After a five-hour meeting featuring drag queens, children, and trans-allied pastors, the City Council of Worcester, Massachusetts voted 9-2 to declare their city a “sanctuary city for transgender and gender-diverse people.”

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In addition to declaring itself a sanctuary city, the resolution bars out-of-state agencies from accessing data from local healthcare clinics regarding gender-transition treatments and surgeries, and clearly states that the city will not cooperate with Federal and State policies they say “endanger” the rights of transgenders.

An Evening of Hysteria

In an event trans activists called “Queer Ball at City Hall,” the shrieking hysteria was off-the scale. Over 200 people crowded into city hall, many dressed in drag, some in glitter, waving trans flags, and for hours demanded protection from President Trump and “transphobia.”

Their anger, hatred, threats and the lies of Satan were on full display. It was shocking to see how far and deep the trans delusion has taken over their hearts and minds. Scripture warns “He [Satan] will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10 NLT)

One trans person claimed their life was in danger and asked the Council, “how many of my friends have to die, before you do something?” To many of these poor trans souls, being called the “wrong” pronoun is a threat to their life and existence.

Another trans speaker threatened the Council saying, “if you say you’re afraid of Trump and that’s why you don’t want the city to be a safe space for trans people, then you better be prepared for trans people to make this [the city of Worcester] a very unsafe space.”

Perhaps the most heartbreaking scene was a seven-year old boy, paraded to the microphones, who demanded the Council not recognize any “anti-trans federal policies” while pleading for a yes vote. “There are a lot of queer people that I love. The kids are watching and we’re ready to vote you out,” this poor, misguided boy concluded.

One of the councilors who voted against the resolution was Jewish, a son of Holocaust survivors, yet a trans activist called him a fascist while making pig noises.

Worcester joins four other American cities, San Francisco, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Ithica, NY, who have declared themselves to be trans sanctuary cities. But Worcester is the first city to pass a resolution in response to Donald Trump’s Executive Orders declaring the U.S. will only recognize two genders – male and female – and ending federal funding to Medicare/Medicaid and any hospital or clinic that continues with trans treatments.

But worse than the drag queens, trans allies, and little children, the most appalling were so-called “pastors” uttering woke blasphemy.

An Evening of Blasphemy

In Massachusetts, only 22% of the population attends church regularly, according to Pew Research. That places Massachusetts tied for last with New Hampshire in the country for church attendance. Sadly, I suspect that a large segment of that 22% attend churches with the rainbow flag proudly waving out front.

So it was no surprise to see two radical self-identifying ‘Christian’ voices taking the opportunity to grab a public megaphone to tout their blasphemous religiosity. The rise of these rogue peddlers of a twisted gospel coupled with almost every mainline denominational pastor touting the secular morality of most every cultural issue should alarm us all.

One of the speakers, a woman dressed in clerical collar and claiming to be a pastor, spoke in support of the measure, saying…

“Using the language of my faith, let me tell you this: the Jesus that I know would be right here in this gallery standing in solidarity with the brave people here. The Jesus I know would be dressed in full drag, or handsome as a trans man, or wrapped in the garb of a nonbinary person who knows one gender is way too small to capture their gloriousness.”

A man who identified himself as a ‘local clergy leader’ named Rev. Dr. Ciaran Osborne, who claimed to be a ‘deeply religious person,’ urged LGBTQ people to “pick up their bricks’ to make their case,” – a not-so-subtle incitement of violence.

For a community that does not know the Scriptures, does not attend church, or worse, attends apostate churches, the people may easily believe the blasphemy of these false teachers and pastors who are slandering God’s name and His holy Word. These so-called pastors are leading those who don’t know God, who are confused, or who have no use for God, down a path of destruction that leads to judgement and death.

It’s clear these apostate pastors are ashamed of the gospel. They don’t believe in the power of God to bring salvation and healing to everyone who believes, including the gender-confused. To them, Christianity is to affirm every sinful lifestyle choice as part of God’s plan. They do horrible damage to God’s Kingdom by leading the sheep astray.

It’s time for the faithful remnant to speak up. I don’t believe there was a single speaker at Worcester’s five-hour council meeting who spoke biblical truth against this resolution. Granted, it would have been an unbearably hostile reception if anyone did so. The two council members voting no did not vote against it as a matter of faith, but rather out of concern Worcester would lose federal funds if the resolution was passed.

I know Massachusetts is a deep blue state, but red states are not immune. Just take a look at a typical church service at the Cathedral of Hope, a United Church of Christ church in red-state Texas, whose “pastor” declares, “sometimes we forget how queer we are.”

On Monday evening, IFA Massachusetts Intercessors prayed mightily for Worcester, for all the communities of Massachusetts to reject trans sanctuary status, for pastors to preach the gospel truth on God’s creative covenant, and for God to root out this evil in our country.

I urge every intercessor to be vigilant and pray as this trans sanctuary nonsense is coming to your state. Heed God’s call to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

The True Meaning of Sanctuary

The word sanctuary comes from the Latin word Sanctus, meaning holy, peaceful and quiet. A sanctuary is a peaceful place that brings us closer to God. Sanctuary is also described in Scripture as a place where God dwells.

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst” (Exodus 25:8).

“You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:30).

“Let us go to the sanctuary of the LORD; let us worship at the footstool of his throne” (Psalm 132:7 NLT).

So let us not give over to the worldly meaning of sanctuary but let us pray into the Word of God in the mighty name of Jesus.

Let Us Pray!

*These prayers were offered during Massachusetts Intercessors 2/17/25 Prayer Call and adapted for you.

Pray that God’s people in Worcester, in your community, and in every community will make for God a sanctuary and invite Him to dwell in the midst of them and of their city.

Pray for a complete transformation of the spiritual atmosphere over Worcester, your community, and every community, so that instead of glorifying sin, pride and all manner of idolatry they will glorify the one true King and Lord of all – Jesus!

Pray that the God of the impossible will reveal himself and His glory to the inhabitants of Worcester, your community, and every community, and they will “Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain… for the LORD our God is holy” (Psalm 99:9 NLT).

Pray the people in Worcester, your community, and every community make Jesus Christ Lord of their hearts and lives and cry out “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth” (Psalm 57:11).

Pray, that Worcester, MA, your community, and every community will be a holy place, a place of sanctuary where you are worshipped, honored and glorified in a way that pleases and glorifies you and that this will spread across our state and the nation in powerful and wonderful ways.

Pray for the false pastors and teachers, who are lovers of themselves – lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God and His true Word. They masquerade a form of godliness but deny God’s power. May they seek God’s face in repentance, ask for His forgiveness, and be restored to His sheepfold. Pray that God will deal with them according to His power and will.

Pray for the pastors who have chosen to walk the narrow path with God and are committed to preach the Word, both in season and out of season, to correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction of the Gospel. May these faithful pastors, in everything, guide and teach the Body of Christ entrusted to them.

Pray for all who are suffering from the trans delusion that God will make a way for them to come to know Him, trust Him and experience God’s healing power as He promises in Jeremiah 30:17: “I will give you back your health and heal your wounds.”

Pray that God will give back complete health and heal all their wounds, both mental and physical, and that they will break free from the bondage of Satan and his demonic deceptions.

Pray that true Christians will stand up and go before their local elected representatives to speak against any sanctuary status being declared in their community. Pray they will share the truth of God and science against the deception, damage, and delusion spoken by trans activists. May the love of Christ shine through every Christian with the courage to speak as boldly as the Holy Spirit did for Peter on Pentecost. Pray that everyone who hears will understand and believe the heavenly truth of what is being said.

We pray all this in Jesus’ Almighty Name, Amen.

Add your own prayers in the comments below.

Belinda Brewster analyzes cultural, political, and world events from a biblical worldview. Belinda’s passion is to equip, support, and encourage parents and grandparents who are courageously battling against the spiritual and cultural forces impacting children and grandchildren. Photo Credit: Mercedes Mehling on Unsplash.