Protesters disrupted the church service of Cities Church in St. Paul because they believe the pastor is the head of the local ICE field office, reported AFN. They shouted “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” and the disruption was caught on video by former CCN host Don Lemon, who appeared to be an active participant.
According to Associated Press, three arrests have been made following the religious harassment, including Nekima Levy Armstrong. She is a civil rights attorney and a prominent activist in the area, who cited that the pastor’s alleged ICE affiliation is a “fundamental moral conflict.”
At least two of the arrested have been charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE), media reports show. Though it was most often associated with disturbances at abortion clinics under former President Joe Biden, the FACE Act also probits obstructing, threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a person “seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship.” It is unclear if the other protestors will be charged in the same manner.
Tim Miller is a president and founder of Lionheart International Services Group and a former secret service special agent. He spoke with Tony Perkins on Washington Watch about security in the church, first pointing to the Word of God.
“Paul talks about it in Second Timothy, chapter three, that in the last days there will be terrible, difficult times. The Greek word is chalepos meaning dangerous, threatening, fierce, and savage,” states Miller.
He points out that what happened in Minnesota has been happening for several years as boundaries continue to be crossed. Churches used to avoid being the focus of violence, but that is changing.
“I think wisdom tells us that we must be ready as the body of Christ. We believe that the church is the hope of the of the world and the nation, and we need it to be safe because we believe God's Word,” says Miller. “And that takes action.”
He explains that security is proactive, identifying and stopping threats before they strike. The old model of security, or the “grandparent’s model,” of an individual attending church while “carrying” a firearm does not count as security anymore. He says that churches need to recognize the shift and do three things as believers of God’s Word.
“First, we need to pray like we've never prayed. We need to ask God for protection. The second is we need to plan. There needs to be a carefully written out plan that identifies everything from what we are doing in a fire to what do we do for the things that are going to happen. Then the third is practice,” says Miller.
He says that practicing is key to success, and he encourages pastors to be on guard. As he puts it, a ministry-based security program is equipped to help those who are hurting when they come to the church, but it only works with a lot of planning, practicing and prayer.
Miller says that he is frustrated when he looks at what happened in Minnesota.
“If you were able to identify them outside, to identify their intentions, and have a lockdown plan, then you might have been able to stop them from entering the sanctuary. I led one of the largest churches in America's security effort. We had this very thing happen – protesters outside – but because we had a plan, practice and trained teams, we stopped it,” says Miller.
Must keep the evil out
Most Christians see the need for security in the church, especially to prevent the intimidation and chaos seen in Minnesota. It’s not about creating an armed fortress, but rather a place where people can feel safe to worship and pray before the Lord.
Miller emphasizes that Christians cannot let evil come into the sanctuary.
“When I ran large security teams, we started with how do you pray with people? How do you recognize mental illness? What do you do if there's a domestic issue?” asks Miller.
He says that people focus on violence, and there should be a plan for that. However, a multi-layered security ministry should be first and foremost.
“A security ministry in the church is what enables you to support the mission, and now we're all on one team. We train staff and everyone how to respond in a crisis because when it happens, you have seconds to respond,” says Miller.
