Newmarket church faces criticism for inviting controversial pastor to speak

The spire of the Christian Baptist Church at the crest of Main Street. Debora Kelly/NewmarketToday

Newmarket’s Christian Baptist Church is defending its decision to invite a controversial pastor to speak in the wake of some outrage on social media.

The Main Street church has invited Calgary-based Pastor Artur Pawlowski to speak Oct. 4, which has garnered pushback in emails and a social media post, given Pawlowski’s history of outspoken views against homosexuality.

“This pastor preaches against LGBTQ, pro-choice, and divorce, and he’s being welcomed to a local church. I would think in this day and age, churches would understand that to exclude people by preaching against them is not very Christian. I thought Newmarket churches and our community wouldn’t support that,” the post on a local Facebook page said, garnering more than 200 responses.

Pastor Andrew Hamilton said he reached out to his deacons and to Pawlowski, set to preach on the theme of “courageous Christian living.” He said they are aware of some of the pushback, but have also heard from people encouraged that he is coming.

“For us, inviting someone to preach doesn’t mean we’re endorsing every statement they’ve ever made or every way they’ve handled every situation. That really isn’t what this is about,” Hamilton said.

Pawlowski has had some notoriety for years in Alberta. The founder of Street Church Ministries, Pawlowski has previously been an organizer for anti-pandemic lockdown protests in the province. He was found guilty of mischief in 2023 for encouraging protestors to block a Canada-U.S. border crossing during a 2022 protest. In 2023, he would also found his own Alberta political party, the Solidarity Movement of Alberta.

But he also achieved notoriety for homophobic views. In 2013, he wrote on his website, blaming Alberta flooding in part because of God being upset by abortions and homosexuality. In 2013, after the CRA revoked his church’s charitable status in part citing some of the views on the website, he wrote, “It’s OK for ungodly groups to exercise their ‘rights’ to spread their beliefs, but it’s not OK for us to exercise our rights to object.”

Still, while some residents spoke in opposition on social media and suggested emailing the church about it, others said he is free to speak his views.

Pawlowski said he does not see any controversy, saying he is a pastor, preaching the Bible in a church.

”I am absolutely shocked in a free and democratic society. People cannot come together and agree to disagree,” he said. “We’re all humans, we’re all Canadians, and we should be able to address different topics, again, in a respectful, civilized way.”

Pawlowski said it is bullying, and said that Christians are “the most persecuted minority group on Earth.”

Asked to clarify his beliefs on LGBTQ people, Pawlowski said he believes in the Bible, and everybody has a choice. He said his church welcomes everyone, all walks of life, regardless of whether they are LGBT, divorced, have had an abortion, or deal drugs.

“Because the church is for the sinners. The church is for the sick. Sick people need a physician. This way or that way, we all need a physician,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s your choice. No one is forcing you to do anything. No one is forced to come to the church.

“They hate me so much because I have a different view on life. It’s like saying that I’m a hateful person because I stand against drug addiction or pedophilia or murder or stealing,” he said. “ I just don’t condone behaviours because I believe they are harmful.”

Pawlowski is set to speak at the church’s 135 Main St. location Sunday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m.

Hamilton said their hope for the event is simple.

“We want people to hear the Gospel and to be challenged to speak truth faithfully, love people well, and live openly as followers of Jesus with both courage and gentleness,” he said.

Joseph Quigley