Jay Bakker Speaking In North Carolina

St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of Raleigh, a church for all people founded on the “whosoever” principal in 1976, announces today that Jay Bakker; son of PTL’s Jim Bakker and the late Tammy Faye Bakker-Messner,will be participating in NC Pride activities September 26 -28, in both Durham and Raleigh. Bakker will be participating in the Pride festival and parade at Duke University’s East Campus in Durham, NC, Saturday, September 27. He will then be the honored guest at an open-to-the-public reception held at The View, part of the Legends Night Club complex located on the

corner of Hargett and Harrington streets in Raleigh, NC, Saturday evening from 6-7 p.m. Bakker will finish out the weekend by preaching St. John’s MCC Sunday Services, September 28. The 11 a.m. service will be held in Broughton High School’s Auditorium located at the corner of Peace and St. Mary’s Streets in Raleigh, N.C. The 7 p.m. service will be held in St. John’s MCC’s sanctuary located at 805 Glenwood avenue in Raleigh.

“Having grown up in Charlotte, I was excited to receive the invitation to participate in the Pride activities of my home state,” says Bakker. “Although I have worked in cooperation with MCCs across the country sharing the Gospel of grace, this is the first opportunity I have had to work with the people at St. John’s MCC.” After witnessing firsthand the excommunicative treatment his family received from the church, Bakker wanted nothing to do with God. So he began a new life filled with substances easily abused and nonstop partying created to mask the pain and suffering caused by this surreal rejection. Eventually, Bakker was able to conquer his demons and made a personal decision to find out who God really was. For the first time Bakker wasn’t being driven to Christ out of fear; he was being drawn to Christ through love.

“Jay’s witness and ministry has a way of opening conversations with many people whose experience with church has been a less-than-positive reflection of God and God’s love,” says Rev. Belva Y. Boone, Senior Pastor of St. John’s MCC. “As a longstanding active participant in the North Carolina gay community, St. John’s is constantly seeking new ways to share God’s love for all people with those who have been subjected to Bible abuse.”

About St John’s MCC: St. John's MCC is a Christian church where all services and activities are open to all people, regardless of religious affiliation, background, sexual orientation or beliefs. For more information visit stjohnsmcc.org, or call (919) 834-2611. About Jay Bakker: Jay has spoken at numerous festivals and churches as well as appeared both on television (“One Punk Under God”, “Larry King Live,” “20/20,” “Good Morning America”) and in print (Rolling Stone, NY Times, Time). For more information visit www.revolutionnyc.com or call (704) 684-0777.