{"id":300377,"date":"2026-06-08T20:11:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T20:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/300377\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T20:11:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T20:11:27","slug":"first-baptist-orlando-churchgoer-joe-mills-has-died","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/300377\/","title":{"rendered":"First Baptist Orlando churchgoer Joe Mills has died"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Leonardo Blair<\/a>, Senior Reporter Monday, June 08, 2026\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"Twitter\"<\/a>\"SouthernSouthern Baptist churchgoer Joe Mills (L) of Orlando, Florida, says he wed his longtime same-sex partner, Mario (R) on December 4, 2021, to protect their finances. | Facebook\/Joe Mills<\/p>\n

Joe Mills, a Florida business owner and frequent churchgoer at the 14,000-member First Baptist Church Orlando, who caused controversy for the Southern Baptist megachurch by claiming he was a member while he was actively involved in a same-sex relationship, has died. He was 68.<\/p>\n

An obituary published by Sellars Funeral Home<\/a>\u00a0said Mills \u201cpassed away unexpectedly\u201d on April 13.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s family, especially his parents, spent a great deal of time here in Orlando and truly enjoyed their time together. His happiness was always greatest spending time with them and sharing his life that he created here,\u201d the obituary said before highlighting his \u201cmembership\u201d at First Baptist Orlando.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe also found joy and true happiness in his work with the First Baptist Church of Orlando. What began as membership grew into a partnership offering his time and endless energy to promote outreach, holding Bible study groups, and participating in numerous events,\u201d the obituary said. \u201cHe was well regarded and recognized for his good work by the church. He found great peace being part of something that both he and family held in their hearts and gave him strength to endure the struggles of so many.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DannyDanny De Armas (R), senior associate pastor at First Baptist Orlando baptizes Joe Mills (L). Behind Mills is Chris Bacon, a youth minister at First Baptist Orlando. | Facebook\/Joe Mills<\/p>\n

Mills, who wed his longtime same-sex partner, Mario, on Dec. 4, 2021, told The Christian Post<\/a> in 2023 that even though he regularly attended First Baptist Orlando and paid his tithes every week, he was never given membership at the church despite publicly stating he was a church member on social media.<\/p>\n

His claims sparked criticism from some Southern Baptists, like Casey Butner, senior pastor of Beulah Baptist Church\u00a0in Winter Garden, Florida, who has long been a critic of what he sees as a doctrinal slide in the SBC over the last decade. Butner questioned the veracity of Mills\u2019 statement that he was never a member at First Orlando.<\/p>\n

\u201cBasically, Joe Mills was a member [of First Orlando], and they removed his membership [when the questions started]. What do you consider as a member for churches? One [who] is obviously adhering to the doctrinal statement of the church and then participating, serving, then giving in every way,\u201d Butner told CP. \u201cJoe may not [currently] be officially on paper as a member, because he doesn’t agree with the Southern Baptist doctrine of marriage, but he certainly is doing and participating in every way at First Baptist Church as a fully blown member would be afforded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mills, who told CP he was raised Southern Baptist and had been baptized as a youth in Tennessee at a church in the nation\u2019s largest Protestant denomination, made it clear that he did not agree with the SBC\u2019s stance on barring practicing homosexuals from membership in the denomination. He also actively promoted affirming churches.<\/p>\n

In a post<\/a> on the Facebook page of a Bible study he ran called The Gospel Gathering, he praised Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Georgia, which was disfellowshipped in 2021<\/a> for affirming homosexuality.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a church that was affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, but they are no longer invited to be part of that denomination because they have said that they accept gay men and women into their church as full members of the body of Christ, so we\u2019re very proud of them and the work that they are doing,\u201d Mills said.<\/a><\/p>\n

First Baptist Orlando was one of three organizations he encouraged mourners to make donations instead of flowers for his memorial service.<\/p>\n

Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com<\/a> Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair<\/a> Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: LeoBlairChristianPost<\/a><\/p>\n