Summary
- Chip and Joanna Gaines are vocal about their Christian beliefs, which are reflected in their books and materials.
- The couple sat down with a pastor in 2016 to discuss their faith and the role of God in their lives.
- Chip responded to controversy surrounding their affiliation with an anti-gay church by writing a blog post that was seen as a vague and non-answer, potentially alienating their LGBTQ+ fans.
Chip and Joanna Gaines earned a following for being a relatable, down-to-Earth couple that provided plenty of entertainment while they renovated properties together. Chip was always seen as the comic relief, while Joanna was a bit more level-headed. However, the two have more in common than fans might have expected, starting with their childhoods.
In 2016, Chip and Joanna gave an interview with a local pastor in Waco, Texas, the town they "fixed up," and the result was assumptions about the famous couple's beliefs and the support of their fans.
Chip And Joanna Gaines Were Tied To A Church With Anti-Gay Messaging
Fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines already know that the famous couple is not quiet about their religious beliefs. They are Christians, as they have explained in their various books and Magnolia materials.
It wasn't surprising, then, that Chip and Joanna sat down with the pastor of a local church in 2016 to have a conversation about "their faith, family, and how God is fulfilling His purposes in their lives."
Pastor Jimmy Seibert of Antioch Waco Community Church ran the interview, which started off with conversations about the couple's history in the area and past work.
Then, the two talked about their paths with religion, specifically, Joanna's childhood growing up with scripture but not completely connecting with God. She explained that not until she went away to New York City did she 'meet God.'
Chip recalled a similar childhood, but his story also included a 'reckoning' when he attended an event where women who had been held captive in Afghanistan told stories about their religious experiences.
The two also discussed the story of their business growth, most of which they attribute to their religious beliefs and connection with God.
What Are Chip And Joanna Gaines' Beliefs?
Chip and Joanna Gaines have never explicitly shared any divisive beliefs with their followers, but the fact that they sat down and talked with Jimmy Seibert sent a big message to some fans.
After that interview, Buzzfeed dove deeper into the connection between Chip and Joanna and the Antioch Waco Community Church—and specifically, the church's values.
In reviewing one of Seibert's 2015 sermons—which was available for the public to view—Buzzfeed quoted Heibert saying that homosexuality was both a sin and an active choice. He also promoted the idea of converting people who are LGBTQ+, as well as doubled down on the view that marriage is "the uniting of one man and one woman."
Buzzfeed's Kate Aurthur pointed out that many reputable sources suggest that conversion therapy is harmful, before summing up Seibert's sermon, which specifically spoke to "business leaders," telling them to "be clear about who you are."
When the Gaineses' ties to that church, and its pastor, became clear, Chip and Joanna themselves didn't explicitly speak out on the issue—nor have they elaborated on their personal beliefs.
However, in his New Year's post going into 2017, Chip penned a blog on Magnolia where he wrote about humanity being divided, saying that he and Joanna refused "to be baited into using our influence in a way that will further harm an already hurting world."
At the same time, he kept his wording vague while writing about how he and Joanna have "personal convictions," though only elaborating that they care about others as a "neighbor on planet earth" and not in any sense of their color, wealth, orientation, gender, etc.
Chip summed up by writing, "Our family wants to fight for a world that knows how to lovingly disagree," and that they want to "operate from a position of love in all things."
Chip's Response To The Issue Didn't Really Answer Any Questions
Given that Chip and Joanna Gaines have an entire team behind them to help support Magnolia and their various business ventures, it wouldn't be surprising if the couple was given the advice to not take a stance on important issues.
As heartfelt as Chip's message seemed, it was a non-answer to the issues that were brought up by his and Joanna's affiliation with an anti-gay church. By not saying anything in support of their LGBTQ+ viewers and fans, the Gaineses risked losing viewership.
The same can't exactly be said in opposite; it's unlikely that the Gaineses lost any fans at church thanks to Chip's New Year's "revelation," because that side of their fan base probably read between the lines in a very different way.
The purpose of Chip Gaines' blog post could have been to purposely be vague enough so that it spoke to people in whatever way they wanted, but by doing so, it made Buzzfeed's author (and others) think that it was a cop-out.
If Chip felt that he was being "baited" into speaking out, it's clear that he felt speaking out specifically in either sense was the wrong thing to do. To that, LGBTQ+ fans and allies might have begun rethinking their support of the famous couple.
Of course, it's unclear whether the controversy impacted their businesses at all—and it's likely that it didn't. Public figures have done far worse than be affiliated with an organization that's perceived as hateful and divisive, and for Chip and Joanna, the purported controversy simply faded away.
