When we hear of someone receiving a "disorderly conduct" citation, we typically think of wild parties, violent shouting matches or pushing and shoving. But in all my years of ministry on Capitol Hill, we never imagined that attending a worship service at a Baptist church could be seen as "disorderly conduct."

Yet, in Gov. J.B. Pritzker's locked-down state of Illinois, acts of solemn worship have been deemed a crime and our friends at Logos Baptist Ministries and Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church were both on the receiving end of not one, but two "disorderly conduct" citations…for opening the churches for peaceful worship and devout prayer.

Gov. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot are criminalizing church attendance while expanding mass surveillance.

Our issue here is not partisan – it is our ongoing commitment at Faith & Liberty to defend and preserve our religious freedom as a fundamental and unalienable right in America.

We CANNOT ALLOW OUR GOVERNMENT TO SPY ON US OR OUR CHURCHES!

Select here to take a stand now.

Logos Baptist Ministries, a church that serves mainly Romanian immigrants in Illinois, came to our colleagues at Liberty Counsel for help along with Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church shortly after Gov. Pritzker made it clear that Illinois churches could not expect to re-open for at least 12 to 18 months.

Like Elim Romanian Pentecostal, many of the members of Logos Baptist once lived under Communist Romanian rule. They remember all too well the injustices wrought by Communist tyrants as they sought first to control, then to eliminate Christian churches.... including using heavy-handed tactics like pressuring citizens to turn on neighbors and report stubborn worshippers to government authorities. That is exactly what Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot are trying to do now.

Gov. Pritzker announced that Illinois churches will remain largely shut down until, among other things, a proper mass surveillance system is put in place to "monitor" citizens – a process the Governor says may take 12 – 18 months, hopefully by the time a vaccine is widely available.

In the meantime, Gov. Pritzker is calling on citizens to report anyone who dares defy his unconstitutional orders, asking them to call the police or "311" until an automated mass surveillance system can be implemented.

And Mayor Lightfoot is doing her part by repeatedly declaring that every "report" will be investigated and fines of up to $10,000 per incident may be leveled against the "offender."

Meanwhile, Gov. Pritzker has banned all church services of 10 people or more, no matter what social distancing and sanitizing services the church has implemented and regardless of the size of the building. While Home Depot and Walmart can have hundreds of people in their buildings, churches may not. The 10-person limit is both ridiculous and unconstitutional!

This past weekend in Chicago, police towed the cars of residents who surround Elim Romanian Pentecostal in an apparent effort to raise hatred against the church and to punish area residents who might support the church. But the church does not use the street parking. Police then blocked the entrances of the church's privately contracted parking lot. And Logos received "disorderly conduct" citations.

The courageous Romanian Christians in Chicago will not cower in the face of Gov. Pritzker's intimidating warnings and tyrannical actions. These churches are standing fast on the Word of the Lord, and their Constitutional right to freedom of religion!

But other American citizens need to fight for our rights, as well. We cannot allow the growth of a rapidly developing police state that spies on its citizens' every move and eliminates our Constitutional freedom.

WE CANNOT ALLOW OUR GOVERNMENT TO SPY ON US OR OUR CHURCHES!

Select here to take a stand now.

Tyranny almost always attacks churches first, then turns to mass surveillance as its preferred method of intimidation and control. Punitive enforcement always follows and grows more draconian when citizens fail to push back. This is America and we cannot allow this disastrous progression to continue!

Please, take a stand NOW and tell our elected officials we will NOT tolerate mass surveillance, citizen spying and the destruction of our unalienable, God-given, constitutionally protected rights!

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

Your Missionaries to Capitol Hill,

Peggy Nienaber, Vice-President
Mat Staver, Chairman
Rev. Gregory Cox, Lead Missionary

P.S. As you know, Faith & Liberty is in Washington, DC, to challenge the hearts and minds of our nation’s public policy makers with the TRUTHS of the Gospel. Every day we strive to bring the Word of God to bear on our nation’s leaders and remind them of our accountability to God. Our efforts are ONLY possible because of the investments friends like you make in this unique prophetic outreach to all three branches of government. Please make the most generous contribution today to Faith & Liberty as together we are making a difference.