Seth Udinski, FISM News
As the war for morality in America intensifies, a Christian school in Florida is holding its ground and refusing to cave to the demands of the LGBTQ mob, despite an alleged shower of death threats from those who claim to be most “tolerant.”
Fox News reported Sunday that Grace Christian School, a private institution in Valrico, Florida, is refusing to recant its views on sexual purity outside of marriage.
The school holds to a biblical worldview regarding sexual activity before and outside of marriage. In short, a biblical sexual ethic teaches that sexual intimacy was created by God to be enjoyed only in the confines of legitimate, heterosexual, monogamous marriage, and that any sexual activity outside of this distinction is sexual perversion.
School administrator Barry McKeen said in an interview with Fox on Sunday,
If I backed down from something like this, I’m abandoning what God has said is the truth. I …. kind of rack my brain to like, ‘How is this hard for people to understand? This is what God said.’ This is one of the many reasons we have a Christian school, and we’re not going to abandon this policy. God has spoken on these issues … We don’t expect any of our students who are not married to be sexual, whether it be bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual. I tell people, if a kid came in the doors, exclaiming how he was having sex with his girlfriend, that student would be expelled, as well.
This story gained national headlines due to the recent backlash received after an email McKeen sent in June reiterated the school’s stance on these issues.
In the email, McKeen made clear that any student who was caught participating in sexual perversion would be punished appropriately and possibly even expelled from the school.
The email reads, in part,
We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal dignity. Therefore, one’s biological sex must be affirmed and no attempts should be made to physically change, alter, or disagree with one’s biological gender — including, but not limited to, elective sex reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary gender fluid acts of conduct (Genesis 1:26-28). Students in school will be referred to by the gender on their birth certificate and be referenced in name in the same fashion.
Unsurprisingly, LGBTQ supporters labeled the school “bigoted” and “hateful” in response to this news when it broke late last week. McKeen further shared with Fox that he and his family have received death threats as a result.
“It’s funny for us to … be painted as hateful. We have fielded hundreds, probably thousands of phone calls Thursday, Friday, [and] over the weekend, with just some of the most outrageous things: People threatening to burn my house down, threatening to kill my family,” McKeen said.
The report also reveals that the school was forced to enact extra security measures on Friday of last week, including the institution of armed guards on campus.
In complete contrast to his irate critics in the secular movement, McKeen also reiterated the school’s position of Christlike love and compassion. He released a video over the weekend saying he and the school staff do not hate anyone for a “particular persuasion.”
Author’s Note:
Grace Christian School’s response and stance is a powerful example for Christians everywhere to be vigilant in standing for the truth and to do it in love. More than anything else, the message sinners need to hear, the most loving thing they can be told, is that they are lost in their sin with no hope of freedom outside of Jesus Christ.
Additionally, Christians should pray for one another, including this school and its courageous leadership team as they begin a school year under severe threat of personal safety, not only for themselves but for their students as well.