CHICAGO—The pastor of a Chicago church said multiple police cars and a government representative showed up at his church on Sunday demanding services end.
Pastor Courtney Lewis of Cornerstone Baptist Church told Todd Starnes on his eponymous radio show that he was in the middle of church services when someone began to bang loudly on the front doors. Outside, he said, were three police cars, two unmarked cars, and a representative from Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office. Lewis told Starnes it was “like the Soviet-style KGB.”
“The only thing she hasn’t done yet is beat the doors down and arrest our members,” Lewis added.
The pastor went on to say that church members were told it was protocol not to open the doors and that police were denied entry.
“Thankfully our doors were locked as a normal safety precaution we take each service to protect our members from the escalating gun violence in Chicago,” Lewis told Starnes.
An usher outside the church reportedly saw the mayor’s representative try to force their way into the building. They didn’t get in but began taking pictures outside. Someone in one of the unmarked cars allegedly began filming and taking pictures of attendees arriving for services.
“The mayor wants to educate everyone into compliance – which means intimidate,” Lewis said.
After the incident, Lewis wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney John Lausch to complain about what happened and ask for assistance, saying Lightfoot “is defiant of the U.S. Constitution and our freedom to worship” and “has a history of defying the law.”
“She is one of few former US Prosecutors in the US to be censured by the 7th Circuit Judge Rovner and the entire 7th Circuit Court of Appeals for defying their order,” he noted.
Lewis then outlined how his church “has gone out of its way to follow CDC Guidelines,” including “having online services, outdoor services, and practicing all social distancing requirements.”
“We are even taking members temperatures on the way in our church doors,” he added. “We are not—at this time— allowing our elderly to attend services.”
He continued:
We are trying to follow the laws of man as much as reasonably possible but when the laws of man conflict with the laws of God I as a Pastor have a duty to follow the laws of God. We will not be intimidated by this overhanded government bully but we are requesting the assistance of our President and our justice department in correcting the grave miscarriage of the law. If it were not for a Chicago church practicing and reaching others I personally would be one of the people perpetuating the violence on the streets of Chicago as I grew up on the streets of Chicago until I was reached for Christ through a church meeting together not an online service.
As to the question whether any Seventh-day Adventist Religious Liberty departments have offered their support for Christians that are experiencing this kind of heavy-handed treatment from governors or mayors, we believe the short answer is: “No.”
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