Reasons behind the suppression of Christian ministries by city officials

Ocean Blvd in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. | Unsplash/Jeremy Kierez

LGBTQ+ radicals unsurprisingly have found another target — a cherished American institution in the famed resort town of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. City leaders of Myrtle Beach and its long-time religious community must face down the ultimatum against a local Christian ministry.

The “problem” is a local Christian ministry called Ground Zero. This situation is worthy of notice for all Americans who care about the preservation of our Constitutional liberties. Regardless of your faith persuasion, and whether or not you ever vacation in Myrtle Beach (as millions of Americans annually do), please know that a significant struggle is taking place.

I am intimately familiar with the city of Myrtle Beach and the ministry known as Ground Zero. In my 59 years, there have been, at most, 2-3 years that my family didn’t spend part of the year in Myrtle Beach. Like so many Americans, generations of our families have made Myrtle Beach a part of our lives and memories.

For years my grandparents ran a hotel there called the Helena Villa. My wife and I owned a house facing the ocean on Myrtle’s famed “Golden Mile.” For a time, I served as Board Chaplain for Ground Zero, and founder Scott Payseur is an exemplary ordained minister whom I have known for nearly 20 years.

Ground Zero is a wonderful Christian ministry that serves all youth and is a very positive force throughout the region. LGBTQ+ activists are in their usual high state of affront because Myrtle Beach has traditionally and recently shown support for the benevolent work of Ground Zero. As a Christian organization, Ground Zero (gasp!) affirms the Bible, Jesus, and godly principles. Oh, the horror!

I am hoping – praying – that the city leaders of Myrtle Beach will have the conviction to keep standing with Ground Zero, and not bow to the saber-rattling of activists who are jeopardizing the soul of our nation.

Ground Zero provides activities, concerts, food, service projects, and, oh yes, the moral and spiritual truths of God’s Word – the Bible. Myrtle Beach, despite being an opulent resort, has a serious problem with poverty and homelessness. I know firsthand that Ground Zero and the Christian churches of this city minister 365 days per year to such people.

Myrtle Beach is a golf and resort destination, but my grandmother who lived there told me that it was (at one time) known as “The City of Churches.” To be sure, Myrtle Beach had (and I believe, still has) a strong, underlying Christian presence. So much so that in 2021, my own organization brought our national Truth For A New Generation conference to the Ground Zero and First Baptist Church facilities there.

Attendees from 20 U.S. states came to our October 2021 conference. They stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants, and shopped in stores. Before the city leaders of Myrtle Beach kowtow to LGBTQ bullies and distance themselves from Ground Zero, they should remember that the vast majority of people who come to Myrtle Beach and spend money each year are … traditional Christians.

City leaders, as you ponder the degree to which you acquiesce to the LGBTQ+ mafia, let me remind you of two words: Anheuser Busch. As they say, “you do the math.” I urge the pastors and Christian leaders of Myrtle Beach to bravely stand with Ground Zero.

Folks, America’s moral compass is being lost, and our nation, with it. There are thousands of ministries like Ground Zero, quietly doing wonderful ministry throughout America. City leaders like in Myrtle Beach should champion these selfless entities who “give a cup of cold water” in Jesus’ name (Matt. 10:42). Please don’t further jeopardize our at-risk nation by obstructing benevolent works simply to placate activist sexual libertines!

Something has to be said here: homosexual and woke activists’ real problem is not with cities and businesses who help this or that charity. Their real beef is with God. It is not hard to see this. The Bible (a book shown to be of divine origin by compelling lines of evidence) has a lot to say about moral behavior, our personal soul, and eternity. And some people, for various reasons, have a big problem with this.

God (our Maker, remember Him?) warns that the unbridled pursuits of sexual immorality and pursuit of pleasure will cost us our relationship with Him (Matt. 16:26; Lk. 13:3; I Cor. 6:9-10; et al). If a person (or a nation, or the people of a resort town) chooses to lose their soul, that’s their prerogative. But please don’t fight against a noble ministry helping young people find theirs. Our nation needs God and morality more than ever.

Companies, localities, schools, and entire Christian denominations are being bullied into joining the incremental erasure of our constitutionally protected liberties. It must stop now.

Dr. Alex McFarland is a youth, religion and culture expert, a national talk show host and speaker, author of more than 20 books and Exploring the Word on the American Family Radio Network, airing daily on nearly 200 radio stations across the U.S. He is also the host of the “Alex McFarland Show,” which airs weekly on NRB TV.