Gay Supporter Criticizes Our Evangelism at Pride Parade

Jun 11, 2013Steve Sanchez11 CommentsBIG Events, Gay community, Salt

Here’s a different perspective from a gay supporter’s blog who took issue with our team’s style of evangelism at last Sunday’s Pride Parade. It’s an interesting read. Here’s a sample:

“It is Gay Pride season. Just as predictable as the rainbow flags and great music are the street preachers and condemnation. Some of these street evangelists present a “softer” approach; they are not bullhorn carrying or “sodomite” screaming. They arrive with smiles and slick tracts and smooth “Hey guy, I love ya” banter, but they too are destructive.
“For a concrete example of the smiling, you-must-stop-being gay example of street preacher, I am going to use Pastor Steve Sanchez, Hope Chapel Christian Church, LA. He attended West Hollywood (WeHo) Pride yesterday.
“I have offered to give him insights and reasons why the actions of his team are damaging, and he is not hearing.” Read the rest here and let me know what you think.

Comments (11)

Scott deBeaubien
June 11, 2013
Reply
Left her some comments. I reminded her that what we are doing is preaching repentance – to all – not just to gay people. Our message is the same no matter the target audience. I don’t think she gets that. She’s of the opinion that having openly gay people in the Church is a good thing. I assured her that Jesus would give them the same advice He gave the woman caught in adultery: “Go, and sin no more.” It’s the same for all of us.
We are called to a higher standard, it’s called “Holiness.” None of us Christians does it perfectly, I assured her, but it’s the standard all the same. God enables us to keep on striving for that goal, no matter how many times we stumble along the way. Seeking to justify a “Lifestyle” contrary to God’s standards with the Bible by cherry-picking verses is sin I told her. In fact, I told her plain and simple that sin is anytime I think I know better how to live my life than God does. That is just our sin nature speaking, and we have to learn to shut off that voice and to hear Jesus call to radical holiness instead.
These poor people are so lost and so deceived, they think it’s still about them. That’s the bottom line for me: When I surrendered my life to Christ, I gave it ALL to Him, not just some.
Steve L.
June 11, 2013
Reply
I took some time to read “THE TRAIL TO UNDERSTANDING” on the Canyonwalkers Connections blog!
It’s no surprise to me why so many “so called Christians” are not really Christians at all! Am I being too judge mental? I think not! Jesus said “if you love me you’ll keep my commandments” and as I see it, the only way you can keep His commandments is to know His word… and that means reading it! A non Christian can read the bible till the cows come home and it will mean absolutely nothing! Only a true believer can “ingest” the word so true change can come about.
There is no such thing as a “gay Christian;” it’s a contradiction in terms! 1Cor. 6:9-10 is emphatic proclaiming, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (nasb) If you don’t inherit the kingdom there is only one place left!
It’s my prayer that everyone of these people will here the true gospel that we street preachers share in love, repent and turn to Christ who is the only way out of any sinful lifestyle!
- kathy baldock
  June 11, 2013
  Reply
  soooo …. you think I am not a Christian. My Spirit says yes, my testimony says yes, my fruits say yes, those around me say yes– so, I will go with all that evidence and take your prayers.
  - Steve L.
    June 12, 2013
    
    Kathy wrote:
    “soooo …. you think I am not a Christian. My Spirit says yes, my testimony says yes, my fruits say yes, those around me say yes– so, I will go with all that evidence” – (Please see Romans 3:20!)
    Kathy, what does the Bible say; ultimately… that’s what matters – nothing else!
    Let me continue by saying I love street evangelism as it gives me an opportunity to preach the good news to all I come in contact with. I always aim to show kindness above all (1 Peter 3:15) to anyone I speak with but there comes a time in the conversation when the gospel must be preached; the bad news first & then the good news! They must realize that true biblical repentance is mandatory for salvation!
    If I knew a person who stole cars for a living I wouldn’t say to him, “you need to stop stealing cars so you can become a Christian”… No! First and foremost I’d explain how they have broken God’s commandments from the earliest age and show him or her that they are guilty in His sight. Same with a person that is gay! I would never major on that unless they brought it up first. They have broken God’s holy law long before they had any notion of being gay or lesbian. David writes in Psalm 51:5, “Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me” and that’s the way it is with all of us! We must admit to our sin as laid out before us in the bible!
    Kathy, I appreciate your zeal for kindness and love, but may we always embrace truth above all else as a clear view of scripture is critical to understanding true repentance and biblical love!
    God bless you in the days ahead,
    Steve L.
- Steve Sanchez
  June 12, 2013
  Reply
  I didn’t choose to be an adulterer or a liar, but I changed with the power of the Holy Spirit when I trusted Christ and repented. Does not matter to me whether one is “born” gay or chooses the lifestyle. Unless one is born again, one cannot see the kingdom of God.
- Steve Sanchez
  June 12, 2013
  Reply
  Call me ignorant and the Word of God true.
Mark
June 11, 2013
Reply
Kathy is called and anointed of God, and it is blasphemous for you to suggest she is not saved simply because her theology is different than yours.
You are both so arrogant that you will not even consider that your interpretation of the Bible could be mistaken (the Bible is infallible, but how you understand it is absolutely not).
Furthermore, violence is “the crossing of a boundary, without permission, with the intent to control or harm,” which is exactly what you are doing under the guise of evangelism. VIOLENCE.
No where in the scripture will you find an example of Jesus trying to force someone to change, or invading their space to convince them they needed to change. Be very careful how you conduct yourselves when you hold yourself out as a “pastor” or “ministry,” because you will be held to account for your actions by God, and He is sending you a rebuke and warning through His prophets. Govern yourself accordingly.
- Steve Sanchez
  June 12, 2013
  Reply
  Good advice. I will certainly watch myself and continue to be gracious as I speak the truth in love to those who are perishing. You may want to reread the Sermon on the Mount.
Bike Bubba
June 12, 2013
Reply
Notice that all he does is to assert that rejecting a particular behavior is not loving. He provides no evidence for why this would be the case. Classic liberal theology, really. Say it’s not loving and wait for the guilt trip to start. Sadly, I see it sometimes in evangelical circles.
How to respond? Prayer first, as the comments make clear that hearts are hardened, and many will work overtime to talk their way around the clear meaninhg of the Scriptures.
Second, since even most theological liberals claim to revere Christ, maybe one leads with examples from the Gospels where our Lord wasn’t exactly easy on certain behaviors. Just ask tax collectors, moneychangers, Pharisees, and Sadducees, not to mention the woman at the well. Biblically, “love” sometimes means being called a “whitewashed sepulchre” or a whip. It’s not all soft voices and affirmation.
TommyWou
June 17, 2013
Reply
To any closeted LGBT folks out there:
There is nothing wrong with your sexuality, any shame you feel is just a cultural thing, you can let it go and be loved for who you are.
- Steve Sanchez
  June 17, 2013
  Reply
  Yes, you can be loved for who you are as long as you live in this world, and given the current climate in our country, yes, you will not feel much shame in this liberalized culture that has rejected God.
  But, if you want to be loved by God and forgiven of your sins, like the sin of lying (if you’ve ever done that, then you are a liar), or stealing (ever done that?) or misused God’s name which is blasphemy, or looked with lust which Jesus calls adultery, if you’ve sinned even one time, including the sin of homosexuality, then you will be found guilty and end up in Hell. And yes, homosexuality is a sin no matter what you or any advocate may say.
  But God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ, suffered and died for all your sins, was buried for three days and rose again. If you, Tommy Wou, or any other person reading this puts your trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross and turn away from your sin, including the homosexuality that you condone, then God will forgive you.
  While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
  Please Tommy, consider this. Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them. Please reply back.