The Shameful Protest that Disrupted a Church Gathering

As many of you know by now, this past Sunday anti-ICE protestors infiltrated a Baptist Church's worship service in Minneapolis and shut it down in protest, yelling and screaming at worshippers, including children. The church members, especially the lead pastor, responded with grace and grit. We know that this is sadly more common in other places in the world. But it is illegal here and tears at the very fabric of what it means to live in a free society.

This was not an exercise of 1st Amendment rights (which do not extend to private property, do not allow you to infringe on others' 1st Amendment rights of worship, and only relates to government action to curtail speech). It was a criminal act that the State should vigorously prosecute to tamp down the idea that that is acceptable. And thankfully, even though the wicked leaders of Minnesota have seemingly turned a blind eye, Federal authorities are pursuing charges. As Christians we are a rule of law people, knowing that when that is eroded we end up in a Judges type situation. Even as we pray that those who are prosecuted come to repentance, we can be grateful that the State used its power to protect good and punish wrongdoing (see Romans 13).

Cities church is a church very much like ours in practice and beliefs. Living in South Carolina we are somewhat distant from the chaos that has emerged in Minnesota, but we would do well to pray for Cities Church and to watch how they and others respond in case we ever find ourselves in a similar situation. I am grateful for our safety team and I pray that I and you would respond with the same grace Cities Church did.

Below are some things the church posted to help us think through this event wisely.

Here is a statement from the leaders of Cities Church which is wonderfully biblical, firm, gracious, and balanced:

Jesus is real. When we gather on Sunday mornings to worship him, we are gladly giving ourselves to what is most central and sacred in our life together. "We worship Jesus" stretches as the main banner of our church, alongside two other pursuits that flow from it: loving one another and seeking the good of the Twin Cities. On Sunday, January 18, a group of agitators jarringly disrupted our worship gathering. They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat. Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated. Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus - or any other act of worship - is protected by neither the
Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation.

We welcome respectful dialogue about present issues, and about how the realness of Jesus, as revealed in the Bible, provides the only final answers to the world's most
complex and intractable problems. Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, lived, died, and rose again for the rescue of all who put their faith in him. He offers a love that transcends cultures, borders, policies, and politics. As those who have been loved and rescued by him, we will not shrink from worshiping Jesus, nor will we stop "teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah" (Acts 5:42). Church buildings are meant to be places of peace and solace, where worshipers can hear and live out this message. We therefore call on local, state, and national leaders to protect this fundamental right. We
are evaluating next steps with our legal counsel.

Here is what they wrote on how they would address the event with their children who witnessed the vile language and harassment of the protestors:

Yesterday morning, I gathered my wife and children to hear from God. We opened to 1 Peter 4:12, and I read: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. …
I told them all of this is a trial, and we are tempted to be surprised. But, what does God say in verse 13? But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

I asked my children if they were insulted on Sunday, and they said “Yes” — remembering too well the slurs hurled in our sanctuary, name-calling I will not repeat, especially not in print. But then I asked them if the Spirit of God rested upon us, and if that wonder alone is the blessing that helps us reinterpret the insults. They recalled, in an instant, our church’s response, the hugs and tears and palpable unity. Our love for one another truly shone through.

“If anyone suffers as a Christian,” the apostle Peter continues — not a murderer, thief, evildoer, or meddler, but a Christian — “let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (verse 16). “This is for God’s glory,” I told them, “in the way of Jesus.”
And then I took a small toy from the floor beside me. I held it up and asked, “What does it mean if I entrust this to Mom?” An older sibling spoke up, “It means to let her hold it.” My wife then stuck out her hand, and as I placed the toy in her palm, she closed her fingers into a grip. Firm. Secure.  

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. “God has our souls like that,” I said. He holds us while we keep doing good.
Jesus has given us a mission, and it is for the everlasting good of these Twin Cities. His word is the lamp to our feet and the light for our path, and anchored in its truth, I want to encourage you the same way I did them, for all of us and our children:
Rejoice in the trial. See God’s blessing. Keep doing good.