A Regular Pastor’s Response to The Cities Church “Protest”

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This article was written by Pastor Nick Carraway, January 19, 2026

On Sunday January 18, a group of anti-ICE protestors invaded a house of worship (Cities Church) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Several helpful responses were posted on Monday January 19th. These include the following:

It’s helpful for big names like those above to speak out on issues like this one. It’s also helpful to hear from “regular pastors” – men who serve in the trenches in local church ministry. Pastor Nick Carraway leads Belmont Baptist Church in Odessa, Texas. In addition to serving as a pastor, he has served overseas as a missionary and worked with persecuted Christians around the world. His thoughts are helpful.

Dear Friends,

After watching multiple videos of the aggressive disruption of the worship service at Cities Church (SBC) in Minneapolis over the weekend, I wanted to respond. It is my hope that the thoughts below will help clarify your thinking in these difficult days. 

  1. It is right for a government to enforce its borders. As someone who has spent much of his adult life overseas for the sake of global mission (living in three different countries and traveling to approximately thirty more), I have profound respect for the right of every country to enforce its own borders. There is no functioning country which does not control access to its interior. Countries without borders or the ability to enforce them are comparable to buildings without functioning doors or windows. It is impossible for such a structure to safely house a family, and thus impossible for that structure to form the basis of a flourishing society. It can appear unpleasant to see the law enforced; but the just enforcement of good laws is at the center of what the government is biblically supposed to do (Romans 13:1-4). The anger directed at the US government and ICE agents over enforcing existing immigration law is rebellious and unchristian (1 Peter 2:13-14). It is also part of a larger strategy on the left to make enforcing the law so costly that eventually the government will capitulate. This would be disastrous for our country. 
  2. This was persecution. It is no coincidence whatsoever that a large group of combative, anti-ICE activists chose to forcibly disrupt a Christian worship service on the Lord’s Day. Let us state the obvious; the activists did not target a mosque, a synagogue, or a Mormon ward. Instead, they took square aim at the House of the Living God and did so in the most public and disruptive way possible. This was not constitutionally-protected protest. It was anti-Christian persecution. In many countries where Christians are persecuted, they are not persecuted with overt physical violence or by uniformed government agents. Instead, the public witness of these Christians is slowly strangled by outside pressure so that they will modify their behavior to avoid conflict. In countries like this, Christians are fired from their jobs, banned from universities, and harassed by society (Yes, often in their worship services). Over time, “low-level” persecution like this can compel Christians to entirely cease their public witness for Christ. I am convinced that this Sunday’s hostile and live-streamed disruption of a Christian worship service by leftist activists was an attempt at intimidating Christians into silence on the political and cultural issues of our day. This effort must not be allowed to succeed. 
  3. God’s people must be vigilant and yet hopeful. The events of this past Sunday would be unthinkable in America just twenty years ago. The polarization of our culture, the radicalization of the left, and the increasing distance of the average American from Christian truth means that the Church must continue its mission in a culture which is becoming steadily more hostile to the Gospel. And yet, with all of this being said, Christ is still sovereign over all, and even the hatred of our culture will ultimately work for the good of all who love him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28). Let’s understand the times and live boldly for Christ. 

Pastor Nick 

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