Pastor says church has Pentecostal background but is LGBT-affirming
GARLAND — The One Church, described by his pastor, Charles Curtiss, as a GLBT-affirming Apostolic Pentecostal church with no affiliation, will hold weekly services at 6 p.m. at Reverchon Park Recreation Center beginning June 6.
Curtiss acknowledged that the Pentecostal denomination is one of the most homophobic, and said he has received numerous death threats over the years.
But he said that growing up, he never had a negative experience with his church.
Curtiss has been preaching since the age of 12 when he began as a children’s evangelist. He said he had a clown ministry called JiG-Gil (pronounced "jiggle"). That stands for Jesus is God — God is love.
At 16, he came to Texas and became involved with the Church of God in Fort Worth.
"It was a wonderful, wonderful church," he said.
By the age of 18, he began his own congregation, and he said that the overseer, which he described as the denomination’s bishop, said he had never seen a church grow so quickly.
Curtiss described his church as "old-time religion."
"We believe God is a miracle-working God," he said. "We believe in prophesy and healing. We don’t preach rules and regulations. We’re very upbeat, very positive, very Christ-centered."
The One Church first met for Easter in 2002. Currently, the church has two locations. They have a space on Broadway in Garland and also meet in Fort Worth.
The services in Oak Lawn consolidate the church into one, more central location.
Curtiss has been with his partner since Dec. 2001 and describes him as a former Jehovah’s Witness who is now also active with their church.
He said he has a passion for reaching out to gay and lesbian people to help them find reconciliation with God, without conditions or prerequisites.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 21, 2010.
Go Pastor.God is Love.