Louisiana Pastor Fired After Refusing to Use False Pronouns

Alexander Grey, Unsplash

When Luke Ash, a bi-vocational pastor from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, refused to use a colleague’s preferred pronouns, he wasn’t trying to make headlines, he was simply trying to remain faithful to God’s Word. Yet his decision cost him his job. Ash served both as a pastor at Stevendale Baptist Church and as a library technician for the East Baton Rouge Parish Library until his termination in July 2025. 

According to The Christian Post, Ash’s refusal stemmed from a deeply held conviction: using pronouns that contradict biological sex would be dishonest and inconsistent with his faith. He declined to use false pronouns even in private conversation, saying simply, “I don’t do that.” Within a day, he was shown the library’s inclusivity policy and told he must comply. When he explained that doing so would violate his conscience, he was fired. 

Legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel is now representing Ash, demanding his reinstatement, back pay, and a revision of the library’s pronoun policy. They argue his dismissal violates the First Amendment, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Louisiana Protection of Religious Freedom Act. 

When Truth Collides with Policy 

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library justified the termination by claiming Ash violated internal policies and was still a probationary employee. However, Liberty Counsel noted there were no written warnings or disciplinary actions on record. Instead, Ash’s “violation” appears to have been living out his biblical convictions in a public workplace. 

In a post on X, Liberty Counsel stated: “Luke Ash, a bi-vocational pastor in Louisiana, refused to give in to a lie and use false pronouns for a female colleague. He was fired from his second job as a result, and we are fighting for Pastor Ash and his rights.” 

Luke Ash, a bi-vocational pastor in Louisiana, refused to give in to a lie and use false pronouns for a female colleague.

He was fired from his second job as a result, and we are fighting for Pastor Ash and his rights. More from @WSHStand https://t.co/8KUgQtr38g

— Liberty Counsel (@libertycounsel) October 20, 2025

Ash’s situation reflects a broader conflict growing across America, where faith is often forced into silence in the name of inclusion. Many Christian employees are finding that simply speaking truth can jeopardize their livelihood. Yet Scripture reminds believers that “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). 

Standing for truth in an age that worships self-identification is costly. But the cost of compromise is far greater. For pastors like Ash, silence would mean endorsing a falsehood. And for the Church, silence on this issue would mean forfeiting the moral authority entrusted to it by God. 

Why the Church Must Not Shrink Back 

Pastor Ash’s courage represents a growing need for Christian leaders to speak truth publicly, not only from the pulpit, but wherever God has placed them. If pastors cannot uphold biblical truth in their own workplaces, how can they equip their congregations to do the same? 

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). The Church’s light is meant to shine brightest in darkness, not dim to avoid conflict. Ash’s dismissal isn’t just a local employment dispute, it’s a warning sign that the freedom to live out one’s faith is under attack, especially in government settings funded by taxpayers. 

This moment demands convictional clarity from believers. It is not hatred to affirm truth, nor kindness to affirm a lie. God’s Word defines male and female, not human preference or policy. Genesis 1:27 declares, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” To deny that truth is to deny the Creator Himself. 

In a culture driven by feelings over facts, Pastor Ash’s quiet but firm resistance is a model of grace under pressure. He did not shout, insult, or demean, he simply stood firm, speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). His example calls the Church to do the same: to hold to God’s Word with conviction and compassion, even when culture demands compromise. 

Faith That Endures in the Fire 

The courage of one pastor in Louisiana may seem small against the tide of cultural change, but faithfulness always begins with one obedient heart. Scripture assures us that those who honor God will not be forgotten. “Those who honor Me I will honor,” God declared in 1 Samuel 2:30. 

As legal proceedings unfold, the implications stretch far beyond Baton Rouge. If the courts side with Ash, it will affirm the right of Christians to live out their faith without coercion to speak untruths. If they don’t, believers may face even greater pressure to conform, or lose their jobs. Either way, the Church must remember that our allegiance is to Christ first. 

Pastor Ash’s stand echoes the resolve of Daniel before Babylon’s king and Peter before the Sanhedrin. Both faced earthly authority with humility, but without compromise. God honored their faithfulness, and He will honor it again. 

Now is the time for believers to pray, speak truth, and stand firm. For every workplace and public space that seeks to silence faith, there must be voices like Luke Ash’s, courageous, humble, and unwavering. The world may not understand that kind of conviction, but Heaven does. And in the end, it is Heaven’s approval that matters most. 

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