Proclaimers were curious as to whether the newly elected mayor would appear in the Gay Pride Parade.  We had watched and winced each year as former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller led off the parade giving her official seal of approval to a sexual perversion largely responsible for 25 million AID's deaths world-wide.

May 2007, Dallas voters rejected openly gay mayoral candidate, Ed Oakley, in favor of a virtual outsider,  Southern Baptist businessman Tom Leppert.  We hoped Mr. Leppert would have the strength of his convictions and would refuse to participate in the parade.  But, it was not to be.  As Dallas' gay and lesbian newspaper, Dallas Voice, www.dallasvoice.com put it, "Mayor Leppert walks the walk."  Needless to say, it's not the Christian walk they're talking about.  Mayor Leppert walks the politician's walk of compromise.  In his case, compromise with evil.

Sadly, every year more and more so called "churches" march in the parade, claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ while gleefully proclaiming to practice and approve of something God says is an abomination (Lev. 18.22).  Indeed the prevailing argument from those in the parade and those attending it was that God is OK with homosexuality.  In fact, because God is love, God would never tell a homosexual that he is wrong.  This they call "discrimination" or "hate."  Led by deceiving pastors (wolves in sheep's clothing), these congregations of Satan continue to lead people astray into a devastating lifestyle of lust, pride, and lawlessness.  
 
Northaven's slogan was also on their float in the parade, "We believe in the separation of church and hate."  The idea that calling homosexuality a sin is a form of hate continues to grow.  Sadly, this leaves sinners in bondage, living in darkness and spiritual death, headed for an eternity of separation from God.  True love confronts the sinner in the hopes that that sinner will turn in desperation to Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  True hatred would be to leave a sinner in his sin, while knowing that there was a way out!

As Christians we know that God's Word condemns the practice of homosexuality (Lev. 18:22).  We know that men and women who continue to practice such sin will not inherit the Kingdom of God (I Cor. 6:9).  Fortunately, however, God has provided a way out of sin for all who would come in repentance and faith to His Son, Jesus Christ (Rom 3:23-25).  This is the message of hope that we carried to the parade on Sunday – the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The book of I John is clear "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.  You know that He appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.  No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him – chapter 3:4-6."  The fact that God has declared homosexuality to be sin prevents ANYBODY from thinking that it is OK to continue in that lifestyle. 

Though the reaction from most was either cool indifference or radical disgust, those ministering were able to connect on a personal basis with a number of parade-goers.  One testimony shared was a young man who had been struggling against the urge to indulge in homosexuality.  He then started attending the Metropolitan Community Church which teaches that it is OK in God's sight to be gay (they also marched in the parade).  Through our conversation with him, however, it appeared as thought the Holy Spirit was dealing with his heart.  God used us to quicken his deceived conscience to the truth that homosexuality is sin.  We pray the Word he received will truly reap a harvest of genuine faith and repentance.