OUR SEXUALITY VALUES

Sexuality is a tense topic to discuss in our world and is also a critical aspect of the human experience. Rather than putting out a statement of beliefs stating a list of “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts”, we wanted to share values that we believe creates a pathway of integration leading towards wholeness, holiness and embodied faith and sexuality. Rather than focusing on the “what” to do, we wanted to look at the “why” and “how.” 

As an act of clarity, it is important to disclose that we are part of a denomination which holds to a traditional view of marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. As a local community, our church is made up of people with a wide range of views and beliefs. 

It’s very possible you may feel uncomfortable with some of these statements. Or you may wish we had stated something that we haven’t. We invite you into curiosity when discomfort arises to look at what is bringing it up.

These values encourage us to know our sexual stories (where we are and what led us here) and see the goodness that God desires for us to experience in our sexualities. 


OUr guiding values

  1. God cares about our sexual ethics and our bodies.

  2. Sexuality and gender reflect the Image of God in humanity.

  3. God intended sex to emphasize dignity, build intimacy, for pleasure, and bring about life. Sadly, sex can also be a vessel of degradation, isolation, shame and violence.

  4. Healthy sexuality flourishes within commitment, boundaries, and faithfulness.

  5. Sex and marriage are limited parts of the human experience but intimacy is not. 

  6. Our desires are not always meant to be satisfied in the ways we would initially want them to be. Curiosity about our desires can lead us to understand our stories and move toward growth. 

  7. God’s sexual ethics for our lives are meant for our flourishment and God’s glory. At the same time, none of us live out our convictions perfectly, but God’s presence in our lives is not contingent on our perfection.

  8. Vulnerability and honesty in a safe community is a valuable tool to combat shame in our sexuality. 

  9. The weaponization of the truth to control others’ bodies is one of the greatest dangers to the Gospel and how it is lived out within us. 

  10. As a church, we are committed to create spaces of safety, honesty, and curiosity within our diverse community that empowers us to faithfully love God, others and ourselves. 

If you have any follow up questions or would like to speak further about these values, contact one of our staff members or email us at info@providenciawpb.org.