Equality, Diversity, Relationships and Inclusion Statement
Lister Hill Equality, Diversity, Relationships and Inclusion Statement adopted Nov 2025
We align ourselves with the Baptist Union of Great Britain.
At Lister Hill Baptist Church we strive to create a place of welcome, safety and love for all. All people are welcome. We strive to be a community that reflects the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ.
We believe that all people are created by God to reflect the character of God to the whole of creation, that all people are of sacred worth, and that Christ died for all people.
God loves us more than we can possibly imagine. This amazing love is the foundation of our lives and is what makes us human. The Bible uses the idea of "covenant love" to help us understand this. It means God promises to always be there for us and do what's best for us. This kind of love shows us how to love others.
COVENANT LOVE & COMMUNITY
The church is a covenant community in which we experience and respond to the love of God and learn to love one another regardless of age, race or sex. (See Appendix 1.)
As a Baptist church, we call people into God’s covenant love through membership and baptism. We offer these to all who turn to God in repentance, put their faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him (Acts 2: 38–39), seeing them both as vital.
In preparing people for membership and baptism we recognise that while our core beliefs are the same, we have diverse views on some matters of faith and practice. These include how we read and understand the Bible, as well as different convictions on a range of issues.
We seek to hold our differences with humility, love and generosity, not allowing them to become barriers to those who are finding faith among us. Our shared endeavour is to create an environment where each of us can work out what it means to follow Jesus (Phil. 1:12-13), within strong bonds of friendship (1 Thess. 5:11, Heb. 10:24-25).
We feed and nurture our life together through Bible reading and teaching, friendship, worship and the celebration of communion (Acts 2:42).
We encourage all members in a full and joyful participation in the church community and God’s mission in the world (Rom. 12:3-8, 1 Pet. 4:10). Every gift is needed. All are encouraged to serve according to character, maturity and gifting, and guided by the wisdom and discernment of those set apart to lead in the church.
For leadership team roles, special attention is paid to the biblical criteria for overseers in the church (1 Tim. 3:1-13 & Titus 1:5-9), as well as what will best serve the wellbeing of the church community.
It is our shared calling and commitment to learn and grow in the way of Jesus, in all areas of life (Col. 3:17). To this end, we will make known and to practice clear biblical values for strong, loving relationships – including how our sexuality is both valued and expressed. (See appendix 2).
To this end, we will teach and live out clear, Bible-based values for healthy, loving relationships, including how we understand and express our sexuality.
APPENDIX 1 EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
We believe that God’s love excludes no one and as such we welcome and include everyone to share in our life together, regardless of age, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, neurodivergence, education, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, economic status and political outlook. Everyone is welcome to attend our gatherings and relevant midweek ministries, to participate in communion and to serve according to their gifts. Membership and baptism are available according to professed faith in Christ. Leadership roles are open to those with suitable gifts following discussion and approval of the church leadership and the usual vote of the membership .
APPENDIX 2 RELATIONSHIP AND MARRIAGE
MARRIAGE - The Bible gives us a rich and beautiful vision of marriage as a form of covenant love that unites a man and a woman and creates a context for love to grow and for children to be nurtured. (Gen. 1:26- 28 & 2:21-25, Mark 10:1-9, Eph. 5: 25-33, 1 Cor. 7:1-16 & Rev. 21:1-5)It is our privilege to prepare couples for marriage and to conduct a wedding for them, with care to follow through on the friendship and support we promise as a community. Some of our members hold the conviction that the union of one man and one woman is biblical and vital to what makes a marriage. Other members hold the view that all the good of marriage can be pursued and enjoyed by a same-sex couple, and that such unions should be recognised and celebrated as marriages. Given our different views on this, we cannot, in unity, conduct or bless a wedding for a same-sex couple, but we can together warmly receive same-sex couples into our community, valuing their love and commitment to one another (Phil. 4: 8), and encouraging them in following Jesus.
WHEN VOWS ARE BROKEN - We recognise that despite even the best support from family and friends, vows are broken and are sometimes beyond repair. We will love, guide and support those couples whose relationship is in crisis, as well as those separating or seeking divorce. We are ready to prepare divorcees for marriage supporting them in a healing journey, believing that new beginnings are possible by God’s grace.
SINGLENESS/CELIBACY - Outside of the church, being sexually active is a cultural norm/expectation today. Living the ‘Jesus way’ as singles, where intimacy keeps pace with commitment, and the deepest intimacy is kept for the strongest commitment of marriage is a tough call and we must be ready to offer the friendship, support and encouragement needed to fulfil it (1 Tim. 4:16) – especially for those who choose life-long celibacy.
RELATIONSHIP - We are committed to pursuing healthy relationships in our lives together, supported and guided by the following relational values:
- KINDNESS – Healthy relationships are characterised by kindness (Colossians 3:12-14, Romans 12:9-16).
- GOD’S PEOPLE – We are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:27). This is our essential identity, loved by God and precious.
- CONTROL - In a loving community there is no place for the ‘grooming’ or manipulation of others. (Rom. 13:10). Our safeguarding policy commits us all to keep each other safe – especially children and adults at risk.
- INTIMACY AND FAITHFULNESS – Non-marital sex moves against God’s will. We should always seek to honour and protect our commitments, faith and sanctity in both marriage and friendship and our kinship in Jesus. Intimacy is meant to be expressed within marriage
FORGIVENESS - Everyone slips and there is forgiveness for sexual sins as much as for non-sexual sins, where there is repentance and an intention to ‘sin no more’. (John 8:11).May our love for God and for one another be a beacon of hope and light in our community
