Pineywoods Pride Festival
Pineywoods Pride Festival – Prayer Meeting Program
October 6, 2025
Why are we here tonight?
Not...
To start a protest...
To spew hatred...
To condemn...
We love our community...
We are the church!
And Jesus said, "My church shall be called a house of prayer..."
And we fight not against flesh and blood...
The prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective...
The situation...
Saturday, October 11 at Millard's Crossing
PineyWoods Pride Festival
Basic info (from their own advertisements)...
(We don't need more than this for our purposes.)
First annual...
Sponsored by the Pride Alliance of Lufkin...
"We will have games, vendors, food, entertainment, music, and more! We have also partnered with The East Texas Psychic Fair to bring you a fun array of healers, tarot experts, & astrology guides!"
From their official schedule of events...
Six drag queen performances...
One aimed especially at children...
One adult costume contest DJ'd by a famous drag queen...
One kids costume contest also DJ'd by the same famous drag queen...
Multiple performances and entertainment components...
Clergy members available to talk to people...
At least one local church is promoting the event and hosting a booth.
Best I can tell from some literature I found, there will be ministers present to perform wedding ceremonies (not certain about this).
This is NOT a Millard's Crossing event...
I'll let them speak for themselves, but my understanding is that they are not happy about this event.
How should we think of the people involved in this event?
We are not mad...
We are not mad at the people leading this event...
Though we stand firm on God's word about the sinfulness of it.
We are not mad at the people who will attend the event...
We love those people.
They are all created in the image of God.
They are all in need of the same gospel we are in need of.
We stand opposed to the lifestyle celebrated by this event...
Because of the word of God...
Because of the glory of God...
Because of the effect of this event on our community...
Because of the effect of this event on the people involved...
What should we do about this?
We should pray...
We should not just give lip service to prayer.
Too often, Christians act like prayer doesn't really matter...
We act as if it is secondary...
I know many people want to protest this event…
I’m telling you that if protest takes priority over prayer, then we have not responded in the most faithful and biblical manner.
Prayer is often our most powerful weapon...
Mark 9.29 | And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.” (CSB)
Ephesians 6.12 | For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. (CSB)
James 5.16 | Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. (CSB)
James 5.17 | Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. (CSB)
James 5.18 | Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.(CSB)
Prayer is how many or most of us came to repentance...
What should we pray for?
Pray that the event DOES NOT HAPPEN!
Spread the facts before the Lord...
How Hezekiah handled the letter from Sennacherib...
2 Kings 19.14 | Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers’ hands, read it, then went up to the Lord’s temple, and spread it out before the Lord. (CSB)
2 Kings 19.15 | Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: Lord God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you are God—you alone—of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. (CSB)
2 Kings 19.16 | Listen closely, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see. Hear the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God. (CSB)
2 Kings 19.17 | Lord, it is true that the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands. (CSB)
2 Kings 19.18 | They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but made by human hands—wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. (CSB)
2 Kings 19.19 | Now, Lord our God, please save us from his power so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are God—you alone. (CSB)
The Lord's response...
2 Kings 19.32 | Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city, shoot an arrow here, come before it with a shield, or build up a siege ramp against it. (CSB)
2 Kings 19.33 | He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city. This is the Lord’s declaration. (CSB)
Prayer for the safety of all those who lead or attend this event.
Pray that those celebrating evil might have their eyes opened to see the gospel.
Pray for God's name would be honored in this community.
Psalm 115.1 | Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love and truth.(CSB)
Habakkuk 2.14 | For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory as the water covers the sea.(CSB)
Pray that lies would be exposed, and that what calls itself “light” but is darkness would be unmasked.
2 Corinthians 4.4 | The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers… (CSB)
Ephesians 5.11 | Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. (CSB)
Pray that children and teens in our community would be shielded from confusion, and that families would be strengthened in truth.
Proverbs 22.6 | Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows old he will not depart from it. (CSB)
Matthew 18.6 | Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck… (CSB)
Pray for a spiritual awakening in East Texas.
Psalm 85.6 | Will you not revive us again so that your people may rejoice in you? (CSB)
2 Chronicles 7.14 | If my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face… then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. (CSB)