Retired Pastor Clive Johnston plans to file an appeal after he was convicted in Northern Ireland for preaching John 3:16 outside the buffer zone of a local hospital. Johnston, 78, was fined $604 and convicted of two charges of “influencing” people on abortion under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act while standing within 328 feet of Causeway Hospital during an open-air service in 2024, despite his sermon not mentioning abortion, The Christian Post reported. Speaking on the ruling, Johnston says it “sets a deeply troubling precedent” and plans to appeal. “I was not protesting abortion. I was peacefully preaching the Gospel, reading from the Bible, and pointing people to the hope found in Jesus Christ,” he said.
“If this conviction is allowed to stand, it will signal that basic Christian witness and public expressions of faith can be criminalized simply because they take place in the wrong location,” Johnston added.
“That should concern every person who values freedom of religion and freedom of expression, regardless of their views on abortion.” The Christian Institute, which is supporting Johnston’s case, cautioned that the ruling warned that the ruling poses a “serious threat” to freedom of religion and freedom of speech across the U.K. “This case was never about harassment or intimidation — nobody has alleged Clive Johnston engaged in anything close to this form of behavior. It is about whether the state can criminalize the peaceful expression of Christian faith in a public place under abortion buffer zone laws,” said The Christian Institute’s Simon Calvert in a statement.
Source: Pastor Convicted for Preaching John 3:16 Outside Hospital – Milton Quintanilla | Crosswalk.com
Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
Psalm 73:25
How to Prepare for Christ’s Return Amid Global Turmoil
The world is searching for answers as fear, confusion, wars, disasters, and moral darkness continue to increase. But long before today’s headlines, Jesus warned humanity that these things…
Keep reading
Come to Me: Finding Rest in Jesus When Life Feels Heavy
You are not defined by the weight you carry. The One who bore the cross now offers His strength in exchange for your weariness. “Come to me, all…
Keep reading
Wanda the therapy donkey brings joy to Pennsylvania seniors: “She’s like Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid’”
She spent her first 12 years in the wild, wandering through Arizona, but after being adopted by Kelsey Parisi last year, Wanda the donkey acclimated to life on…
Keep reading
Trump says he’s struck deal to give U.S. “permanent control over security” in Greenland
President Trump said Friday he has struck a deal to give the United States “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland,” following a push by…
Keep reading
Between Sacramento and Davis, nearly 250,000 bats take flight each night beneath the Yolo Causeway
You may have driven over the Yolo Causeway between West Sacramento and Davis countless times, but there is more than just traffic on the bridge. The NorCal Bat…
Keep reading
Maryland State Police intern helps rescue injured bald eagle from roadway
A Maryland State Police intern found himself on an incredible, unexpected assignment this week. The department posted two photos on social media Friday, showing Centreville Barrack intern Jackson…
Keep reading
Proverbs 21:23
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. This verse emphasizes that people who carefully watch what they say will protect themselves from serious…
Keep reading
Slow to Speak: The Secret to Wise Reactions
Talk less, listen more, because wisdom speaks after it understands, not before. If you want stronger relationships and real influence, master this: control your tongue, calm your anger,…
Keep reading
F-16 fighter jet crashes in residential area in northern Michigan
A U.S. F-16 fighter jet pilot safely ejected before the aircraft crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday afternoon, officials said. The incident occurred in Grand Traverse County when…
Keep reading
Serving Like Jesus: Redefining Leadership in Faith
Real leadership isn’t about power, it’s about serving like Jesus, even when it costs your pride. If you want to live out authentic Christian faith, start by lowering…
Keep reading
The Power of Surrender: Embracing God’s Will
Jesus teaches us to trust God’s plan, even when it’s painful. Surrendering our will allows God to work in ways we cannot understand. Bible Verse:“Father, if you are…
Keep reading
Psalm 5:8
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. In the verse David is praying in the morning while people…
Keep reading
Colorado Parks and Wildlife relocates mountain lion spotted in neighborhood tree
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers were called to investigate a mountain lion that had decided to climb a tree in Westminster on Tuesday and hang out for a…
Keep reading
Firefighters reunite with dog they rescued from Pasadena house fire
A Pasadena family’s dog reunited with his rescuers, who pulled him out of a house fire that nearly killed him last week. Owner Fernando said he was out…
Keep reading
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says bears attacked teen inside condo and woman at campground
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating two bear attacks over the weekend that left a woman and a teen injured. The first incident happened at the Rio Grande…
Keep reading
Bear calls rise around Lake Tahoe as California, Nevada take different approaches
Bear-related calls are on the rise around the Lake Tahoe region, with South Lake Tahoe police reporting 174 calls so far this year, compared with 97 during the…
Keep reading
3 bear cubs break into man’s San Bernardino County mountain cabin
A man had a close encounter with a trio of bears that broke into his cabin in the San Bernardino County mountains. After hearing his little, old hard-of-hearing…
Keep reading
Climber rescued at California’s Mount Shasta after crawling to shelter overnight
A Mount Shasta climber was airlifted to a hospital after sliding about 500 feet down the mountain, injuring himself and then crawling through the night to reach shelter.…
Keep reading
More evacuations lifted as containment grows on Lucas Fire in Northern California
A growing number of residents in two Northern California counties have been allowed to return home as firefighters increased containment on the Lucas Fire burning near the Mendocino…
Keep reading
3 dead after NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashes near site of deadly bus crash in Chatsworth
Three people were killed when an NBC Los Angeles helicopter crashed in the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday night near the scene of a deadly Metro bus crash…
Keep reading
Finding Strength in God’s Presence Amidst Chaos
When taking the next step you are never alone. Bible Verse:And the Lord who is your leader, he himself will be with thee: he will not leave thee,…
Keep reading
Police in Algeria Arrest 12 Christians during Worship
Special force police in Algeria raided a worship service at a humanitarian shelter on Sept. 4, arresting all 12 Christians present on suspicion of holding an unauthorized, non-Muslim…
Keep reading
Mother injured after fighting off coyote that attacked 4-year-old daughter
An Arizona mother is recovering after she was attacked by a coyote that initially went after her 4-year-old daughter, reports AZFamily. Brittany Cardinal of Surprise, Arizona, was left…
Keep reading
Muslim Shoots Christian Woman to Death in Pakistan
A married, 21-year-old Christian woman was shot dead inside her home in Rawalpindi last week by a Muslim neighbor whose advances she had rejected, reflecting an attitude among…
Keep reading
Maryland boy recovering from surgeries after rabid beaver attack at state park
A 13-year-old Maryland boy is reported to be recovering from multiple surgeries and nerve damage after being attacked by a rabid beaver. The teen, Dominick Cebula, was swimming…
Keep reading
Christian Teen Beaten for Protecting Women in Pakistan
A 17-year-old Christian man named Ikhlaq Masih was severely beaten by a mob in Nasrat Colony, a town in Ajnianwala, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, where many Christians reside. Masih works making…
Keep reading
Bahraich leopard attacks: boy killed, girl injured as floods push animals into villages
A nine-year-old boy was killed and a three-year-old girl was injured in two separate leopard attacks in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, forest officials said on Tuesday. The officials…
Keep reading
Embrace Faith: God’s Help in Life’s Challenges
You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need. Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty…
Keep reading
Embracing Grace: Overcoming Past Mistakes
You may feel like your past disqualifies you, but God specializes in rewriting broken stories. No failure is stronger than His mercy, and no sin is beyond His…
Keep reading
Understanding Bible Prophecy: God’s Sovereign Timeline
The God who created time is not controlled by time, He rules over it. Every prophecy fulfilled is proof that history is not random, but written by the…
Keep readingSomething went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
You must be logged in to post a comment.