A popular Christian author had her books withdrawn from LifeWay shops on Thursday after she announced her support of gay rights.

The chain of stores announced on Thursday they would pull all books by Jen Hatmaker after she said LGBT couples were "our brothers and sisters in Christ".

"In a recent interview, [Hatmaker] voiced significant changes in her theology of human sexuality and the meaning and definition of marriage – changes which contradict LifeWay's doctrinal guidelines," LifeWay spokesman Marty King told Baptist Press on Thursday.

"As a result, LifeWay has discontinued selling her resources."

Hatmaker has previously said the biblical pattern of one man and one woman is God's plan for families.

But in an interview with Religion News Service on Tuesday Hatmaker said "any two adults have the right to choose who they want to love". She went on to say gay couples should have the "same legal protections as any of us".

She added: "From a spiritual perspective, since gay marriage is legal in all 50 states, our communities have plenty of gay couples who, just like the rest of us, need marriage support and parenting help and Christian community. They are either going to find those resources in the church or they are not.

"Not only are these our neighbours and friends, but they are brothers and sisters in Christ. They are adopted into the same family as the rest of us, and the church hasn't treated the LGBT community like family. We have to do better."

When asked whether she would attend a gay wedding said there was "an easy answer" to that question.

"I would attend that wedding with gladness, and I would drink champagne. I want the very best for my gay friends. I want love and happiness and faithfulness and commitment and community."

If one of her five children was gay Hatmaker had the "same standard across the board". She said: "We want for all of our kids the same thing: faithful, committed marriage and a beautiful family that is committed to God and the church."

She went on to say she thought LGBT relationships can be holy.

LifeWay has now banned books from a number of their former authors including Joel Osteen, William P. Young and Joyce Meyer but it denied having a "blacklist".