The City of Myrtle Beach revealed on social media last week that they hadn’t been aware of the group, Ground Zero’s, anti-LGBTQ views until last week. Ground Zero is a Christian based discipleship group for teens.
The Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance made a post on Aug. 12 promoting Ground Zero. The post stated “a place where every teenager can belong and grow,” which is also the tag line for Ground Zero.
According to the website’s “biblical positions” tab, Ground Zero’s ministry for teenagers believes Christ-followers should abstain from sexual relationships with members of the same sex, as well as, abstain from sex until marriage, citing Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-28.
Chapter 18, verse 22, of Leviticus, a book in the old testament, refers to homosexuality as an “abomination.”
City spokesperson Mark Kruea told local TV news that the city was not aware Ground Zero posted this conservative content on its website until last week.
According to Kruea, “The city clearly does not hold the exclusionary beliefs stated on Ground Zero’s page.” As you saw, the MBDA’s post quoted language that I consider to be very inclusive from the site: ‘Ground Zero is a place where every teenager can go, belong and grow.’ However, the restrictive text elsewhere on Ground Zero’s page calls into question the inclusiveness of ‘every’.
”Is it every, or something else?” Kruea continued. “We consciously strive to be inclusive, and I think we are. The city is not Ground Zero, and Ground Zero is not the city. We do not believe the restrictive statements on Ground Zero’s page. LBGTQ+ efforts are supported locally and nationally, we actively work towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we are hiring to replace the DEI officer who left for a similar position recently.”
Grand Strand Pride member Adam Hayes says the city should have done more research before highlighting an organization with non-inclusive values.
“I don’t know about you, but my generation, when someone shares something on social media, they don’t just support it, they support it, and they also believe in it,” Hayes said. “It’s kind of like, whether or not that is the truth, it looks like that, so what are the other people in the community going to believe?”
“Pride Myrtle Beach expresses deep concerns and disappointment regarding the recent partnership between the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance and Ground Zero,” said Craig McGee, Pride Myrtle Beach’s executive director.
WHERE THE MAYOR CLEARLY STANDS
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune stands with the gay community on this issue as can be heard in her statement above. Bethune is a proponent of transgendering children under the age of 18.
WHY THE MYRTLE BEACH PRIDE COMMUNITY IS SO SUCCESSFUL
The Myrtle Beach Pride community makes disciples who make disciples. While this community does have the full support of government, members are very active in engaging the public at large.
WHY THE CHURCH IS LOSING
Ground Zero engages the community. However, one group can not be expected to carry the entire burden of disciples making disciples. The church is now seen by most Americans as an institution or a building. It is not seen as a body of believers containing and walking in the authority of God’s Holy Spirit. It is unclear for most residents exactly who the church is worshipping.
In short, unlike the pride community, believers are not making disciples who make disciples.
The pride community is rightly operating in the authority of government. It is the only authority they have.
The church should be operating in the authority of God. Each member of the church should be indwelled, controlled and governed by this authority.
God’s indwelling authority appears to be an authority many believers are detached from. Without the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, there is no value to “Christian Values.”
The church has long stated “pray for America”. Perhaps the church should rethink the entire process, exercising worship, praise, submission, and adoration as its initial and productive starting point.