Tet, Offensive? Gays in the Parade

A reporter from the OC Weekly  asked me what I thought about the coalition of Vietnamese gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups that marched for the very first time in the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) Parade. My answer may have  surprised her: “They have a right to march in this parade like any other group; it makes no difference to me, really. We’re not here to protest; we didn’t come to this neighborhood to make a political statement. We came to share the good news with all lost people, and that includes the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups in this parade.”

The reporter was taken aback.

“You see,” I continued, “we love gay people. We’re not out here to yell and angrily point our fingers. We want them to know that they have broken God’s Law, His 10 Commandments, and that they need to repent and trust in Jesus to be saved. They’re no different than the rest of the people out here who don’t know the Lord.”

The reporter had another question. “What do think about the area’s church’s decision to withdraw their participation in the parade?”

It was now my turn to be surprised. I thought about her question and realized that indeed, there were no churches marching in the parade. “That’s ridiculous,” I answered. “The Christian churches should be out here. We’re called to be salt and light in the community and it’s absolutely astounding to me that they would withdraw because of the gay groups.”

So the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups won the day. All they had to do was make their presence known and the Christians go running. As an alternative to retreating, the church could have devised a strategy, like doubling or tripling their presence. That way, people would remember this parade as the day that so many Christian churches participated. Instead, it will forever be known as the day the gays marched for the first time in Westminster.

Sin wins.

Yet God did not leave Himself without a witness. From eternity past, He knew the Organized Church would wimp out and run from this opportunity to be a witness for the Risen Lord with their tails between their legs.

In His infinite wisdom, He also ordained that a ragtag little evangelism team of seventeen adults to be there—for the very first time— smiling and friendly, holding an old rugged cross and ready to tell of the fact that Christ died for homosexuals, too.

(Note: 12,000 Gospel tracts were handed out
to an estimated 10,000 parade-goers.)

Click here to see some big time dignitaries get the Gospel hand delivered to them. I’m talking Congressmen and the like.

Comments (15)

  1. adelmo (elmo)

    Reply

    i see the same thing happening here in brazil!
    we the parade for JESUS on the same street the gays and the lesbians and others have theirs though different day in a city called curitiba.
    i have never heard of one day the CHRISTIANS going out to WITNESS TO THEM!
    WE NEED A REAL REVIVAL!
    WE NEED A REAL RE- BIBLE!
    as jason bellard sings!

  2. Reply

    I posted this blog on my facebook. Hope you get some increase in traffic from it. I enjoyed the blog and pray some of those in the parade and watchers repent and put their faith in Jesus.

  3. ExPatMatt

    Reply

    It is refreshingly non-hypocritical of you to take this position, Steve.

    I would have thought that all Christians would recognize that all non-Christians are all in just as much trouble (re: sin) as each other and their particular sins of choice/nature are unimportant.

    Why do you think so few Christians recognize this, and actively target homosexuals (as oppose to, say, divorcees or straight adulterers)?

    Regards,

  4. dede

    Reply

    expatmatt…
    Why do you think so few Christians recognize this, and actively target homosexuals (as oppose to, say, divorcees or straight adulterers)?

    because of…

    1. hypocracy
    2. ignorance
    3. fear

    …just to name a few. : (

  5. Reply

    Wow, great answer to that reporter, Steve. It was a good thing that she picked you to ask the question of because you reflected true, biblical Christianity. Glory to God in the highest.

  6. Reply

    ExPatMatt: I didnt hear about a group of divorcees or straight adulterers band as a group and join in the parade. The homosexual community in this area decided to express their lifestyle openly in the parade, so the E-vanggie Team decided to also band together and express their love relationship with Jesus.

    Here is an icebreaker to help us understand the only time it is ok to love another man is when it is Jesus.
    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3rwae_brokeback-mountain-christian-editio_fun

  7. Reynold

    Reply

    Uh, “infinite wisdom”?

    He knew the Organized Church would wimp out and run from this opportunity to be a witness for the Risen Lord with their tails between their legs.

    In His infinite wisdom, He also ordained that a ragtag little evangelism team of seventeen adults to be there—for the very first time— smiling and friendly, holding an old rugged cross and ready to tell of the fact that Christ died for homosexuals, too.

    Right…so he knew what would happen in this parade so the fact that some religious people show up (as they inevitably do at these things) it somehow becomes evidence of your god’s “infinite wisdom”.

    The actions of people are used as evidence of your god’s existence. Sure.

    Where was your god’s “infinite wisdom” when he tossed the rebellious angels onto earth where “God” knew that they’d succeed in tempting humans, instead of tossing them all in hell right off the bat?

    That way, if humans sinned, it would be attributable just to humans, no outside forces at work on them. Many more people would have been saved.

  8. Tom Nance-Ulrich

    Reply

    Great answers Steve. So appreciate your consistency. Praying that many more will follow suit, and actually follow Jesus, loving people by sharing the Law & Gospel.

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