Greg Cunningham: Legacy Church And Pastor Smotherman Condemned Same-Sex Marriage And Espoused Extreme Rhetoric Stigmatizing Gay People

Legacy Church Condemned Same-Sex Marriage, Saying “God Instituted Marriage Between Male And Female As The Foundation Of The Family”

2026: Legacy Church Said Marriage Was Exclusively Between A Man And Woman, Saying “God Instituted Marriage Between Male And Female As The Foundation Of The Family, The Basic Structure Of Human Society.” “God created male and female. The Church shall only sanction or conduct marriages between a man and a woman. God instituted marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family, the basic structure of human society. God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in other than in the context of marriage between a man and a woman. God has wonderfully and immutably created each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God.” [Legacy Church, Our Beliefs, accessed 5/11/26]

2026: Legacy Church Said, “The Church Shall Only Sanction Or Conduct Marriages Between A Man And A Woman.” “God created male and female. The Church shall only sanction or conduct marriages between a man and a woman. God instituted marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family, the basic structure of human society. God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in other than in the context of marriage between a man and a woman. God has wonderfully and immutably created each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God.” [Legacy Church, Our Beliefs, accessed 5/11/26]

Smotherman Said, “The Word Of God Clearly Condemns Homosexual Behavior” And Gay People Who Don’t Repent “Will End Up In Hell”

2022: Pastor Smotherman Said, “The Word Of God Clearly Condemns Homosexual Behavior. The Behavior Is Wrong.” “The word of God clearly condemns homosexual behavior. The behavior is wrong. According to the word of God, those who don’t repent before they die will end up in hell. God never made anyone that way. Circumstances do, deception does, but God does not. He doesn’t make alcoholics, murderers, thieves, gossipers — no difference.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/13/22]

2022: Pastor Smotherman Said Of People In Same-Sex Relationships, “According To The Word Of God, Those Who Don’t Repent Before They Die Will End Up In Hell.” “The word of God clearly condemns homosexual behavior. The behavior is wrong. According to the word of God, those who don’t repent before they die will end up in hell. God never made anyone that way. Circumstances do, deception does, but God does not. He doesn’t make alcoholics, murderers, thieves, gossipers — no difference.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/13/22]

2022: Pastor Smotherman Warned Against Celebrating Pride Month, Saying “The World Is Celebrating Pride Month For Homosexuals. But As Believers We Don’t!” “Pride Leads to Destruction. The world is celebrating Pride Month for homosexuals. But as believers we don’t! Reprobate minds: The word of God clearly condemns homosexual behavior. The behavior is wrong. According to the word of God, those who don’t repent before they die will end up in hell. God never made anyone that way. Circumstances do, deception does, but God does not. He doesn’t make alcoholics, murderers, thieves, gossipers — no difference.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/13/22]

Smotherman Equated Being Gay With “Alcoholics, Murderers, Thieves, Gossipers” Saying “God Never Made Anyone That Way. Circumstances Do, Deception Does, But God Does Not”

2022: Pastor Smotherman Equated Being Gay With “Alcoholics, Murderers, Thieves, Gossipers,” Saying “God Never Made Anyone That Way. Circumstances Do, Deception Does, But God Does Not. He Doesn’t Make Alcoholics, Murderers, Thieves, Gossipers — No Difference.” “The word of God clearly condemns homosexual behavior. The behavior is wrong. According to the word of God, those who don’t repent before they die will end up in hell. God never made anyone that way. Circumstances do, deception does, but God does not. He doesn’t make alcoholics, murderers, thieves, gossipers — no difference.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/13/22]

Smotherman Opposed The Supreme Court’s Decision On Same-Sex Marriage, Saying He Would Rather Go To Jail Than Comply With It And “History Has Shown Us That Any Nation Which Has Embraced Homosexual Sin Has Fallen Or Been Destroyed”

2015: Prior To The Supreme Court’s Decision On Same-Sex Marriage, Pastor Smotherman Said, “I Signed A Pledge That Said If They Pass This Unlawful Ungodly Law, If Need Be I’d Go To Jail Before I Honor It.” “A New Mexico pastor is getting national attention for his comments on same-sex marriage. CNN interviewed the local pastor this week before the expected ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on same-sex marriage. ‘This guy says, ‘Hey, my name’s Mark. I’m with CNN News,’ said Pastor Steve Smothermon of Legacy Church in Albuquerque during the Sunday service. Smothermon talked about his interview for a CNN article published online on Thursday. He and more than 51,000 others signed a pledge online to stand in solidarity against same-sex marriage, an issue the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on this month. ‘I signed a pledge that said if they pass this unlawful ungodly law, if need be I’d go to jail before I honor it,’ Smothermon said. He said legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide would be an attack on the church. ‘Listen, I’ll go to jail over what I believe. No one’s going to tell me what I have to do,’ Smothermon said. ‘No one’s going to tell me or dictate my beliefs.’” [KRQE, 6/19/15]

2015: Pastor Smotherman Said, “History Has Shown Us That Any Nation Which Has Embraced Homosexual Sin Has Fallen Or Been Destroyed.” “Friday, the 26th day of June, we all realized we are no longer a Christian nation. The Supreme Court decided, after 150 years, that homosexual marriage was hidden in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of The United States of America. However, the truth of the matter is, it is not there. Furthermore, while this case was pending, Supreme Court Justices Kagan and Ginsburg performed same-sex ceremonies -- so much for a fair and impartial verdict! Nevertheless, no matter how this court does away with our constitution and the democratic process, we should not honor such a law. […] George Orwell once said, ‘The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.’ History has shown us that any nation which has embraced homosexual sin has fallen or been destroyed. Accordingly, Harvard sociologist Pitirim Sorokin found no culture surviving once it ceased to support marriage and monogamy (marriage between a man and a woman -- traditional marriage).” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/29/15]

2015: Pastor Smotherman Said The Supreme Court’s Decision On Same-Sex Marriage Was A “Sad Moment For America And For Those Of Us Who Still Believe In God’s Inerrant Truth.” “Friday, the 26th day of June, we all realized we are no longer a Christian nation. The Supreme Court decided, after 150 years, that homosexual marriage was hidden in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of The United States of America. However, the truth of the matter is, it is not there. Furthermore, while this case was pending, Supreme Court Justices Kagan and Ginsburg performed same-sex ceremonies -- so much for a fair and impartial verdict! Nevertheless, no matter how this court does away with our constitution and the democratic process, we should not honor such a law. […] This is a sad moment for America and for those of us who still believe in God’s inerrant Truth – His Word -- not a truth watered down by so-called politically-correct Christians. We must pray and stand up for righteousness: God’s way of living and thinking.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/29/15]

2015: Pastor Smotherman Said Of The Supreme Court’s Decision On Same-Sex Marriage, “This New Supreme Court Decision Did Not Change The Word Of God And It Definitely Didn’t Change God.” “In truth, God’s Word, from the beginning to the end, clearly condemns immorality; and homosexual marriage will never be accepted by God. Therefore, we must keep believing and speaking the truth. It’s the only hope for people to be able to repent and get right with God.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/29/15]

• 2015: Pastor Smotherman Said, “In Truth, God’s Word, From The Beginning To The End, Clearly Condemns Immorality; And Homosexual Marriage Will Never Be Accepted By God.” “In truth, God’s Word, from the beginning to the end, clearly condemns immorality; and homosexual marriage will never be accepted by God. Therefore, we must keep believing and speaking the truth. It’s the only hope for people to be able to repent and get right with God.” [Legacy Church, Op-Ed: Pastor Steve Smotheran, 6/29/15]