By Kayla DeKraker
Revivalist Ross Johnston recently spoke out about discrimination against Christians, sharing how he was denied a permit to hold an event in LA while a pride festival received one.
“The city does not want to give us a permit,” he told CBN News. “Now honestly, we were kind of a little — we’re a little shocked, a little taken back. But here’s what really was a challenge, even a bit of a frustration where we knew we had to stand is we found out that the following weekend after our event, they had given a permit to the Pride Festival, the LGBTQ community.”
Johnston explained that the city’s action goes against our rights as Americans.
“As Christians, as Americans, we believe in the First Amendment right for all. However they denied our permit and so we’re sitting back going ‘Wait a minute here, if one community can share their thoughts their beliefs and celebrate, then why can’t we as the church?” he reflected.
But instead of taking their anger out on the people who made the decision, they followed Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek. They served the community by helping direct traffic.
“Yesterday we showed up at Hollywood Boulevard…before the main event, we marched down Hollywood Boulevard, and as soon as we reached the certain intersection that we were looking for,” he explained, “we started directing traffic and then we made sure all the cars got out, that nobody got injured.”
Johnston knows firsthand the transformative power of Christ.
“I was born by artificial insemination; I grew up in a lesbian household with two moms and had never been to church my entire life,” he explained.
On his website, he shared, “At 15 years old he was invited to church where he encountered the Holy Spirit and presence of God for the first time in his life. He then surrendered his life to Jesus and became born again during that time.”
“So, when I encountered Jesus, I didn’t encounter a building, I wasn’t encountering just a religion, I encountered the man. So, number one I want every person to encounter the real authentic Jesus the real God.”
Regarding the discrimination his group faced, Johnston has legal teams involved and will fight for justice so Christians can continue to share about Jesus.
“Every person who is an American citizen has the right legally to actually express the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion,” he said. “So, if one group or one person is allowed that but not another that is clear discrimination.”
He concluded, “When have you ever seen the church with such boldness, such courage, such belief that if God is for, us who can stand against [us]?” referring to Romans 8:31, which says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Johnston’s story is a reminder to stand up for our faith during these dark times. By proclaiming Jesus, we share the hope that gives other people the freedom to do the same.
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