(Waxahachie, Texas) Three members of the nondenominational Soulforce Equality Ride have been released on their own recognizance after being arrested when they entered the campus of Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie.

The Equality riders are attempting to enter Christian colleges in the deep South to engage students in a discussion on gay inclusion. This is the third year of the “ride” and the young members of the group are visiting 15 campuses.

Upon arriving at SAGU, the 16 Equality riders were met by a campus spokesperson who warned them they would be arrested if they came onto the campus.

Three of the riders crossed into the campus and attempted to join a worship service at the chapel. They were arrested and charged with trespassing.

The three were identified as Manny Lampon, 22, of New York, NY; Zak Rittenhouse, 21, of Frankfurt, OH; and Nicholas Rocco DeFinis, 22, of Philadelphia, PA.

Other members of the group were herded to a parking lot and began their own prayer vigil. They were met by dean of students Scott Camp and several students who shared a prayer with the group but told the riders SAGU was not about to change its policy.

“Our hope was that for one day we could erase that line and come together for a genuine and transformational exchange,” said Jarrett Lucas, co-director of the Equality Ride.

Last week, two Equality Riders were arrested for trespassing when they walked onto the Mississippi College campus to deliver a letter from an anonymous gay male student who is currently enrolled at the school in Clinton, Miss.

The letter described his experiences as a gay man on the MC campus where he said he has been the target of anti-gay speech.

Part of the letter read, “I honestly fear that when I do decide to let the public know who I really am, many of the organizations and activities with which I am involved will turn me away.”

Earlier in the month three riders were arrested at Heritage Christian University in Florence, Ala. And six members of the group were arrested when they attempted to enter the chapel at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida.

More than 200 U.S. colleges and universities have explicit policies that discriminate against LGBT students.

Since 2006, the Equality Ride has visited 50 schools – hosting public forums, participating in panel discussions, and taking part in worship services and Bible studies. The goal is to inspire further conversation and to empower students, faculty, and administrators to make their school welcoming to all students.

But the bus tour often has been met with opposition from schools and resulted in the arrests of some Soulforce members.

Two members of the group were arrested last year at the headquarters of Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs.

About 20 demonstrators held a vigil outside the headquarters, quoting from some of the FOF statements that homosexuality is “choice” and can be “cured,” that homosexuality is harmful, that gays live shorter lives, and that same-sex relationships threaten opposite-sex marriage.

Following the vigil two protestors entered the headquarters building. Chris Hubble and Leigh Lyon, armed with two dozen yellow roses for Dobson and copies of the Soulforce booklet “A False Focus on My Family” and a DVD letter titled “Dear Dr. Dobson,” asked to see the conservative Christian leader.

When they refused to leave, they were arrested.

Ten other riders were arrested on trespassing charges after they entered the Bethany Lutheran College campus in Mankato, Minn.

In 2006, 24 Soulforce demonstrators were arrested at a gay “die-in” at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Three others were arrested at Bob Jones University in South Carolina. Others were arrested at Covenant College in Georgia, University of Cumberlands and at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

Soulforce members also were arrested at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University in Lynchburg; West Point; the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla.; and Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., which is affiliated with Christian Broadcaster Pat Robertson.

The organizers of the Equality Ride said they use a collaborative approach, writing to college administrators months in advance and inviting them to work together to design programming that examines diverse points of view – including points of view that affirm gay and transgender students.