My husband and I are looking for a church. We believe that ordaining women is a way of accepting that God may call any gender to spiritually lead a congregation. We also believe that practicing homosexuals are engaged in sin. We don't believe that this sin is any different or worse than the sins we commit. The difference is that we attempt to repent and no longer commit sin, whereas, one who is living in a homosexual relationship is living as though that behavior is acceptable to God. We believe that they are His beloved children, just like we are, but that they should not spiritually lead a congregation. What denominations agree with us?
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6What country are you in?– DJClayworthCommented Feb 10, 2019 at 21:22
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1Lots of them. Besides where you live, things like infant baptism, the use of spiritual gifts, and Arminianism vs. Calvinism would narrow it down significantly.– Nathaniel is protestingCommented Feb 11, 2019 at 15:03
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@Michele Go to jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/… and have a look.– user43190Commented Feb 11, 2019 at 19:08
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As for homosexuals living in a homosexual relationship being God's "beloved children," I think most Evangelical denominations would disagree, at least in light of John 1:3, which says " But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name . . .." Does God love people who have not become his children by receiving and believing in Jesus's name? Of course. Can people who are willfully living in sin of any kind, not just the sin of practicing homosexuality, be children of God? Possibly. A refusal to repent may indicate otherwise.– rhetoricianCommented Feb 12, 2019 at 12:26
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2When searching for a denomination it is important to find out which one agrees with the Bible not which one agrees with me. Seeking truth rather than comfort and affirmation of our own preconceived notions.– KristopherCommented Feb 12, 2019 at 16:07
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The Free Methodist denomination agrees with your beliefs on both points.
Women have been ordained, and eligible to lead a congregation, for over a century. In fact my own (southwestern Pennsylvania) congregation was pastored by the Reverend Laura Lamb in 1915-16. Free Methodist pastor B.T. Roberts wrote an entire book (published in 1891) examining the biblical principles involved and concluded there was no barrier to allowing women to be ordained: Ordaining Women.
The denomination also maintains a biblical & traditional view of sexuality (fidelity within marriage, celibacy outside of it, marriage is one man and one woman). Homosexuality is acknowledged as a sin, without 'elevating' it as though it's a worse sin than any other:
Paul makes it clear in the first section of his letter to Rome that behaviors such as gossip, greed and boasting in the same category as homosexual sin. [See] Romans 1, starting at verse 26 [through verse 32].
The above quote comes from this much lengthier article: Sexual Issues: A Pastoral Resource.
There may or may not be a Free Methodist congregation near you (you don't mention where you live), so this may or may not be an option. And also, I'm sure there are other denominations that hold the same principles.
Either way, my own advice -- beyond checking doctrines, which is a good thing to do -- is to seek God's guidance in earnest prayer to find a church that He wants you to attend. 1 Corinthians 12:18 reads, "But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." Acknowledge and submit to His leading when it comes to the church you choose.
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1I think there are many individual mainline Methodist churches which will also hold to these two beliefs. For example, Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano, TX certainly believes both these things.– rjeCommented Feb 13, 2019 at 21:10