KevOnStage’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion sparks debate across social media congregations
TheGrio...
After reflecting on church culture and LGBTQIA+ treatment, KevOnStage finds himself at the center of a social media debate.
This week, KevOnStage’s comedic candor has sparked discourse online. During a recent appearance on Cam Newton’s podcast, KevOnStage (born Kevin Fredricks) shared his perspective and support of the LGBTQIA+ communities, as a Christian. When asked about his thoughts of people criticizing the way he represents Christianity, the comedian shared:
“I don’t position myself as a pastor or teacher. I’m just a church kid. I’m not even saying you have to get your theology from me. You should not,” he began. “I’ve been pretty vocal about loving LGBT people, and that just doesn’t go over well with a lot of church people.”
“To me, my understanding of the Bible, Jesus led with love at every point,” he continued, reflecting on multiple Bible stories. “He was always with the sinners and the publicans and the tax collectors. These are the outcasts of society. These are the people he spent time with. I think a lot of times, you know, we want to be—we being Christians—we want to be the chastisers and then the correctors of people. I don’t choose that path. I choose love over and over.”
Throughout his career as a content creator, KevOnStage has been very vocal about his upbringing in the church. So much so, the comedian and actor led a show called “Churchy” on BET+. Just as he has been open on his personal platforms, Kev maintained his honesty while talking to Newton. In the conversation, he goes on to reflect on the ways he saw people in the church he attended show love to his brother, who he says would technically be considered a “sinner” because of the children he had out of wedlock and the premarital sex he participated in. Despite this, members of the congregation embraced him and made him feel so welcome that he went from a passive to an active member of the church. Similarly, he recalls members of that same church being less welcoming to members of the LGBTQ+ communities.
“There was a girl who was, I would say, masculine presenting. It was kind of understood that she was gay. At that same church, she was not welcomed with the same love. So the third row became the fifth row, became the seventh row, became the back row. And when she could live her own life, she left the church,” he recalled.
Also sharing the story of an openly gay young man, who left his youth bible study group after a deacon confronted him, asking, “You gay? Why [are] you even here? You know that’s a sin.” Kev who posted clips from this conversation on his social media, did not shy away from the potential backlash, writing: “If you want to know why I am the way I am about LGBT peeps, this is the reason.”
The “Churchy” star’s words quickly sparked mixed reactions on social media as some Christians praised his perspective while others criticized what they saw as him going against God’s word.
“I’m not saying avoid people outside the Kingdom, I believe in being around them so they can see the difference, but I will not come into agreement with carnality or other belief systems to do it because agreement is not neutral, it is spiritual alignment. Too many believers are coming into agreement in the name of love and dismantling their authority, because respect, acceptance, and comfortability can become the highest form of honor given to what stands outside the Kingdom, but real love calls people into truth and truth does not bend,” one critic wrote under his post.
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In light of the discourse and his name trending on Threads, KevOnStage has shared his reaction and response to the “hollabaloo” he’s caused.
“Let me tell you my approach of Christianity, I don’t correct nobody on nothing,” he said, emphasizing that he will not participate in condemning anyone. “Here’s why I don’t correct nobody on nothing, gay, straight sex. I don’t deal with it. I don’t be so sure about stuff that I used to be so sure about.”
Like many Christians, Kev’s walk with Christ as evolved and is continuing to evolve as he gets older, which is exactly why he doesn’t think people should take his word as law. Instead, he hopes his open discussions about his faith inspire someone to build their own relationship with God.
“My approach has always been, for all my life, is I would rather let my light shine. And hopefully people be like, ‘Man, what you know, Kevin is a Christian, let me see what he’s talking about,’” he concluded. “That’s been my approach the whole time, and it will continue to be my approach.”