The Peoples Church — Attraction in Toronto

Bigoted anti-LGBT church.

This is an evangelical church in North York. I have "virtually attended" some of this church's live sermons via YT, and it's plainly clear that they're anti-queer.

This is not good. I don't like that such a church is in my neighbourhood. For community safety I think it needs to be made clear when any place is like this but I couldn't find any reference to these views, hence this review.

To explain, if you want the details:

Today's sermon very clearly presented acting on same-sex attraction as a "sin" that a believer should "struggle" with. In this sermon the they do that thing where they preach "compassion towards" non-straight / non-cis people but "don't condone" their "sinful" behaviors.

The entire recent/ongoing "Let's Talk About Sex" series seems to teach that identities and orientations outside of a heterosexual, cisgender norm are deviations from God's intended creation, linking them to the consequences of the Fall.

The first sermon explains "what we see in the beginning is that biological sex and gender one's identity and sexual orientation were integrated interconnected and consistent ... but ... due to the Fall ... our hearts and our minds have become corrupted"

The rest expound on this, with the fifth explicitly invoking the prohibition on same-sex relationships in Leviticus 18 and then makes a very big deal about the importance of this section. And then, again, today's (the sixth) sermon very explicitly labels acting on same-sex attraction a sinful activity, and implies the same for acting on gender dysphoria as well.

On their website I couldn't find these views clearly stated (despite their web presence being otherwise pretty polished). Between that and the way I interpreted them to be cagey about them during the sermons, I feel as though there's an intent to "soften the blow". Compare this to most affirming churches that are very happy to shout it out loud on their websites and with pride stickers all over...

Rap music blaring in the parking lot, a pastor dressed in jean jacket, black t-shirt, cuffed cargo pants, white snickers, and a goatee. Church with LED and metalic font style letters everywhere...so, who's doctrine has won in this church? Jesus never dressed down, John the baptist never dressed down; they dressed up in what they had and focused on preaching the gospel. Here, they seem to focus on the fame as they are broadcasted, priority of being accepted by the world. Churches these days put their priority into being accepted by the world and blending into the world. The priority should be to spread the gospel, following the teachings of the Lord, living our daily lives in search of HIS wills and being closer to God. Church leaders mostly focus on how to look accepting to the world, how to make the transition between the world and the church smoother, how to draw worldly people into the church and show them churches are no different and we accept everyone as they are. Jesus told us to be the salt of the world. Holy before God, repent and be saved. He never taught us to blend in with the world so we don't look different from another. Churches and their leaders are so corrupt and lost their ways before God these days, make me should Code Blue before God. Code Blue because they need resuscitation. Read the Bible, understand the whole scripture. Stop propagating sick and diseased views and interpretations of what Christians should do according to people's opinions. "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin." Comes to my mind. Be the salt in the world, be the light in the dark paths of the world, be the Oasis in the dessert. Put the focus back on...

Attended the 'Freedom In Christ' course for 10 weeks to renew after 25 years. I still find the book of same name and notes from psychology 101 quite helpful after all these years. My experience with this in person course was being threatened and bullied by a church member for exchanging emails which we were encouraged to do initially.(please find form attached) When confronting this with staff I was then gaslighted and further bullied by members. Upon switching groups for my well being I then was race baited one more time. Unbelievable!

I believe this experience is not reflective of the whole church community however bullying is a real issue in some churches and often ignored. Perhaps more pastoral staff presence would be helpful? Perhaps this course could be made available strictly for those that are in church leadership roles? Or better training of facilitators/volunteers/staff? I would not recommend this course for the serious believer. However, I would recommend the book with the app which was a helpful tool while studying:)

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!" 2 Corinthians 3:17

Thanks for some nice Christmas pictures to share...