This article is part 1 in our series on religious freedom in America.

Imagine a Jesus march and worship service permit being denied in Chicago while, at the same time, a massive Muslim march was permitted, even as they shouted horrific, violent things (verses from the Quran) about infidels, Jews, and Christians, all of which was broadcast over loudspeakers. 

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The Jesus march went on, with the leader undeterred by the permit denial. However, the two marches intersected at one point in a holy confrontation. Picture that for a moment, if you will. 

Sean Feucht and his “Let Us Worship” movement experienced just that approximately three weeks ago. 

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What an image to see: Christians marching peacefully, sharing the gospel message of salvation, love, and grace, in stark contrast to Muslims shouting hateful, violent verses from the Quran against these peace-loving Christians. Meanwhile, the police stood guard around the Muslims as if they somehow needed protection, which seems to be a veritable paradox. 

This is not the first time Sean Feucht has been denied permits to hold his worship services in various cities across this land. In July, he was denied a permit in Philadelphia.  

Another stunning example of how Muslims are being given deference over Christians is occurring in Dearborn. Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, senior pastor of 180 Church in Detroit and the pastor who prayed boldly and passionately at President Trump’s inauguration, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, “Right now, the city officials in Dearborn specifically, they are giving Muslims preferential treatment.” 

Rev. Sewell went on to say that he has witnessed police enforcing the law against Black individuals for traffic violations, shoplifting, and other misdemeanors. He also expressed his concern that when someone is assaulted, and the police look the other way because the incident occurs within the Muslim community, it is clearly indicative of a two-tiered justice system. This, he argues, is an example of how the city council in Dearborn has upheld Sharia law rather than renouncing it. 

A video of Rev. Sewell vehemently pushing back against the institution of Sharia law at a City Council meeting in Dearborn has gone viral. One of his statements in the video includes, “America, we have lost this city. This is a city that is no longer under American laws; we are under Sharia law. We will not have it anymore.” 

Another example of Sharia law in America, as explained by Rev. Sewell, is the right to sacrifice animals in the city of Hamtramck. In addition, halal meat is now being served in public schools there. 

This is happening while school prayer and Bible reading have been banned and decried by those opposed to them, deemed as violations of the Establishment Clause and the wrongful application of the concept of “separation of church and state.” 

Rev. Sewell also shared how his wife had her life threatened. He and his wife provided the man’s name, phone number, and address to the authorities, but Rev. Sewell reported that the police lieutenant did nothing about it. He cited this as yet another example of what he views as a two-tiered justice system. 

Since his viral video, he reported that Christians have come out en masse expressing their fear. Imagine being afraid to talk about Jesus Christ in a Christian nation.  

The police of Dearborn are, of course, denying Rev. Sewell’s claims and are stating that Dearborn is governed by the U.S. Constitution.  

Then you have the Palo Alto School District in California who took students to a Mosque where students were encouraged to don Islamic religious attire, given Qurans to take home, and observed a midday prayer service. Can you even imagine if this was attempted by taking students to a Christian service during school hours? 

The call to prayer is yet another alarming example of Sharia law and the preferential treatment given to Muslims over Christians. Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dearborn and Hamtramck, Michigan; Paterson, New Jersey; and New York City all legally allow mosques to publicly amplify the Islamic call to prayer (adhan) via loudspeakers. 

These stories should trouble every believer in Christ. America is a Christian nation not an Islamic nation and it’s time that we start behaving as such. We are witnessing more and more events just like those discussed in this article and the Islamic invasion must be stopped. 

Our rights come from God. Our Founding Fathers knew it, proclaimed it, and it is clearly reflected in the U.S. Constitution. 

Before the U.S. Constitution, there was the Abrahamic covenant which was influential in the framing of the Constitution. In Genesis 12:1-3 it says, “Get out of your country, from your family, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  

Abraham was faithful to the Lord’s commands. He was given a maddening test by the Lord: to sacrifice his one and only son. Of course, we see that Isaac was spared, and the Lord provided the sacrifice—a profound foreshadowing of what was to come, with Jesus becoming the sacrificial Lamb and laying down His life for us. Because of Abraham’s obedience, the covenant was expanded. 

“Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:15-18) 

In the masterful book Impacting Generations, David Kubal articulates that the blessings promised were for Abraham’s descendants (that’s us) and to make a great nation. The Lord covenanted with Abraham to align Himself with Abraham and his descendants in both blessings and curses. Kubal goes on to explain that the Abrahamic Covenant continues to be fulfilled as an ongoing covenant. It is both being fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled. 

He explains that this covenant is a governmental mandate given to us centuries ago. We are to possess the gates of our enemies, bless all nations, and impact generations.  

Kubal further explains that this spiritual possessing of the enemy’s gates comes through ideological influence over the policies of communities, cities, states, and nations. It is not violent, though it may sound as such. It is the ultimate form of spiritual warfare, but it does involve governmental involvement and work. As stated so eloquently in the book, “We are not mere spectators but active participants in the unfolding of this promise.” 

These concepts are why churches that refuse to step into their role of spiritual authority and challenge cultural evils are committing an absolute abdication of their responsibility to shape culture rather than be shaped by it. This is a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant. 

The Declaration of Independence lays out our inalienable rights, given to us by God alone. The first freedom—the freedom for which men and women died to secure and then protect—is religious liberty. Yet here we are in 2026, the year of the 250th anniversary of our beloved nation, facing the theft and violation of our religious freedom. 

How did we get here? Stay tuned for Part Two of this series, which will explore this concept. 

Please pray that every Christian and every church awakens to their God-given rights and liberties and stands with courage and boldness in the face of their violation. Pray that we rally together in prayer against these violations and stand firmly against them. 

Pray that we do not back down, that we exercise our religious freedom unfettered, and that our governmental leaders, judicial system, and law enforcement uphold our constitutional rights as written and intended. 

How are you praying about this issue? Share your scriptures and prayers in the comments below.

April Walker loves God and seeks to serve Him in all she does. She is a proud mom of a 20-year old son, a PA State Co-leader for IFA, a former School Board Director, an organizer for NDOP and ASHP events, a GOP Committee member for Carbon County, an Occupational Therapist, and a vocalist. She feels that writing for and working with IFA brings all her passions together. Photo Credit: vicm from Getty Images Signature / Canva Pro.