Franklin Graham has been banned from preaching by secular venues in the UK. Banned because many of these venues feel they could be breaking equality laws by hosting the Christian preacher.

Franklin Graham can be to some, a controversial figure, and like his late father, he enacts biblical text in his daily life. Rev. Graham has made no bones about the fact that in scripture, relationships and marriage are between a man and a woman. Rev. Graham has made it clear he hates no one, but for merely espousing biblical text on the topic of homosexuality, he has been regarded by some and especially the LGBT community, as a hate preacher.

Rev. Graham is coming to preach in Glasgow, Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Sheffield, Liverpool, Cardiff, Birmingham, and London in 2020. Among those secular venues that have banned Rev. Graham is Sheffield Arena and A C C Liverpool.

According to reports in the press and in the pro-Gay newspaper, ‘Pink News’, Rev. Graham is considering taking legal action against the venues that have banned him.

Last Thursday Jacob Rees-Mogg, 50, responded to a question from a fellow Conservative Party MP who had objected to the cancellation of venue reservations for the Rev. Frankin Graham’s tour of the United Kingdom. Rev. Graham had planned to visit eight British cities this year, but all of the venues with which he had signed contracts have reneged on their agreement. “No-platforming is a particularly disagreeable modern trend”, said Mr Rees-Mogg.

“And although venues are allowed to take their own decisions about whether or not to host Franklin Graham during his upcoming visit, like all service providers, they must not discriminate unlawfully on the grounds of religion and belief”, he warned.

Many in the secular and the Christian press, incorrectly, reported that Franklin has been banned from the UK. However, Rev. Graham, by his own admission, is still coming to the UK, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the venues that are still brave enough to host him.

What then finally, should our response be to the LGBT community? The Christian community it has to be said is divided over the subject. Some embrace the LGBT community, while others outright condemn them. As Christians – whatever, our views on the LGBT community are – we must proceed carefully, mindfully, and in love, praying for this community.

God bless you xxx.