A Rainbow Revival Reaches Chicago: Ex-LGBT People Testify of Finding Freedom in Jesus Christ
ANALYSIS
Named after the president who proclaimed freedom for Civil War-era slaves, Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois recently drew hundreds of Christians who declared emancipation from another type of bondage: former identities as LGBTQ+ people.
For a few hours on Saturday, the ex-LGBTQ ministry called Freedom March turned the park into a celebration of liberation and new hope in Christ.
From Sweden and across the United States to a livestream that reached the nations, members of what's called Rainbow Revival bowed their knees in humility – not pride – asking God for forgiveness of sins involving sex, marriage, gender, and preborn life.
With loving spiritual support from Chicago-area churches, Freedom March lifted victorious shouts of praise to Jesus.
Wearing shirts with rainbows – a sign of God's promise of deliverance – they worshipped, prayed, testified, and proclaimed the gospel for five hours before marching in Lincoln Park. Rainbow flags, banners, shofars, drums, and a wooden cross joined the freedom procession.
"The Lord has called Rainbow Revival to go into the heart of cities and testify in the public square that entrapped, ensnared people can be freed from false identities – glorifying Jesus and making a fool of the enemy," said MJ Nixon, who helped lead the first Freedom March in Washington, D.C.
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Like the biblical Jericho march and shouts that toppled walls, Freedom March believes Chicago's dark spiritual forces bowed to Jesus as they raised sounds of praise, worship, declaration and intercession.
Believing that preaching the gospel is God's power to save the lost, Freedom March invited an evangelist called "Jesus Man" to share the good news of salvation as thousands of pedestrians and bikers moved throughout the park.
Displaying his two black vans with white letters forming the name JESUS on both, Jay Peters passionately proclaimed a message of freedom from slavery to sin.
Supported by a powerful sound system, Peters' voice filled nearby neighborhoods, where many members of Chicago's LGBTQ+ community live. He then invited people to the stage where Rainbow Revival and Jesus March ministers led them in prayer to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior; to rededicate their lives to Him; or to receive prayer for freedom from spiritual bondages.
As parents of a daughter who lives with a woman, Jay and Esther Peters know there's hope for others like them. Through their relationship with Rainbow Revival, the Peters have met many ex-LGBTQ+ people who are walking in freedom with Jesus.
Jay Peters believes the Rainbow Revival among LGBTQ+ people coming to the Lord is like the Jesus Revolution among hippies in the 1970s. Like hippies, ex-LGBTQ people boldly and emotionally testified they came to Jesus because prayerful Christians stormed heaven on their behalf, Peters said.
One of those women attended her first Freedom March in Dallas last year. A speaker in Chicago on Saturday, Jessica Rose tearfully and courageously shared her powerful testimony of coming out of a deceptive web of confusion about gender and sexuality.
Living in LGBTQ+ pride for 15 years, Rose identified as a bisexual, lesbian, and trans man by undergoing surgeries and testosterone injections.
Growing up in a single-parent home with five siblings, a confused Rose took on a masculine identity as both brother and father. Later she married a woman and gained a stepchild, pushing her mother and siblings out of the new family life she shared with her wife. Rose grew a beard and became "a bad dude. Or at least I thought I was by self-identifying," she said.
Alone and broken in 2019, Rose attempted suicide by swallowing pills while in her parked car. She was taken to a hospital where her stomach was pumped. Landing in a mental institution, Rose received medications for depression, anxiety, and psychotic behavior.
Later after improving and landing a job, Rose's boss told her about Jesus' love, His death for her, and how believing in Him brings salvation. Rose was filled with hope but also believed she could be Christian and trans, maybe even become a pastor.
She continued to learn about forgiveness, grace, love, mercy, dying daily to sin, and walking in the Spirit. Pursuing Jesus, Rose heard Him say the words "surrender control" during a group prayer in 2021.
"From that day, I've been off testosterone for three years. I've learned I can now breastfeed and carry a baby," said Rose, who believes she will someday be married.
Miraculously, she reports her breasts grew back after surgery to remove them. "It's a real miracle. This is all me," she said.
At times drying her teary eyes, Rose said giving her testimony at Freedom March was intended for encouragement of anybody including parents who think their children are too far gone. "I now stand before you as this woman of God, praising and dancing," said Rose, who turned 30 during the summer.
A pastor who believes the church he leads is part of a prophesied harvest among the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago is persuaded the spiritual ground in Lincoln Park is ready for souls to come to Jesus.
Daniel Cruz, pastor of Faithworld Church, paraphrased the Bible's words stating God's sons and daughters are to take dominion over wicked forces.
"Today we step in that authority over spiritual strongholds in the heavenlies. We come against every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We bind principalities and powers," Cruz said.
In addition to spiritual warfare, Rainbow Revival's battle for freedom among the LGBTQ+ community requires support from the entire Body of Christ – a demonstration of unity that pleases the Lord.
"I believe that God looks on this today and His heart is pleased," said Kim Zember, a Rainbow Revival leader who noted spiritual support from churches and ministries is vital to next year's Freedom March. "I look at pride out in the streets with 50,000 people, and I know that not all of them are in the LGBTQ+ community. Many of them are people who love the LGBTQ+ community saying, 'We're going to stand with you,'" Zember explained.
Like Zember who has attended seven Freedom Marches, Jarrod Tobias has joined them in Hickory, NC; Washington, D.C.; West Palm Beach, FL; Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX; and Chicago – missing only one gathering.
Besides prayer and support from the Body of Christ, Christians should know that the Rainbow Revival/Freedom March staff aren't compensated for the events, said Tobias, who flew from West Palm Beach to Chicago.
He suggests that, if the family of God believes in Rainbow Revival and a Jesus People-type movement among LGBTQ+, the Body of Christ should help fund it.
The 2025 Freedom March is in Portland, Oregon.
READ ABOUT IT: Rainbow Revival: Ex-LGBT Men and Women March in Dallas, Tell Their Powerful Stories of Freedom
2019: Former Members of LGBTQ Lifestyle Proudly Proclaim Freedom From Homosexuality in Florida March
2018: 'Jesus Can Change Anyone': These Ex-LGBTQ People Are Bringing a Freedom March of Hope to L.A.
