A nearly two-minute video of pop sensation Justin Bieber talking to a gay fan after leaving church has gone viral.
In the clip, the 24-year-old star is surrounded by fans. One asks him if his church welcomes LGBTQ people.
“Isn’t your church, like, really inclusive of the gay community?” she asks, to which he replies that anyone is welcome.
The young woman then opens up to the singer about recently coming out as queer and struggling to find an inclusive church because she’s experienced homophobia in the Catholic community.
Bieber replies with compassion and invites the fan to his church: “Yeah, that breaks my heart for you. I’m so sorry. That’s not okay. If you ever want to come to any of the services, we’d love to have you in there. You’re more than welcome to come any time.”
.@JustinBieber comforts a fan who opened up about the struggles of finding a church that is queer-inclusive, he ends up inviting her to his church:
“That’s the sad thing. It can be like that sometimes, yea. That breaks my heart for you. I’m so sorry. That’s not ok.” pic.twitter.com/VyWcOKQb6W
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 12, 2018
While many of Bieber’s fans expressed their appreciation in seeing the star share the heartfelt moment with a fan, singer Trey Pearson, formerly of the successful Christian band Everyday Sunday, tweeted, “This seems lovely, but it’s a shame Hillsong [the church Bieber was leaving] is really NOT an affirming church. You’re ’welcome’, but think something is wrong with you and that you need to change. They wouldn’t marry same-sex couples or let you on leadership or staff. But we’d love to see that change!”
This seems lovely, but it’s a shame Hillsong is really NOT an affirming church. You’re “welcome”, but think something is wrong with you and that you need to change. They wouldn’t marry same-sex couples or let you on leadership or staff. But we’d love to see that change! ️ https://t.co/zbczmaFnWb
— Trey Pearson (@treypearson) June 12, 2018
In 2015, Hillsong founder Brian Houston wrote he loves gay people in a blog post called, “Do I Love Gay People?” But he says he does not support a “gay lifestyle” or marriage.