DENVER, Co. — Members of the elder team of Denver Community Church (DCC) announced this week that following a two-year discussion period, and out of a desire to “seek unity,” they have decided to allow homosexuals and transgenders to have full inclusion, permitting them to serve “in any and all levels of leadership.”

DCC is led by Michael Hidalgo, and its elders are comprised of both men and women who “have determined to live in the ways of Jesus,” according to the DCC website.

On Sunday, members of the elder team announced to the congregation that they have decided to allow homosexuals and transgenders to serve in leadership roles. They also released a public video the following day explaining the announcement, as well as the two-year discussion period that led to their conclusion.

“In our journey and conversation, we studied Scripture, prayed together, challenged one another, heard from various viewpoints, and invited our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community to share their stories with us,” the elders state in the four-minute message.

They note that following the process, although leadership still held to a disagreement with homosexual behavior, they “felt called to transcend our viewpoints and seek unity.”

“This is what we’ve prayed for—that we would experience unity over uniformity,” one of the female elders outlines.

As a result, the elders agreed unanimously that those involved in the homosexual lifestyle and who present themselves as the opposite gender should have full inclusion in the congregation, including “in any and all levels of leadership.”

“We officially encourage you, invite you and support you—as we do with all who call DCC home—to be involved in the ministry, the community and the work of this church, in any and all levels of leadership,” they said. “We believe this is in keeping with the direction of our faith community—to be a place where everyone can belong, can contribute and be open to the transformative work that God wants to do in each of us.”

The elders outlined that they recognize that some within the congregation will disagree with the decision, but advised that the leadership believes that God would include homosexuals and transgenders, and so they should too.

“[W]e are committed in imitation of the wild, inclusive love of God that we see in Scripture to include those we believe God includes, and who are already a part of the body of Christ,” they outlined.

“Being queer and trans myself this announcement really makes me happy!” one commenter wrote in response.

“I am so incredibly moved and grateful to be a part of this church community that is so full of love and God’s presence,” another member wrote.

DCC began holding an “LGBT Learning Group” on Jan. 18, which will last for five weeks, to continue discussion on the issue. The group is open to the community at large.

As previously reported, Christians believe that homosexuality—like any sin—is a part of the Adamic sin nature that must be regenerated by the second birth, as Jesus outlined in John 3:5-7, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 also reads, in providing both a warning and speaking of being a new creation in Christ, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

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