LGBT activists with bullhorns protest outside Sunday church service; congregants show Christ's love

Several demonstrators gathered outside a small Iowa church Sunday to protest a sign declaring, “Ditch Pride. Embrace Humility!” But the church’s pastor says the message was not intended to target anyone or spread hatred.

The demonstration took place outside Fort Des Moines Church of Christ in Des Moines, where Pastor Michael Demastus said the sign was posted two days before the start of June to communicate what he believes is a central Christian teaching during a month when discussions of pride are highly visible in public life.

“The message was ... intentional that we're going to hear all of June all about pride,” Demastus told The Christian Post. “And the message of Christianity is the converse of that. I guess it's OK to say it inside of our walls, right? But as soon as you take a message like that outside of the walls, it is not received well.”

“The reality is Christ didn't just say it was a possibility, He promised. They hated me; they're going to hate you,” the church leader continued. “So any believer that lives out his faith in the public arena is going to be hated by the world. That's just a truism of being a person of faith who follows Jesus.”

According to Demastus, local activist Heather Ryan organized the protest, which he estimated drew about a dozen participants. He said demonstrators remained within the law but used bullhorns to shout at churchgoers arriving for worship services.

“They had bullhorns, and they were obscene, and they were loud, and they respected all the laws, but people in our church were driving into the parking lot, and they were yelling with their bullhorns at them, and just acting rather gross,” Demastus said.

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