Freedom Blocked

I believe that worship is such a key component of a vibrant Christian life.  Worship enables us to enter into the presence of God, to tell Him how much we love Him, to exalt Him for who He is and what He does.  Worship can assure us that God goes before us and is involved in fighting our battles, giving us strength and wisdom.  As Jehoshophat prepared to fight a battle, as we see in 2nd Chronicles 20 (ESV), he recognized that praise should go before the army:
20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed. ”
21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. ”
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.
23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

Sean Feucht has used the description of worship as warfare and he has seen God's people unite in worship in a variety of venues, calling up on the power and presence of heaven to be in the midst of them.

And, he had made plans to tour a number of cities in Canada to lead worship, only to find that doors were closed to present these events.  And, an Hispanic congregation in Montreal, Ministerios Restauración Church, according to Faithwire, "has been hit with a $2,500 fine for hosting a church service featuring Feucht, whose views on sexuality, abortion, and government overreach into religious liberty have drawn the ire of Canadian authorities."

The article goes on to say:

The stop in Montreal’s Ministerios Restauración Church was part of the Let Us Worship founder’s “Revive in 25” tour, a large cross-country, revival-style outreach that sought to bring large, outdoor praise gatherings to cities across Canada.

A spokesperson for Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante told Global News the church was informed ahead of time it did not obtain the proper permits to host a concert-style event and chose to host it anyway.

So, a Canadian church was punished to hold an event at its own church?  And, even if a permit had been applied for, would it have been granted?  So much for freedom of religion. The article went on to say:

The mayor’s representative, Philippe Massé, said Feucht’s tour “runs counter to the values of inclusion, solidarity, and respect that are championed in Montreal,” adding that, while the city views “freedom of expression” as “fundamental” to its values, “hateful and discriminatory speech is not acceptable.”

According to CTV News, six cities had worship events led by Feucht cancelled.  That article also related that:

A post by the singer on X said a free event was planned in an open field in the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet just off Highway 17.

Feucht had been scheduled to play in Gatineau on Saturday but had his permit pulled by the National Capital Commission (NCC), who cited “public safety and security” as the reason for the cancellation.

Ontario Provincial Police Const. Brianna Babin tells CTV News Ottawa it was aware of the event and that officers were patrolling the area.

Police were also in contact with the owners of Cedar Shade Campground located next to the concert site and was working with the township.

A spokesperson for the township said in an email Monday that it had not received official notice from event organizers and was not involved in the planning of the concert.

This type of intolerance is not new, and in December 2023, Leighton Grey of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy and a former Meeting House guest wrote a piece at The Clarion, in which he stated:

The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) recently released a report, funded by taxpayers, addressing anti-racism in the workplace. Surprisingly, the report labels Christmas and Easter holidays as forms of discrimination and religious intolerance.

The report goes on to say that if Canada wants to end such intolerance, the nation must understand “how it persists, in what kinds of structures or practices it shows up and how it affects people’s lives.” It naturally then targets its enemies and exalts the left’s chosen victim groups, all in the name of freedom and equality.

The report’s release comes on the heels of the Canadian Armed Forces directive prohibiting chaplains from reciting religious prayers and mentioning God during official public ceremonies, including Remembrance Day.

However, hidden beneath these seemingly well-intentioned words is an agenda that promotes division and targets certain groups, all in the name of freedom and equality.

They just don't understand - those who want to inhibit religious freedom in the name of tolerance just don't have the plain old self-awareness to recognize that in their pursuit of so-called "tolerance," they are excluding Bible-believing Christians and even Canadians who just want to celebrate Christmas. And Easter.  

In America, groups that promote Christianity in the public square are labeled and vilified as "hate groups."  In a country where our Constitution is devoted to freedom of religion, an organization actually uses a phrase, "Freedom from Religion," in its name.  A meeting of civic leaders in Washington was criticized by this and other groups as promoting the vague and derogatory term, "Christian nationalism."

So, the authoritarians are out in Canada - and the U.S.  But, we must not let them intimidate us from being bold to live our lives and shine the light of Christ in public expressions of our love for Him.  In public and private spaces, we can be devoted to worship God.  As we worship individually and corporately, we can see the Lord move in powerful ways.