Protesters gather outside Watauga church as it speaks out against Pride Month
Stedfast Baptist Church, known for its rhetoric against the LGBTQ community, has found a location in a strip center along bustling Denton Highway in Watauga.
Several months ago, Stedfast was evicted from the building it leased in Hurst after a court found that it was violating the terms of its lease concerning making threats of violence.
On Wednesday, the first day of Pride Month, protesters gathered near the church in a strip center at 6900 Denton Highway.
The protesters held colorful flags and carried signs saying “Honk against hate,” “Stedfast preaches murder,” and “This church preaches Baptist God is evil” as the drivers of cars and trucks honked their horns.
Brandy Sottilo, who began organizing protests against Stedfast a year ago, said she was determined to keep speaking out against the “hate speech” toward the LGBTQ community.
“I’m sad that I’m here tonight,” Sottilo said. “I just really wanted to celebrate Pride Month and go to the events.”
Pastor Jonathan Shelley said in an email that there have been “a few” protests at the new location.
“I do not promote violence towards anyone as I do not believe in vigilante justice,” he wrote. “The Bible does teach in Psalms 139 that Christians should hate the enemies of God and I do.”
Shelley accused the protesters of “doxing” him on social media by sharing his personal information and harassing him.
He also said his church will do its best to protect its property and neighbors from the “angry and violent mob of protesters.”
Last week, Shelley spoke during an Arlington City Council meeting, stating that Pride was an abomination. He was booed several times while some in the audience appear to agree with him.
Sottilo, who lives in Bedford, said she heard about Stedfast from a TikTok video in which Shelley talked about a Pride parade in Florida where one man was killed when a truck crashed into people. Shelley said he wish more people would have died.
“I am a mom of a kid from the LGBTQ community,” Sottilo said. “I’m not going to stand for you to wish death upon my kid because of who he loves.”
Stedfast Baptist is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Center.
Sottilo said that during previous protests, Stedfast members shouted anti-gay slurs and called them pedophiles, although no one from the church confronted the protesters Wednesday night.
Tyler Huckabee, who started protesting against the church in Hurst said that as a gay man Stedfast’s rhetoric and hate speech is concerning.
“It is extremely reassuring when people drive by on the street and honk. We’ve gotten much love on 377,” he said.
“We were afraid it was going to be more conservative with more churches in the area but that’s not the case,” Huckabee said.
Tildon Peacock, who is an atheist, said he got involved with the protests when he learned that Stedfast was calling on the government to execute gay people.
“That got our attention because it goes against the separation of church and state,” he said.
Peacock said atheists are also inclusive.
“It seems like Shelley has a personal vendetta against the LGBTQ community, and I don’t know why,” he said.
Sottilo said she will keep protesting.
“It’s been very rough and emotional to be out here again during Pride Month,” she said.
This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 5:25 PM.