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Join us Friday, March 1 on our First Friday Prayer Conference Call to pray with Hollywood prayer leaders about the influence that the entertainment industry has in our culture.

Christians in Hollywood have come under attack in recent days for attending churches that hold to a biblical view of sexuality, and one conservative commentator is calling it the “height of intolerance.”

The Washington Post ran a column by Drew Goins Feb. 19 criticizing actor Chris Pratt for attending a Los Angeles congregation, Zoe Church, that Goins said doesn’t fully affirm LGBTQ beliefs. Goins also found fault with Justin Bieber, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez for attending Hillsong Church. CNN, too, posted a similar column.

“It takes digging to unearth that these churches are as inhospitable to queer Christians as less-hip congregations,” Goins wrote. “… This obfuscation is a win-win deal for Hollywood’s conservative Christians and the churches that give their patron stars plausible deniability. The celebrities get a place to worship and still seem woke, and Hillsong and its fellow churches get to raise their profiles.

“Unsuspecting LGBTQ worshipers, on the other hand, get nothing but the eventual shock that they’re surrounded by people who quietly condemn their identity,” Goins wrote.…

“If the church does not affirm LGBTQ people, he has three options as an ally: Leave his church and join one that actually affirms LGBTQ people … stay and publicly voice his belief in a need to affirm LGBTQ Christians in his church or stop portraying himself as an LGBTQ ally,” Graves-Fitzsimmons wrote.

Both churches try to stay out of the political and cultural spotlight, although they nevertheless hold to traditional Christian teachings.

The controversy over Pratt and his church started when actress Ellen Page, a lesbian, tweeted that Pratt attended an “infamously anti-LGBTQ” church.

Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too? https://t.co/meg8m69FeF

— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 8, 2019

Pratt responded on Instagram, “Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone.”

Chris Pratt just posted this on his instagram story addressing his church. pic.twitter.com/eiEg4ICnXi

— uncle jen (@tardypartypeter) February 11, 2019

The back and forth led Hillsong to release a statement. Pratt’s congregation, Zoe Church, is part of the Hillsong community. The statement said Hillsong is an “inclusive Christian church that loves, values and welcomes all people” and that it “adheres to mainstream biblical values shared by the overwhelming majority of evangelical Christian churches around the world, and millions of Christians across the USA.” …

“One wonders what qualifies people like Goins and Page to authoritatively determine that traditional Christian theology is false, and one also wonders what enables them — or the legions of people who, for example, attacked Karen Pence for teaching at a Christian school — to enjoy the unique privilege of imposing their secular religion on others,” French wrote. “After all, a core (and very basic) tenet of pluralism is the notion that people of diametrically opposed belief systems can live and work side by side so long as they treat each other with dignity and respect.

“I’ve spent my entire career working with people who believe that my religious beliefs are wrong, that my stance on sexual morality is wrong, and that my political judgments are deeply misguided,” French wrote. “Yet even in the case of profound disagreement, it is easy to treat people well. It is easy to treat people fairly.”…

“We cannot exist as a pluralistic and diverse society if the price of admission to any American industry is the abandonment of religious faith to conform to the demands of the intolerant,” French wrote. “If Hollywood ever becomes so radical that it no longer has space even for Hillsong, then Hollywood will stand opposed to the American experiment itself.” (Excerpts from Michael Foust artcicle in ChristianHeadlines.com)

The Informer February 26, 2019 PDF Plain Text Version

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Laura Nguyen
March 1, 2019

Lord, my prayer is for Hollywood, which reminds me of Your Words:
“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” (Revelation 3:1). I pray that the Christians in Hollywood will be like Daniel in Babylon and stand up for the power of Jesus to transform lives and protect people from the entertainment deceptions of Satan.
You can do it, Lord, and I pray that You do it.
“Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:5-6)
Lord, give us writers, actors and producers who use their God-given talents to create entertainment that glorifies You. The Bible has the most powerful stories ever told. Let the tales of Your Glory wake up and inspire people to love and follow you. In the name of Jesus, Who created the world and Who therefore can create anything, Amen.

Phillippia Faust
February 26, 2019

Lord God, in the name of Jesus, we lift up your people and pray your hedge of protection around them. No matter what, may we see you as higher and larger than any accusation or criticism. Lord, we choose you and your word for our lives. We further pray that you will meet those who do not know you at the point of their deepest need. Please open the eyes of their understanding. Lord we pray that they will say yes to you and come to realize that you are the only answer and resolve to every question and every circumstance of life; that you are absolutely God, that you rule and reign over all the affairs of mankind and that’s just the way it is. Amen

    JULIE Hitchens
    February 27, 2019

    Heavenly FatherI agree with this prayer and ask you to fill every Hollywood Christians with your precious Holy Spirit and discernment spirits and wisdom in every area of their life. Wisdom in dealing with every situation and Father give them courage to stand for what righteous before you and open door no man can close give them twice as many doors for every one door close to them for their stand for you in Jesus Christ name.

Betty B WI
February 26, 2019

Father, Only Your Truth will set people free. I pray for strong Christians not to back down when confronted by those who do not believe Your Word. Your Word is mighty & powerful. May it go forth throughout Hollywood to save and to heal all who are lost.
Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for us that we can be set free from sin, sickness, and disease. Amen

Jennifer M Williams
February 26, 2019

Lord Touch the heart of your people. Help us to trust you in everything we do. Help every person who works, lives and plays in Hollywood not to feel inferior to anyone when it comes to choosing to live by the Word of God regarding our moral choices. Lord bring peace to the sistuation but most importantly the Wisdom of God to speak truth as well as with the Love of God… Jesus is our perfect Love and through His Love it cast all fear away…bless every actor/actress for trusting you with their lives.

Tim Leake
February 26, 2019

Wonderful to see Christians standing firm in Gods Love. It’s showing keep it up. Will continue to pray for His Love and Wisdom which His word promises big.

Elle
February 26, 2019

I pray that the Lord will touch the hearts of brothers and sisters in Hollywood and the film industry and continue to encourage them. Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit will speak truth through them and teach them to stand and preach with greater boldness and strength. Please watch over and guide them, Lord, that they would stand firmly in your holy name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rebekah Dorris
February 26, 2019

Similarly, if Hollywood does not affirm truth, an actor has three options as a Christian: Leave Hollywood and support the independent film movement that actually affirms Scripture; stay and publicly voice his belief in a need to affirm absolute truth (i.e. Jesus Christ); or stop portraying himself as a believer of the gospel.

Whew. And the same applies to all of us. How we need grace! “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” <3

david A burgher
February 26, 2019

Matthew 25 is a drastic portrait of a separation between the sheep and the goats. Jesus came with a sword of His Spirit for He called us not to conform to the standards of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. A Sword strikes at the heart for what we need not what we want.
Amen!!!!!!

Carolyn Parkinson
February 26, 2019

Praying for wisdom, discernment & direction as you seek to speak the truth in love and walk in the integrity & teachings of God’s Word. God is faithful, true & our Rock, Fortress & Defender!

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