Today in Christian love….
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 music 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.
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!!!
Shortly after that after a decade of performing at the Festival they removed him and his band from the line-up.
Joshua Fest owner Aaron Diello would later tell Billboard that many of the show’s production crew were opposed to Pearson’s inclusion in the lineup of performers.
“The information about the stage crew came from our production manager,” Diello said. “There was a team of about 14, and he said that about 11 were going to back out. He was trying to get them to change their minds, but it really put our back against the wall. This was just under two weeks out from the event. All of our staff are volunteers, and none of us are paid.
“When it comes to production, we have a production manager who is given a shoestring budget. And the fact that this team works the event for cost really put us in a bind to find a knowledgeable team that was available, let alone affordable. The event is Labor Day weekend, so you can imagine how hard it would have been to find a team that was experienced and available.”
Five Iron Frenzy, a ska-punk band whose drummer Andrew Verdecchio is atheist were deemed “acceptable” by the stagehands to play.
Diello called the members of the production crew who threatened to walk out “a group of guys that are stagehands at many of Northern California’s Christian concerts. They’ve been really good to us over the years, and I’m not going to call them haters. They’re good guys that need more Jesus.”
Right.
Matt 6:5
New Living Translation
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.
As Christians I believe it is our responsibility to emulate Christ. I question 13 deciding for the entire event staff, deciding who can perform. I certainly am one for living your conviction, but like Matt 6:5 explains, as Christians we are to respect the judgement and decisions of others or bow out graciously. Do the 13 have plans to meet with the artist and explain how their hearts are closed to any belief that one can be gay and a Christian? Are they praying for wisdom from God on the subject or considering that something so personal is beyond their understanding? They are not the artist, they can’t judge the decision he had to make to be honest with himself and the world. Americans have a habit of telling others exactly how others should live their lives. Here’s one from me, the 13 should bow out after the event so there is plenty of time to replace them from such powerful positions. They certainly should not be expected to participate when so many may not share their beliefs.
Gays dont like him either-he ruined a woman’s life by marrying her, KNOWING he was gay. Then he bred and ruined his children’s lives too-shameful-get thee out!!!
Presuming this is true (I don’t know because I’ve never heard of the guy before now), this would suggest that he could actually be bisexual. Not necessarily, just possibly.
But your comment ignores the fact that you don’t have clue one as to why he married someone. I’m pretty sure, though, that he didn’t say to himself, “Hey! Why don’t I louse up some woman’s life, and mess up any kids we have together?!” There’s a greater likelihood that he married so that he could avoid the ugly jugementalism of his family and friends in the Christian community.
So you think that his wife’s life and his children’s lives were ruined because he ended up gay? Did you read that somewhere? I would like to see something on this…
It’s a shame that the organizers of this shindig, didn’t say to the folks who threatened to walk out, “Okay, there’s the door. But Jesus loves you anyway.”
What an opportunity to show how God really provides all their needs. I would think that if God wanted this event to go on, He’d surely have provided the techies they needed to do the work. And the show would have gone on.