In August 2023, the First Church of the Nazarene in Point Loma became the center of a heated controversy after longtime pastor Selden ‘Dee’ Kelley was removed from his post by the Southern California District leadership of the Church of the Nazarene. His removal, following a church trial, stemmed from accusations of heresy after Kelley published an essay challenging the denomination’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues.

Kelley, a well-respected leader who had served the church for 17 years, explained the situation by stating: “I was removed because I was convicted of teaching heresy. All this happened simply because I wrote a two-and-a-half-page article.”

The essay, titled “A Hope for Change,” was published in the book “Why the Church of the Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQ+ Affirming,” edited by theologian Thomas Jay Oord. In it, Kelley called for a more inclusive stance on same-sex relationships and human sexuality.

The Church of the Nazarene holds an official position of marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman.

The trial was overseen by District Superintendent Thomas Taylor, and the subsequent ruling contrasted sharply with the values and spirit of the local congregation, according to Dean Nelson, a longtime congregant and professor of multimedia journalism at Point Loma Nazarene University. Nelson, who has been a member of the church for 38 years, also serves on the church’s board and emphasized the diverse theological and social perspectives within the congregation.

“I would describe [the local congregation] as loving,” Nelson said. “They’re not satisfied with easy answers and aren’t afraid to engage with complex issues. The majority of congregants agreed with Kelley’s position on this social issue. While there were dissenting opinions, this wasn’t something they wanted to leave the church over.”

Kelley reflected on the church’s inclusivity, stating, “It was a congregation that held very diverse theological, political, and social viewpoints, but the value of community and the common mission of lifting Christ made it a place I would’ve attended even if I wasn’t the pastor.”

“Pastor Dee is a model of servant leadership,” added Scott McGowan, who has regularly attended services at the First Church of the Nazarene since 2018, with his wife and now small children, ages 1 and 3. “I don’t personally know a single person who expressed otherwise or thought he should lose his ordination.”

Kelley’s removal and the ensuing fallout sparked division, as many longtime parishioners distanced themselves from the church.

“We lost people because they were so disgusted with the overall leadership of our denomination,” Nelson said.

The congregation, once numbering over 300, shrank to around 100 in the months following Kelley’s ouster.

“The institution of the Church of the Nazarene has gone the way the country has, which is authoritarian,” Nelson said. “Our pastor made a very innocuous request to say ‘We really ought to be thinking and talking about the gay issue in a healthier way,’ and, the leadership being close-minded and hateful, said, ‘Oh, we have got to get rid of this guy.’”

Since the arrival of James Kinzler as pastor in August 2024, the church has seen some recovery, with the congregation growing back to approximately 200 members.

“Growing the church and getting back to its former size is less priority than restoring a sense of unity and mission and church health,” Kinzler said.

According to McGowan, his family decided to stay because of the leadership of the church board and community.

“We have a core community here,” he explained. “We were convicted to stay in the struggle, support the Kelleys, be a church family. We see what happened as deeply unjust, but we are blessed to be part of this next chapter of a loving community.”

The 2024 Christmas program, featuring over 100 children from the greater Point Loma community in the choir, brought a renewed sense of optimism to the church community.

“Weekly attendance during and after Dee’s trial was a bit lower, but the Kinzlers’ first Sunday was a packed house and attendance has seemed to remain strong since,” McGowan said.

“I don’t think it’s casting a shadow, but it’s a part of our story,” Kinzler added. “I’ve tried, and our church board has tried to be very transparent. How do we become more the community that God’s calling us to be with this reality of what we’ve been?”

Kinzler has a long association with the First Church of the Nazarene. His father served as interim pastor before Kelley’s arrival, and his parents attended services for years, often making the drive from their home in Temecula.

“What remains striking to me is somebody asked him [during the hiring process] ‘Why do you want to come with everything that has gone on?’” Remembered Debbie Holly, a congregant since 1976 and now board member. “[Kinzler] said ‘I know what you’ve been through, and I believe there are wonderful days ahead and this church can come out of this situation stronger and better.’”

“Who we have as a pastor now is very much in the spirit of Dee Kelley,” added Nelson.

“We experienced injustice; we are not defined by it,” said McGowan. “The light is always shining here in the darkness. The Kinzlers are proof of that.”

Even as the church finds a sense of healing, questions linger for both current and former members about the future of their faith community.

“Anybody who’s got gay friends or relatives, you don’t want to then look like you’re supporting the dumb positions that the leadership has taken,” Nelson said. “Do I stay because this is where my well has been dug? Or do I leave in solidarity with my gay brothers and sisters?”

The division within the First Church of the Nazarene mirrors broader debates over LGBTQ+ inclusion seen in other denominations, such as the 2022 split within the United Methodist Church, which led to the creation of the more conservative Global Methodist Church.

The board discussed and then ultimately decided against such a move.

“I support anyone who feels their worship and community experience should be congruent with their internal compass of how things ought to be,” Kelley said. “Bringing about change that moves people toward a better expression of love, wouldn’t it be nice if you had the opportunity to do that in the context where change would make a difference? It’s why I stayed within the Nazarene church. I felt I had a stronger voice within.”