Crossroads Church — a LGBTQ+ friendly church in Fayetteville — was initially scheduled to be the site for a campaign rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who in the past has made controversial statements about LGBTQ+ people. The rally for Robinson was set to take place at 6 p.m. on January 13 at the church, but once church staff learned about the event a few days prior to its scheduled date, the rally was canceled.
Robinson was elected as lieutenant governor in 2020. He has a history of making bombastic and hate-filled statements about the LGBTQ+ community, which made Crossroads Church an odd choice for the Republican candidate. Crossroad Church’s website has an “inclusive stance,” which states queer patrons are more than welcome to be a part of its congregation:
“As Jesus welcomed all people into his loving presence, we fully welcome and include people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community into the life and ministries of Crossroads Church of Fayetteville. We believe that all people, gay, straight, confident, confused, married, or single, are divine image-bearers, saved by the grace of Jesus, and are wholly capable of living a life that is honoring to God.”
Robinson, on the other hand, has made jabs at churches who welcome queer congregations, saying it “makes me sick every time” he encounters accepting churches.
“You see so many pastors right now will say in their pulpits I don’t want this church to be political, I don’t want to talk about politics that have anything to do with religion. We used to be religious in this church and we’re going to love, we’re going to accept everybody, and we’re going to accept anything. I’m going to fly a rainbow flag out front and spit right in the face of God,” Robinson was quoted in a story carried by WSOC-TV and in reference to LGBTQ+ affirming pastors. “Yes, I said it. Makes me sick every time I see it, when I pass a church that flies that rainbow flag, which is a direct spit in the face to God Almighty.”
According to reporting from The Fayetteville Observer, when the church isn’t in use by its congregation, it’s rented out for various events. Pastor Kyle Burrows said he didn’t know about Robinson or that the rally was going to take place at Crossroads. He then asked the rental coordinator to let the campaign know they couldn’t use the church for its rally.
“We’re not political,” he said. “We have nothing to do with politics.”
The rally has since been moved to Freedom Christian Academy in Fayetteville, according to Robinson’s X account (formerly known as Twitter).