The president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says his denomination needs to repent from a form of homophobia that has condemned gays instead of embracing them as fellow sinners.

The Rev. Albert Mohler told his fellow Southern Baptists at their annual meeting being held this week in Phoenix that they've only been half right about homosexuality.

Mohler said they've been right to insist that the Bible calls it sin but wrong to say it's just a choice that people can "turn on and turn off."

"Only the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ gives a homosexual person any hope of release from homosexuality," he said.

Mohler's comments came after a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups called on the Southern Baptist Convention to apologize for the harm its teachings have caused the LGBT community.

A petition with more than 10,000 signatures was delivered to the SBC at their annual meeting on Wednesday.