Police in Franklin Tennessee eject “prayer group” from Pride Festival

According to Fox 17 WZTV news, during a permitted “pride festival” at a public park, a “prayer group” was asked to leave. The police responded and escorted them out of the park.

I did not know about this event until I read this article. Nor do I know the people in this “prayer group,” or their doctrine or ecclesiology. And so I will address only a few of many observations. 

Most of America’s evangelism has become man-centered, pragmatic, and unbiblical. That is why I am a huge fan of Biblical evangelism. Which would include the local Church sending their congregations out into the world to preach (and share) His glorious Law & Gospel.

Though prayer is important, prayer alone is not evangelism, and you could accomplish just as much staying home to pray. An outreach without the Gospel reminds me of Roman Catholicism, a religion minus the Gospel. But even these men’s prayers were watered down.

According to the WZTV video Brian Russel prayed, “We know that we all mess up and we all make mistakes but when you start pushing things and agreeing and accepting what’s going on, then that becomes an issue.”

Russell tones down Biblical language by calling homosexuality and sodomy messing up, or making mistakes. No, Russell, those sins they pridefully boast about, are egregious transgressions and sins against a Holy Just God. And the wrath of God abides upon them. Furthermore, their homosexuality was intolerable and unacceptable even before they began “pushing” it in our faces as they do.

Years back I made this video counter-teaching the trend of Evangellyfish normalizing or equalizing homosexuality (or sexual immorality) to all other sins. The lost world needs to hear how awful and serious their sins are, as well as their “pride month.” Or, as I recently posted on social media,

“Gay pride month” is a blasphemous offense to God. God’s Noahic Covenant (the rainbow) is God’s reminder to us all, that He will never again destroy earth with a flood. But, when a sinister people group pridefully flaunts and misuses God’s rainbow, it should be a two-fold reminder that God will again judge & destroy the earth, most likely with fire. Pride month is also a reminder that God hates them and their pride, it angers Him as they store up wrath for that Day of Judgment. Tell that to any person, people group, or company that commits this crime and treason against a Holy Just God (Gen 9, Psalm 5:4-5; 7:11, Prov 6:12-19, Rom 2:5-13).”

Then according to the same video, Franklin Pride President Clayton Klutts said, “No one was asked to leave for praying. Anyone we asked to leave, was being disruptive, or making people feel unwelcome.”

When a female pride event coordinator accused the prayer group of not being there in support of their pride event, according to Brian Russell’s own words, Russell responded “Who’s not in support of pride?” 

Russell, the right answer would have been “I’m not in support of your sin and pride festival.”

Again, according to Brian Russell and Jeremy Slayden, their objective was to “pray.” I too pray at events, but at an event like this, since most of them would most likely refuse a Gospel tract, it should include imprecatory prayers and an auditory proclamation of the Law and Gospel. 

Again, prayer without the Gospel is not evangelism. And whether our evangelism is auditory or via tracts, God’s Word will never return void, and the Gospel is the power of God onto salvation.

Lastly, regarding the police response. Over the years I have had the police respond to many venues that I preached at. And at times I’ve had to wear those stainless-steel bracelets. But when the police respond, God decreed them to be there too. And the police become a part of your target audience to share the Gospel with. The Lawman needs to hear (or read) the Law and Gospel too. 

I will not publish all of my police encounters. But in this link, I provided a compilation of some encounters. By God’s grace, because He gave me a Biblical hermeneutics and understanding of Romans 13, I usually disobeyed them and pressed on. 

Having said that. Though I pray always. I’ve erred falling on my sword many times. It’s not always easy, sometimes it’s dangerous. But at least I failed trying to herald His convicting Law and glorious Gospel. 

The attorney for the prayer group Ben Raybin said, “If the group used a bullhorn, yelled, or threatened anyone that would be disruptive.”

Biblical preaching is “disruptive.” Those homosexuals committing their abominable and detestable acts need to hear a Biblical presentation of the Law & Gospel that will disrupt their lives, rather than make them feel comfortable on the way to hell. Therefore, amplification thru a “bullhorn” as he calls it, would be necessary. 

And so what’s the solution to this problem? As we obey the hapax legomenon, to earnestly contend for the faith, we must also contend for Biblical evangelism. 

What America needs to make America great again is not another pro-homosexual Republican in the White House. We need more churches and their men to be Biblically masculine and militant again. We need to be like the bold men in the Book of Acts, who were willing to be jailed for the cause of Christ like this most recent arrest in Reading Pennsylvania; And even die for the cause of Christ, and the furtherance of His glorious Gospel. Lord, bring up more of those men.

Only by the grace of God, so goes this sinner.