Reverend Craig Vernall says it's "unfathomable" that any Christian would pray for someone to commit suicide. Picture: baptist.org.nz The national union of Baptist churches has confirmed Westcity Bible Baptist Church is not a member, and says it’s appalled by its leader’s comments. Pastor Logan Robertson, who runs the independent and fundamental Westcity Bible Baptist Church from his West Auckland home, left a gay Auckland man shocked when he replied to his email by calling him a “filthy child molesting fag” and saying he prayed he would kill himself. Reverend Craig Vernall, who leads the 245-member Baptist Churches of New Zealand, has told GayNZ.com Daily News the Westcity Bible Baptist Church has no affiliation with the network. “I'm appalled by the comments made by the West City Baptist church Pastor Logan Robertson,” he says. “It's unfathomable to me that any Christian would pray for someone to commit suicide. We cannot and never would endorse his comments." The group of Baptist churches currently has a working party looking at marriage equality. Currently its pastors do not act as celebrants in same-sex marriage ceremonies.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 8th December 2014 - 2:55pm