South African Evangelist Has Scotland Venue Cancelled

South African Evangelist Has Scotland Venue Cancelled

By Nico Bougas, Special to ASSIST News Service

SCOTLAND, UK (ANS – August 22, 2016) -- British lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or intersex organizations, launched a successful campaign to get South African evangelist, Angus Buchan, barred from preaching at event in Scotland.

They say they were unhappy with some of his alleged homophobic and misogynistic comments in the past.

Buchan’s events were due to include visits to Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

His stay is due to conclude with a “Mighty Men” conference in North Yorkshire between August 26 and 28.

Scottish Borders LGBT Equality Organization raised its concerns about Buchan’s alleged homophobic and misogynistic views with the owners of the Volunteer Hall in Galashiels, in Scotland, where he was scheduled to speak today (August 22, 2016).

Susan Hart, chairwoman of the Scottish Borders LGBT Equality organization, told the Scottish online publication KaleidoScot that the organization was pleased Buchan had been blocked from the venue.

“Our organization encourages diversity, and acceptance. Spreading messages of hate towards LGBTI people, women and children can harm rural communities,” she is reported to have said.

The organization stated that Live Borders, which is responsible for booking events at Volunteer Hall, had refused permission for Buchan to appear at any of its venues.

The organization said it had not received confirmation whether the event would be held elsewhere or cancelled. However, a note on Buchan’s Facebook page advises of a change of venue and that Angus will still be speaking in Scotland today (August 22, 2016) at the Lighthouse Church, Dumfries.

Republic of Ireland nationals have also started an online petition to prevent Buchan from speaking at an event in Kilkenny on August 24. At the time of writing, some 762 people had signed it. However, our latest information is that he still plans to go ahead and speak in Kilkenny.

Melanie Nathan, executive director of The African Human Rights Coalition, was quoted on KaleidoScot as saying Buchan should be prevented from entering the UK.

Buchan, a 69-year-old farmer turned evangelist is the subject of the book, “Faith like Potatoes” which was later turned into a movie. He is the founder of Shalom Ministries and initiated the “Mighty Men Conferences” which have attracted huge crowds and spread to other countries around the globe.

In a statement issued earlier by Buchan, he said: “It is with great sadness of heart that I write you this letter in the early hours of this morning from my quiet time room.

“On the virtual eve of my departure for a four Nations preaching campaign to the UK, to preach the undiluted Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have come under the most severe attack and resistance I have ever experienced in my life since becoming a Christian in 1979.

“Starting in the beloved home country of my dearest Father and Mother, ‘Bonnie Scotland’. I am so pleased that the old Scottish blacksmith and his dear old wife are no longer alive – both safe in the arms of Jesus now.

“Effectively, the gay rights movement have banned me from preaching the Gospel in their town called Galashiels situated on the Scottish Borders. The Sanhedrin (governing body), have put such huge pressure on the young pastor who invited me, that he has been forced to cancel the proposed Gospel event.

“This action has now spread across the Irish Sea to the beautiful ‘Emerald Isle’ and there is a tremendous uproar taking place as I write this letter to get me banned from preaching the Gospel there as well.

“I am accused of being a homophobe, and many other unsavory things, but all I am doing, and still intend to do in Great Britain, is to preach the undiluted Word of God, ‘The Bible’, in its entirety, not compromising one word. It is because I love people and do not want them to perish and go to a lost eternity.

“John 17:17, states very clearly, ‘Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth’. That is all I have ever done in the past, and that is all I will ever do!

He added: “I love homosexuals, and I love lesbians, but I cannot condone their way of living, their lifestyle, because it is contrary to the teaching of God’s Holy Word!

“Please pray for me, and my family, and loved ones, our team and very especially the team of gallant soldiers of the Cross who are boldly withstanding the full onslaught of the powers of darkness at this very moment in the United Kingdom and Ireland. 1 John 4:4.

“In conclusion, it is so heart wrenching for me as a born African, who is simply attempting to take the precious Word of God back to the very country that brought it to Africa so many years ago, and at a great price. Those missionaries taught us well and they taught us to be ‘Bible believing Christians’, and they taught us that the Word of God is sovereign, and must never be tampered with or changed.

“By His grace, I shall return to my roots, taking with me the very same Gospel that was brought out to us in Africa by the early missionaries, (who brought the good news, with much love, blood, sweat, and tears at cost of their very own lives), and am trusting that I shall at least be afforded the opportunity to share Gods Holy Word with a dying World.”

Photo captions: 1) Angus Buchan. 2) Nico Bougas.

About the writer: Nico Bougas is the International Development Director for Hellenic Ministries. He has a master's degree in communication from Wheaton Graduate School and M. Div and D. Min degrees from Trinity Theological Seminary. He is the author of five books. He previously worked for Youth for Christ in South Africa and was Editor of In Magazine and Christian Living TODAY and currently serves as Consulting Editor for JOY Magazine and a Trustee for Radio CCFM and was one of the founders of Sports Outreach Africa. He previously served on the national executive of the SA Association of Evangelists and as a Trustee for the Bible Institute of South Africa and on the advisory board for the South African Theological Seminary and on the executive of The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund (SA). For further information, please contact: nico@bougas.info .

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