Minneapolis Church Protest

Weekly Update – January 22nd, 2026 

The culture war seems to ramp up just a bit more with each passing day. With Woke now turning into Dark Woke, we see a progressive ideology that is not just an agenda towards righting perceived societal injustices but is now pursuing extreme measures to do so. We saw a glimpse of that this past Sunday in Minneapolis with Cities Church. Cities Church is a Southern Baptist Church that was meeting on Sunday morning when a group of Anti-Ice protestors stormed their gathering, shouted down their pastor, marched around the sanctuary yelling protests, while harassing the men, women and children who were present (You can read the full story HERE)  My first reaction was shock towards an event like this. After my initial reaction though, I wondered, “could this happen to us?” We must realize that though we have always lived and worshipped comfortably at our location, interruptions, disruptions, and even potential persecutions are not out of bounds. Therefore, how do we think about what happened in Minneapolis, and from there, how should we respond if something like this ever happened to us?

First, what happened in Minneapolis was shameless. Whether or not you agree with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and what our federal government is doing through this agency is beyond the point here. You can disagree with ICE and yet refrain from disrupting a church during its worship service. At the same time, if there is a legitimate issue with a member of a church, then there are times and places to address them. Churches are protected from these sorts of displays through the FACE act, and we should long for some sort of justice to play out for this event. If this display goes without consequence, then we can expect to see more demonstrations like this in the future. You can see a snippet of what happened on Sunday HERE.

Second, we see a clear divide in what it means to be a Christian. Protesters who stormed Cities Church on Sunday, did so because they claimed that one of their pastors is “a wolf and sheep’s clothing masquerading as a pastor.” This claim came, not based on some atrocity that he had committed or even some questionable act, but simply on the basis that he was affiliated with ICE. What is being communicated here then is that affiliation with this government agency, or even more broadly, law enforcement, is the criteria for Christianity. No longer is it the affirmation that “Jesus is Lord,” but it is activism for a political agenda. Again, this is not a stance on the proper way to handle immigration in our nation. As believers we can have disagreements and even lively discussions about how to address immigration. The issue I’m highlighting deals with what it means to be a Christian. As believers, we must hold the line that a follower of Jesus Christ is one who seeks to live in repentance towards God and through faith in Jesus Christ. No allegiance to political activism, protesting, or cause will bring salvation.

Third, how should we respond?  Here is where we must remember what our mission is as a church. Our mission is to proclaim and display the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We always talk about what our mission means in terms of ministry, but our mission also has implications for how we respond in adversity too. That means that in the face of opposition, we do not shout, push or name call.  Instead, we remember Jesus who, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:3). At the same time, we make known the good news of Jesus Christ and proclaim him as the only hope for the world. Practically, this looks like calmness in the face of chaos, faith instead of fear, and peace during upheaval. No matter how the world mocks, threatens, or seeks to destroy us, we must continually proclaim and display a better way. That way is through Jesus Christ.

What happened last Sunday at Cities Church provides another glimpse into the direction of our culture. It reminds us that no matter how much Christianity appears to be tolerated, when push comes to shove, “all who (truly) seek to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Therefore, we continue to take measures to protect our church, we practice caution and wisdom at all times, but ultimately, we rest in Jesus, for through his death and resurrection, he has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Serving Him with You,

Pastor Michael Nelson

Written by Pastor
Michael Nelson

Fighter Verse for the Week

"[But] to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
- 1 John 1:12-13

Announcements:

New – Valentine’s Fundraising Dinner: On Friday, February 7th at 6:00pm the youth will be hosting their 3rd annual Valentine’s Spaghetti Dinner in the Faith Center Gym. The suggested cost is $10 per person. Sign up in the hallway to join us!

New – Conn-West Elementary: Conn-West Elementary is in need of winter coats for upper elementary aged children. If you can help, feel free to drop off coats in the library.

Family Discipleship Guides: These guides are designed to help equip parents further engage with what our children and youth are learning. You can find a guide for AWANA, HERE and for our Youth, HERE.

Women’s Bible Study: This will be a 10-week study of Joshua by Jen Wilkin. Morning and evening sessions will be held on Tuesdays, beginning on February 17th. Details are on the bulletin board.

New Equip Class: Starting on January 11th at 9:15am, there will be a new class called Habits of the Household beginning. In Habits of the Household, we will discover simple practices that we can implement around our daily routines and seemingly mundane moments that will lead to a lifetime of growing closer to God—both for parents and their children. Go HERE for more information about this study.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering: We have officially reached our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal! Thank you for giving to international missions. If you have not given yet and would still like to, you can do so through one of our offering boxes located in the foyer or the welcome center. Just mark your envelop as “missions” or “Lottie Moon.” You can also give online HERE. Choose “missions” under the Fund tab. You can find more information about this offering HERE.

Building Remodel: We have officially kicked off our fundraiser! There are commitment cards available in the sanctuary as well as in the welcome center. Feel free to pick up one and return it to one an available basket. If you would like to give a one time or a reoccurring gift, you can do so HERE and select “building remodel.” You can also give through one of the offering boxes at church. Be sure to mark your envelop, “building remodel.” Check out a video highlighting the work done so far.

Men’s Study: On the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, from 8:00-9:15pm, the church hosts a men’s study through the book, The Measure of a Man. See Clint Blankenship for more information.

Food Pantry: The food pantry is currently in need of some food items. For a complete list of food pantry needs, click HERE.

Awana Bible Club

Awana Clubs are held on Wednesdays throughout the school year. Dinner is at 6:00pm with Awana Clubs starting at 6:30pm. Children can be registered HERE.

Equipping Hour

We have three classes held at 9:15am on Sunday mornings. “Habits of the Household” meets in the Sanctuary, a study in Hebrews in the Fellowship Hall, and a Ladies’ class studying the Old Testament meets in the classroom next to the nursery. You can find more information HERE.

Giving

To Give Online, Go HERE. 

You can also mail your offering to: 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. 64030

Home Groups

Home Groups typically meet on the first and third Sunday of each month. Please contact Pastor Michael if you would like to join a Home Group. You can find more information HERE.

Prayer

An updated Prayer Guide can be accessed HERE.

Prepare for Sunday

Guide for Worship can be found HERE.