Statement regarding same-sex marriages

I am a minister of the Gospel, credentialed by Bethel Baptist Church (Greensboro, NC). It is a long-established biblical/religious belief and polity of Bethel Baptist, which belief and polity I adhere to, that marriage is a spiritual union in which a man and woman are joined by God to live together as one. Based on my personal religious beliefs and the beliefs and polity of my credentialing church, I refuse to perform same-sex marriages. I base this refusal on my First Amendment guaranty of religious freedom, and on any and all exemptions grated to me under Federal and State Laws. This refusal also shall extend to my church's refusal to allow its facilities to be used for same-sex marriages or any celebration relating to same-sex unions.

Senior Pastor,
Steve Gunter
11-1-2014