Craig Watson was part of a group that had a stall a Christian music festival Festival One. The group was told to take down all references to sexuality and LBGT.

A conversation about sexuality and gender diversity has been hushed at a Christian music festival.

Craig Watson was part of a group that paid about $6000 for a stall at Festival One, centred around lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues (LGBT) and sexuality.

Festival One, which was held at Mystery Creek from January 27-30, is an all ages Christian music festival that is drug and alcohol free. It has been running for the past three years and was started after Christian music festival Parachute stopped running in 2014.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Festival One offers seminars on a whole range of topics that invite and encourage discussion, according to its website.

As well as music, the festival's website says it offers seminars on a whole range of topics that invite and encourage discussion.

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Inviting and encouraging discussion was exactly what The Wilderpeople stall was about, said Watson. Its aim was to promote conversations around sexuality and diversity, and aligning that with the Christian faith. It was run by a Christian group called Incendo.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Craig Watson was part of a group that had a stall at Christian music festival Festival One. The group was asked to take down all references to sexuality and LGBT.

The stall openly displayed signs that read "Gay", "Lesbian" and "Transgender". News clips about LGBT issues could be viewed, with headphones for audio. One video was a documentary about a lesbian couple who were bringing up a child within the Christian faith.

But one day into the festival the organisers decided the material was not appropriate and the group was asked to remove it. This was despite the organisers approving the application which explained the group's intention.

Watson said none of the material was offensive but the group agreed to change the stall and removed the material, opting instead to offer face painting.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Festival One is a celebration of art, music, creativity and community, centred around the Christian faith.

After staying another day, they decided on Saturday to remove the stall altogether.

After initially refusing to comment, Festival One chief executive Graham Burt and Incendo released a joint statement on Sunday afternoon: "Incendo and Festival One state that the Wilderpeople Collective accepted that the Wilderpeople Collective could not meet expectations of Festival One organisers about what their presence in the Wilder Precinct should be. Therefore the Wilderpeople Collective decided to withdraw their stall."

There has been a discussion about a refund for the stall, Watson said.

Watson, who is a gay Christian, said Festival One was a great place to start a conversation about LGBT issues.

"Festival One is a Christian Music festival, and the only one in New Zealand, and it attracts a large number of young adults and youth. We know that there is a large number of these young people who are exploring and wanting to talk about sexuality and gender identity. It's a huge thing for a young person but in the Christian sector it's more complicated because you've then got a faith that has been very much rooted in your upbringing that unless you are a straight, normal person then you are an abomination and destined for hell.

"I believe that it's right to get the message out there that it's important to have these conversations and that it's important to talk about so it doesn't lead to depression and suicide which we see in a lot of young people in New Zealand," Watson said.

"I think it's just a clear indication of how we are as a Christian journey with this topic. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done. To not be able to use those words at a camp that is predominantly full of teenagers and adults is a clear indication of what's going on.

"For me it's just a sign that we are still not there, we are still quite judgmental when it comes to Christians and churches accepting people with different views."