCV/posts/10154916994594951
Sharon has, to this point, not offered any comment.
