Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

Grace-Filled Response Sparks Change in Wedding Venue Owner’s Views on Interracial Marriage

Photo by Gianni Scognamiglio/Unsplash
Photo by Gianni Scognamiglio/Unsplash
Share Tweet
By Tré Goins-Phillips
Editor

September 4, 2019

A lot of the headlines coming out of Mississippi over the weekend were about racism and religion after the owner of a wedding venue denied an interracial couple access to her space, citing her “Christian belief” that such a union is counter-biblical. But the untold story here is one of forgiveness, humility, and understanding.

The exchange between the operator of Boone’s Camp Event Hall in Booneville and LaKambria Welch, the sister of the groom-to-be, who is black, went viral over the weekend after footage of their conversation was posted to Twitter.

https://twitter.com/ashtonpittman/status/1168253908617183232?s=20

The crux of the cordial conversation was this comment from the venue staffer: “We don’t do gay weddings or mixed race, because of our Christian race — I mean, our Christian belief.” Welch simply listened politely.

Welch’s brother and his fiancée, who is white, had been considering the event space as a possible venue for their wedding and had been in communication with the owner of the space for about a week, according to NBC News. It wasn’t until the venue owner discovered the couple’s skin colors through Facebook that she attempted to talk with them in person.

Pastor Responds After Former Michigan City Council Candidate Claims Bible Forbids Interracial Marriages

All of those details have been widely reported. But here’s what hasn’t been shared very much: it’s harder to hate up close, and the owner of the Mississippi wedding space learned that over the weekend.

Welch, who is also a Christian, was kind and forgiving.

“I’ve stated that I am a Christian as well,” she told NBC News. “So, growing up, my grandmother would always tell me to forgive, even without an apology. I’ve always lived by that with everything.”

But the venue owner did apologize. In fact, she went home and took out her Bible to research the issue herself — to reexamine the perspectives she had, to determine if they were really biblical or actually just the racist remnants of a bygone culture.

She discussed the issue with her husband and her pastor.

She then shared her shifted beliefs in a transparent and thoughtful Facebook post to the wedding venue’s fan page:

As a child growing up in Mississippi, our racial boundaries that were unstated were that of staying with your own race. This was never verbally spoken, but it was an understood subject. On Saturday, my husband asked me to show him in the Bible where it was located as to the content concerning biracial relationships.

I studied for a minute and began to think about the history of my learning this and where it came from. I was unable to recall instances where the Bible was used, giving a verse that would support my decision.

After searching Saturday evening, Saturday night, most of the day Sunday and sitting down with my pastor Sunday night after church, I have come to the conclusion my decision, which was based on what I had thought was correct to be supported by the Bible, was incorrect! I have, for many years, stood firm on my Christian faith not knowing that biracial relationships were NEVER mentioned in the Bible! […]

As my Bible reads, there are 2 requirements for a marriage and race has nothing to do with either! All of the years I had “assumed” in my mind that I was correct, but have never taken the opportunity to research and find whether this was correct or incorrect until now.

As for the engaged couple, they have decided they won’t be getting married at the Booneville location, but the interaction certainly sparked a positive change in the owner of the venue.

This is not the first time in recent weeks this issue has come up.

In late August, a former candidate for city council in Marysville, Michigan, said marriages between couples with mixed ethnicities is in violation of Scripture.

Jean Cramer claimed she was not “against blacks,” but said she wanted to keep her small town white “as much as possible.”

Jarrid Wilson, a pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, and the founder of Anthem of Hope, apologized for Cramer’s contents, which she made in the name of Christianity.

On behalf of Jesus, let me apologize to all people of color for these disgusting remarks made in the name of Christianity and The Bible. pic.twitter.com/Ku3mN5kRyr

— Jarrid Wilson (@JarridWilson) August 27, 2019

“On behalf of Jesus,” he wrote in a tweet, “let me apologize to all people of color for these disgusting remarks made in the name of Christianity and The Bible.”

Latest

  • Entertainment

    Actor Who Lost It All After Christian Stance Rejoices: ‘Give Glory to God’

  • Faith

    ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Opens Up About Struggle With Infertility: ‘We Haven’t Really Shared Publicly’

  • Faith

    Joe Rogan Is Reportedly Attending Church ‘Consistently,’ Christian Apologist Reveals

  • Faith

    Christian College Scores Big Victory After ‘Incredible Attacks’ From Biden Admin, Stunning Claim by Trump Officials

  • Faith

    Digital Babylon: Biblical Wisdom from Daniel for Today’s Social Media Age


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

  • Actor Who Lost It All After Christian Stance Rejoices: ‘Give Glory to God’
  • ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Opens Up About Struggle With Infertility: ‘We Haven’t Really Shared Publicly’
  • Joe Rogan Is Reportedly Attending Church ‘Consistently,’ Christian Apologist Reveals
  • Christian College Scores Big Victory After ‘Incredible Attacks’ From Biden Admin, Stunning Claim by Trump Officials
  • Digital Babylon: Biblical Wisdom from Daniel for Today’s Social Media Age

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture
  • culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.