This month, a US-based blogger known as 'Dangerous Times' posted a document from the Syndal Baptist Church .

A submission by the church to the Baptist Union of Victoria, the document discussed the church's stance on homosexuality.

It stated the Bible forbade homosexual practice, with any violation calling for a "serious response'' and that "unrepentant sinners ought to be removed from the church membership''.

Last week, senior pastor Bill Brown said that while the church would express the views in the document slightly differently, it "would be consistent with the stance that we would take''.

"It was formulated in the mid-'90s and the response is consistent with our understanding of pastorally caring for and responding to people who are pursuing a gay life style.''

Mr Brown said homosexual church members could not hold leadership positions and would be counselled to "help them look at a change of lifestyle''.

"We don't necessarily agree with the lifestyle choices people would make, but Jesus came for all people.

"Everyone is welcome to worship at the Syndal Baptist Church. We certainly have people at Syndal who have a homosexual orientation.''

The blogger, who grew up attending the Syndal Baptist Church, wrote that he was shocked it had a policy "suggesting that gay people are the result of sexual abuse and are somehow in that respect damaged goods''.

"Reading what to me is a message of hatred and dangerous opinions as the church policy of my home has made me feel like I have lost my childhood home, I have lost my family, I have lost my childhood,'' the blogger said.

"All those great memories I have of church as a kid have been destroyed with one document!''