The Lancaster Mennonite Conference (LMC) had voted to leave the Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) in 2015, and the decision became effective January 1, 2018.

The LMC, comprised of 179 congregations in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, left over the definition of marriage and the sinfulness of homosexuality, according to a report from Religion News Service.

A pastor for one of the LMC congregations told NPR back when the vote to split took place it was actually the MC USA that had departed from Biblical teaching.

"We are in a sense not really leaving," said Steve Olivieri, pastor of Cornerstone Fellowship of Mill Run in Altoona, Pennsylvania. "They are the ones that essentially have left true Biblical Christianity in this respect."

"I don't want to do some of the things the Bible says sometimes, lot of times—but I still have to do it," Olivieri said. "We understand that whenever a passage says, ‘The following shall not inherit the Kingdom of God,' and it lists homosexuals, we believe that's a lifestyle choice that you make."

Mennonite teaching says homosexual activity is a sin, and also defines marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman.

The U.S. Mennonite Church has reprimanded and fired pastors who have defied the church's doctrine and conducted "LGBT weddings," a Daily Caller report said, but individual pastors have advocated for change. This push led the Mennonite U.S.A denomination to implement hiring and other official policies that the LMC saw as affirming LGBT lifestyles, resulting in the split...

Click here to continue reading.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Dr. Alveda King on MLK Day: Let Freedom Ring for Life

Sen. Tim Scott Creates MLK Day Videos, Hopes to Rebut Biden Speech

Virginia's New Governor Youngkin Off to Quick Start with These Executive Orders, Including Ban on Critical Race Theory

Georgia Bill Would Ban Critical Race Theory, Promote Teaching of America's Founding Principles

GE Suspends Covid Vaccine and Testing Rules after Supreme Court Blocks Biden Mandate

DirecTV Cuts Conservative Network from Its Lineup

Rabbi's Brave Actions Helped TX Synagogue Hostages Escape Islamic Terrorist Captor; His British Sons Detained

Mike Rowe Reveals Why He's Reviving 'Dirty Jobs'—and the Problem He's Seeing Everywhere

'Biden Is Not a King': Pro-Freedom Groups React after Supreme Court Blocks Vaccine Mandate

Australia Cancels Visa of Unvaccinated Tennis Star Novak Djokovic for the Second Time

Judge Sentences Loudon County Sex Offender Teen in School Assaults Case that Enflamed Trans Bathroom Debate

Don't Be Fooled by the Language on Voters' Rights Legislation

Illinois Parents Furious About After School Satan Club in Elementary School

Pro-Life Warrior James Sedlak, Feared by Planned Parenthood, Passes Away at 78

Meet Actor Ray Romano's Brother: The Ex-NYPD Cop Who Embarked on an Investigation to Prove Jesus' Death and Resurrection

Less Than 10% of Evangelicals Want Shorter Sermons; 30% Want More In-Depth Teaching: Survey

'God Has Heard and Answered Our Prayers': Anne Graham Lotz Shares Update after Daughter Suffers Heart Attacks

Watchdog Warns That Biden Admin May Be Creating a Database of Americans Who Asked for Religious Exemption from Vax Mandate

Supreme Court Halts Biden COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Businesses

Sen. Sinema Doubles Down on Filibuster Support, Dealing Likely Fatal Blow to Dems' Election Bills