Jubilee Fellowship describes itself as Christ-centered, spirit-filled, Bible-based and open and affirming. In other words, it's a Pentecostal-style, gay-friendly church, and it's coming to Lexington.The Rev. Cori Wood, the new congregation's pastor, is a fervent, tongues-speaking, Scripture-quoting preacher. She's also a lesbian.

When she's not speaking about homosexuality, Wood sounds like thousands of other conservative preachers. She teaches that the Bible is God's word, Jesus is the only way to salvation, hell is real, and the Second Coming is imminent. She's anti-abortion, too.

"Probably with most of my evangelical brothers and sisters in this town, we would agree on 99 percent," she said. "I believe it grieves the heart of God that that 1 percent keeps us from being able to worship together and serve together."

For the past two years, Wood has led a small pro-gay Bible study, drawing six to 10 people each week. Today, Jubilee Fellowship is having an open house in its new building, a former printing shop on Loudon Avenue. On Sunday, the group will hold its first worship service.

Jubilee Fellowship is unusual, but it isn't unique.

Across America, small, predominantly gay Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are forming in Tampa, Fla.; Little Rock, Ark.; and San Jose, Calif.

Louisville has two. Nashville has at least one. There's even a congregation outside LaPorte, Ind.

These churches' teachings about human sexuality are considered heretical by leading Pentecostal bodies.

FULL STORY at

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