Pastors warn of 'chilling effect' after anti-ICE agitators storm Minnesota church service
Christian pastors sounded the alarm about anti-ICE agitators who stormed a Minnesota church service on Sunday and are calling on federal officials to take action.
Roughly two dozen demonstrators stormed Cities Church on Sunday over a pastor's alleged ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, shouting anti-ICE slogans and disrupting the service for approximately 25 minutes. The incident, which occurred as protests escalated in Minnesota over the shooting death of Renee Good, was filmed by former CNN host Don Lemon.
For many faith leaders, the transformation of a Sunday service into a protest zone was an unprecedented breach of religious liberty.
"I’m not surprised that these protesters had no respect for houses of worship or the people gathered there," Rev. Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan's Purse and Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, told Fox News Digital. "They don’t respect our laws or those who are trying to protect our nation from an illegal invasion."
Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, characterized the event as a significant and dangerous development.
"It's the transgression of yet another boundary. You had leftist protesters who actually invaded an evangelical church at worship, and that is without precedent," he told Fox News Digital.
The disruption has sparked widespread concern among clergy nationwide, Mohler said. He warned that the disruption was "intended to have a chilling effect."
"Those who invaded that church this past Sunday intended to send a signal, you could be next. And the intimidation tactic here is just absolutely transparent," he said.
Pastor Paul Chappell, senior pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church, echoed that sentiment, seeing the disruption as both a violation of religious freedom and an act of "spiritual warfare."
"The book of Hebrews commands Christians to gather and assemble," he said, citing Hebrews 10:25. "As I saw protesters wearing profanity on their shirts and hats, I realized that this was also, as Ephesians 6 describes, a matter of spiritual warfare. We have an adversary who seeks to discourage people from obeying God’s commands."
The Christian leaders are calling for federal action, saying the agitators' actions were a clear violation of the FACE Act.
The FACE Act prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services or to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Justice Department said it is investigating the incident as a possible violation of federal legislation.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, described the demonstration as people "desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshipers."
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Chappell, who lives in Los Angeles County, said he's seen firsthand how "woke policies" empower criminals and that's why he believes it's important for the Trump administration to send a strong message.
"I feel very strongly that a clear message must be sent to anyone seeking to copy this behavior that it is unacceptable in our land," he said.
He also urged churches to take steps to protect their people by seeking legal counsel, contacting law enforcement for guidance and having established policies in place.
"The reality is that what occurred in Minnesota could have been exponentially worse. Churches need to be prepared," he said.
The call for heightened security is, for these pastors, a symptom of a deeper cultural crisis.
Graham, who recently warned that the ongoing violence in the streets of Minneapolis is a sign that America is "in trouble," has urged believers to unite in prayer and repentance for the nation.
"We need to pray to the God of Heaven for wisdom as to how He can use us as light in the darkness and confusion around us," he told Fox News Digital. "The need for prayer and repentance is ongoing, and I hope people across this country will continue to call out to Him for help."
"We should pray for wisdom and discernment as well as peace in our land," Chappell also said. "Pastors also have a responsibility to communicate clearly with their congregations — to help them understand the realities of living in a fallen world… As Christians, we should also be available to talk with and witness to those who are genuinely searching for the truth."