Nature and Purpose of FCC

The Nature and Purpose of FCC

We have been considering the role of Free Community Church in the Christian community here in Singapore. LGBT is at the beginning interested to relate Christianity to sexuality leading to the acceptance of homosexuality as a gift from the loving God the Creator of all that exists including all sentient beings irrespective of race and religion. Our Creator is continuously engaged in the evolutionary process of human beings living in co-operation with one another and in harmony with nature to bring about shalom. Religion has to be involved in this transformation process not only in sexuality and human development but also in ecology and mutual existence on planetary earth.

FCC began at the stage when LGBT were secure enough to come together to form SAFEHAVEN as a support group with common concerns and shared leadership. When the larger community outside seem to move in the direction of acceptance of LGBT essentially more for political and economic reasons, the issue of homosexuality surfaced both within faith communities and secular society. SAFEHAVEN was able to mobilize courageous people and evolve to form the Free Community Church.

What is the nature of FCC? Because LGBT was excluded from the majority in society we paraded the principle of inclusion. We proclaim that FCC is the only inclusive church. Our distinctiveness is that we are the only Church that does not exclude and truly welcomes LGBT. Those who come do not feel that they are discriminated upon and excluded. We continue to enable in the interpretation of the BIblical texts to relate faith with sexuality and assert that homosexuality is not a sin. The degree of acceptance even within FCC is correlated with the change of one's theological understanding of the sacred text on the issue of one's sexual orientation. The theological baggage that we carry may even force us to internalize homophobia. But we are gaining ground to move out of regarding homosexuality as a sin or even fallen nature to the stage where we accept that our sexual orientation is a given and a gift from our loving Creator.

When FCC declares that we are an inclusive community it does that mean that mean we are completely free and we include every body and every view including those which differ from one another. We merely tolerate the differences. We isolate ourselves from other people and other perspectives. Inclusivity without interactions and openness to change is intolerable. Inclusivity in itself is heretical. It is not the move to uniformity and the forming of one common view for all. It is the sharing of our views always tentative and seeking common approach to address the problems that we face in our personal lives and in community life. We are on the journey of evolving like all things around us.

Our religious faith must relate to our common life and address all issues and not only on sexual orientation. The changes in our theology must move beyond sexuality but to all of life.

Yes, there is an emerging problem that FCC will deal exclusively with homosexuality issues. The churches outside will continue to be concerned with heterosexual issues with the LGBT members clossetted within. We will continue to live apart from one another.

The authentic Christian Church is be inclusive with regard to gays and straights, male and female & in-between, rich and poor. The change and re-construction of theology must take place to relate to evolve and grow such a community. There are people, gay and straight, who are expecting and waiting for a different theology that permeates all churches including FCC today. As long as we reflect the prevailing theology, whether liberal or conservative, that governs the life our our Christian churches today we will continue to exist where we are, separate and unequal. The reconciling church is an example with a majority of straights but decided to be gay affirming. The kind of theology that they have evolved which leads them to accept LGBT must influence them to relate in a new way to all other areas of life. They too need to transform their theological understanding of what God expects from their commitment to the life and mission of the church in the prevailing pluralistic paradigm. The same can be said of the purpose of the existence of FCC. Let us engage and learn from one another to equip ourselves for such a time like this.

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Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao
10E, Braddell Hill, Apt. #16-17
Singapore 579724
Tel: +65-6250-4561
Email: kimhao.yap@gmail.com

"When we lose the right to be different,
we lose the privilege to be free"