What We Believe About Radical Grace
We believe God’s grace is more radical than the boundaries people build around it. In Jesus, we see a God who moves toward people with love, mercy, and welcome—and calls us to extend that same grace to one another without exceptions, asterisks, or prerequisites.
Frequently Asked Questions About RADICAL INCLUSION
What DO YOU MEAN BY 'RADICAL INCLUSION' ?
Radical inclusion means God’s love is a gift, not something we earn by believing correctly, behaving perfectly, or becoming acceptable first. Grace meets us where we are and invites us into a life of transformation, relationship, and love.
DOES 'RADICAL INCLUSION' MEAN ANYTHING GOES?
No. Grace is not the absence of truth, accountability, or growth. Jesus welcomed people freely while continually calling them toward lives shaped by love of God and love of neighbor.
IS EVERYONE REALLTY WELCOME AT ST. JOHN'S?
Yes. Your race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, family structure, economic circumstances, past, questions, or doubts do not place you outside the reach of God’s grace—or outside our welcome.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE?
LGBTQ+ people are not merely tolerated at St. John’s; they are fully affirmed. They may participate fully in worship, membership, leadership, ministry, marriage, and the sacramental life of the church.
How can you affirm LGBTQ+ people and still take the Bible seriously?
Because we believe taking Scripture seriously requires more than isolating a handful of verses. We read the Bible in its historical and literary contexts, wrestle honestly with difficult passages, and interpret Scripture through the life and teachings of Jesus and his command to love God and our neighbor. LEARN MORE HERE
Do I have to agree with everything St. John’s believes to belong here?
No. Authentic community requires room for questions, disagreement, and growth. We ask that we treat one another with dignity and love while continuing to seek Jesus together—even when we do not arrive at exactly the same conclusions.
Radical grace means there is room for your whole story here—and a place for you as we follow Jesus together.