FA+
Shop
Gay Christian Rocker Trey Pearson Axed From Joshua Fest...
9 years ago
General
(Jarrell here, currently on vacation in OBX N.Carolina. Sorry for the lack of commentary--have not yet had my vitrectomy which is now scheduled for October 7th, which when complete will mean much better sight out of my close-up eye for the impossibly small text on FA.)
~ ~ ~
Trey Pearson, the lead singer of alternative rock band Everyday Sunday and a formerly married father who came out to the world as gay in May, was axed from the lineup of a major Christian festival after several members of the event's production crew threatened a walk out if he was included.
The festival, called Joshua Fest, is an annual three-day event in Northern California described as a nonprofit "family friendly Christian music festival" that ministers to "young families and teens."
"We have something for everyone. From music that ranges from worship to hard core, to heartfelt workshops and open forum discussions about faith, pain, and hope. To workshops designed to strengthen your marriage," it explains.
Since 2003, Joshua Fest says it has hosted hundreds of faith-based bands like Tenth Avenue North, Family Force 5, Building 429, and for King & Country, among others.
Almost every year for the last decade, according to Billboard which first reported on Pearson's dumping, the gay singer had performed at Joshua Fest.
Since Pearson's coming out announcement he has been advocating for the LGBT community.
Shortly after announcing he was gay, Pearson went on ABC's "The View" and declared that he still considered himself a Christian.
"Yeah, I feel like I'm more in love with Jesus and the Scriptures than ever. As I've progressed in my faith and as I've experienced this grace, this restoration, being able to embrace truth without being scared," he told the show's hosts.
Pearson and his band also headlined the Columbus Gay Pride Parade in Ohio in June.
When asked on "The View" how the church was reacting to his new lifestyle, Pearson said he was pushing to change the church's position on homosexuality.
"There are all kinds of wonderful people in the church. It's changing right now. We've had to go through a lot of things, you know. There's times where we've had to go through what it's like for women's rights. What it's like for black people's rights, for minorities' rights. This happens to be a pressing issue of our time but it is changing and I want to see our church change," he said.
"I want to see my denomination change. I want to see people to be willing to have the conversation in an open way where we're willing to listen to people's stories, and that's why I think it's so important to tell because there are millions of people going through what I am going through right now," he added.
And it was this advocacy that reportedly made some Christians uncomfortable with Pearson performing at Joshua Fest.
Just weeks before Joshua Fest was set to start over the Labor Day weekend, Pearson, who was still among the headline acts to perform, said on social media that he was about to make history.
"I am overwhelmed, and honored, to announce that I will be the FIRST OPENLY GAY ARTIST TO EVER PLAY A MAJOR CHRISTIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL!!! I will be playing main stage on Sunday evening at JoshuaFest, in Quincy, California. Joshua Fest happens Labor Day weekend, and I will be there with Skillet, Switchfoot, Relient K, Crowder Music, NF, Five Iron Frenzy and more!" he declared.
Two days after making the announcement, Pearson told RNS that he was humbled that Joshua Fest would still allow him to perform.
"I feel so humbled, honored, and excited to be a part of seeing the world change," he said.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/g.....lk-out-169536/
~ ~ ~
Trey Pearson, the lead singer of alternative rock band Everyday Sunday and a formerly married father who came out to the world as gay in May, was axed from the lineup of a major Christian festival after several members of the event's production crew threatened a walk out if he was included.
The festival, called Joshua Fest, is an annual three-day event in Northern California described as a nonprofit "family friendly Christian music festival" that ministers to "young families and teens."
"We have something for everyone. From music that ranges from worship to hard core, to heartfelt workshops and open forum discussions about faith, pain, and hope. To workshops designed to strengthen your marriage," it explains.
Since 2003, Joshua Fest says it has hosted hundreds of faith-based bands like Tenth Avenue North, Family Force 5, Building 429, and for King & Country, among others.
Almost every year for the last decade, according to Billboard which first reported on Pearson's dumping, the gay singer had performed at Joshua Fest.
Since Pearson's coming out announcement he has been advocating for the LGBT community.
Shortly after announcing he was gay, Pearson went on ABC's "The View" and declared that he still considered himself a Christian.
"Yeah, I feel like I'm more in love with Jesus and the Scriptures than ever. As I've progressed in my faith and as I've experienced this grace, this restoration, being able to embrace truth without being scared," he told the show's hosts.
Pearson and his band also headlined the Columbus Gay Pride Parade in Ohio in June.
When asked on "The View" how the church was reacting to his new lifestyle, Pearson said he was pushing to change the church's position on homosexuality.
"There are all kinds of wonderful people in the church. It's changing right now. We've had to go through a lot of things, you know. There's times where we've had to go through what it's like for women's rights. What it's like for black people's rights, for minorities' rights. This happens to be a pressing issue of our time but it is changing and I want to see our church change," he said.
"I want to see my denomination change. I want to see people to be willing to have the conversation in an open way where we're willing to listen to people's stories, and that's why I think it's so important to tell because there are millions of people going through what I am going through right now," he added.
And it was this advocacy that reportedly made some Christians uncomfortable with Pearson performing at Joshua Fest.
Just weeks before Joshua Fest was set to start over the Labor Day weekend, Pearson, who was still among the headline acts to perform, said on social media that he was about to make history.
"I am overwhelmed, and honored, to announce that I will be the FIRST OPENLY GAY ARTIST TO EVER PLAY A MAJOR CHRISTIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL!!! I will be playing main stage on Sunday evening at JoshuaFest, in Quincy, California. Joshua Fest happens Labor Day weekend, and I will be there with Skillet, Switchfoot, Relient K, Crowder Music, NF, Five Iron Frenzy and more!" he declared.
Two days after making the announcement, Pearson told RNS that he was humbled that Joshua Fest would still allow him to perform.
"I feel so humbled, honored, and excited to be a part of seeing the world change," he said.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/g.....lk-out-169536/
Cloudchaser
∞cloudchaser
Hypocrites, as if they themselves have perfect sinless lives
JarrellWoods
~jarrellwoods
I think most of them would say there's a difference between imperfections we all have, and 'willful sins' like in their view homosexuality. As long as we're struggling with sin and not giving in like Trey did, then he'd at least be where God could minister to him. I'm paraphrasing of course, but that's usually the line of thinking. Never questioning of course that their view of acting on non-heterosexual orientation might be wrong.
Cloudchaser
∞cloudchaser
They likely engage in willful sins themselves. Even Paul in the New Testament wrote of some unspecified thing about which he said he knows it's wrong and he does it anyway
threetails
~threetails
Being a trans altar girl for a gay bishop, I find these stories a disturbing reminder of what I left behind when I started my journey years ago.
JarrellWoods
~jarrellwoods
I sincerely hope there was nothing triggering here for you. It's wonderful you found the place for you.
No, it's just... I do worry that when this kid of attitude is what most people see under the "Christian" heading, we'll all suffer for it. The politicians and intelligence personnel who wanted Evangelical Christianity to be a bulwark against social change in the 1970s-2000s have done incalculable damage that will have a ripple effect to denominations that weren't caught up in that.
JarrellWoods
~jarrellwoods
That's true. There's been a lot of lumping together which is unfair. There is an article Vin shared with me on Twitter a few days ago that speaks of the early support for LGBT among even mainstream denominations. I highly recommend it: http://www.christiancentury.org/rev.....rachelle-white
