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If Christians want to make films for a general viewing audience (as opposed to niche pieces aimed at churches and specifically Christian audiences), they should conduct themselves as professional filmmakers. They should hire the best actor for each role, the best lighting technicians, the best camera people, etc. Setting a moral test for employment in this setting is a slippery slope. Who among us is truly moral? So long as gay actors are willing to support the spirit of the film, as Chad Allen was, they should be considered along with all the other sinners who will try out for a role.

Only our Savior could be so creative and loving to think of having Chad Allen be exposed to this life-changing story. I trust my Lord to use it for good. Who are we to say no to this man who own story is still emerging? I am sure many Christians will balk at this, but I believe they also would have balked at Jesus speaking to the woman at the well.

Love the sinner, hate the sin. How would we be showing love if we fired him?

To not offer someone a job because they live a homosexual lifestyle is the same in principle as not offering someone a job because of some other sinful habit. If Steve Saint had responded in that way, it would have created a serious conflict between the truth of the story of his father and how he had treated the actor in question. I was very impressed with Steve's godly response to the situation.

If we are sincere about reaching the lost world, and even the entertainment community, then we need to rub shoulders with "them," work with "them," hire "them," and then pray that "our light so shines before men that they may see our good works and glorify our father in heaven."

I'll take a great actor like Chad Allen in a role like this any day over a godly Christian who's a horrible actor.

I have to concur with Steve Saint: We usually don't know what God is planning, but by faith, we rely on him to work it out in our lives. Who knows what will happen with the seed planted in Mr. Allen's life?

Steve Saint's attitude toward the hiring of Chad Allen was an inspiration to me. It cemented in my heart the truth that God loves homosexual people deeply—and we who are straight must do the same. I respect and admire Steve's obedience to God's calling and his obvious love for Chad as a person.

I think they were right to hold up their end of the agreement. Chad Allen was immersed in a situation that God may use to his ultimate glory and to show him what true faith is really like. How can that be bad?

It is perfectly like our Heavenly Father to orchestrate and even embrace this young actor in order to show his great love to the one out of the 99. How religious, pompous and utterly blind some people are to try and "weed" out the very people who need the message from this movie, or for that matter the message of Jesus Christ. Honoring your contract and your word will carry weight with that young man and the community in which he associates.

I am convinced that the right decision was made. And not only did the Lord arrange what many would label a "mistake," I believe the Lord will use this to open doors for his truth to penetrate the homosexual community in ways few of us could imagine.

Every day Christians are hired to do work on films made by people with a variety of beliefs, because they are known to be qualified employees. If even one of them were removed from a project because of their beliefs, we would be (justifiably) appalled. Chad was hired because he is a qualified actor. To let him go because of a different set of beliefs would be equally as appalling and unfair.

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Related Elsewhere:

The Wrong End of the Spear	Printer view
Is Christian passion for purity blinding us to our missionary impulse?

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'I Feel Betrayed'	Printer view
A son-in-law of one of the murdered missionaries says the casting was a mistake.

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Christian Studio Explains Hiring of Gay Actor	Printer view
The makers of End of the Spear didn't find out about co-star Chad Allen's homosexuality until after they offered him the job, and then they felt obliged to honor the contract.