Arrests & Assaults

As many of you know, Dearborn was the site of another large demonstration last night. Twenty-two people were reportedly arrested, and national coverage once again brought widespread attention to our city. This was the latest and largest in a series of escalating conflicts here.

I attended and personally witnessed violence and roughly half a dozen arrests. Some people were peacefully preaching Christ and having gospel conversations amid the chaos. Much of what I heard, witnessed, and recorded, however, is not appropriate to share publicly.

Provocateur Jake Lang was at the center of the confrontation. I was nearby when he was escorted away. As he drove off, he tore pages from a Quran, prompting much of the crowd to pursue him. The arrests I witnessed involved young Arab Muslims who appeared to be local to Dearborn.

I cannot support Lang’s rhetoric or tactics. Although he acts in the name of Christ and under the banner of the cross, his message is often mixed with racist, violent, and insulting rhetoric that does not represent the Christ we proclaim.

At the same time, we cannot dismiss every concern bringing people to Dearborn. There are real dangers associated with radical forms of Islam that promote violence and hatred toward Americans and Christians.

This places local Christians in a difficult position. We want to love our Muslim neighbors and push back against hatred and misrepresentations of our community. We have been free to preach the gospel and welcomed by many Muslims. Our first priority as missionaries remains proclaiming the gospel through constructive conversations about Christ, both publicly and privately.

As residents, however, we also share concerns about immigration, extremism, and violence. Angry outsiders entering our community, especially while presenting their antagonism as Christianity, also do not help our gospel work.

I do not support or encourage Quran burning and deliberately provocative behavior. Nevertheless, I support the First Amendment right to engage in these forms of protest. The violent response to such actions, and what might happen without police intervention, raises more serious concerns. People have been attacked, and someone could easily be killed. This is sobering for those of us who publicly challenge Islam through gospel ministry.

I am grateful to Dearborn’s city leadership for protecting freedom of speech, even for those who are antagonistic and offensive. I also thank the Dearborn police and other agencies that worked overtime to keep the demonstration as peaceful as possible.

These events confirm what we understood when we came here five years ago: Dearborn is a unique place at a unique moment, a crucible of religious liberty, a test of the challenges surrounding immigration, and a front line in the tension between Christianity and Islam.

That is why we are here: to offer a positive presence and shine the light of the gospel.

I intend to share more of my thoughts on these issues in future articles and newsletters. I am also praying for wisdom to know the right way and time to engage with our City Council and mayor about these concerns.

Please pray that we will address the challenges within our culture while representing Christ in a genuinely Christlike way. Pray also that God would bring good from this attention and give us wisdom, courage, and grace in the conversations ahead.

Thank you for your prayers and continued support.

The visible religious devotion surrounding events such as the Ashura procession also demonstrates the importance of clearly explaining who Jesus is and what the gospel means. One of our largest current outreach projects is the 2026 Christ Is Conference, centered on the theme: Christ Is the Gospel

This year’s conference examines the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Paul concerning the identity of the Gospel. These sessions are especially designed to communicate clearly with Muslims, skeptics, and others who may be familiar with religious terminology but do not yet understand the gospel.

Please pray that these messages will be watched and shared throughout Dearborn and beyond, and that Muslims will seriously consider the claims of Christ presented in the Scriptures.

The livestream format allows these messages to reach far beyond the walls of our church. We are especially praying that Christians will share the sessions with Muslim friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors who may be willing to watch a video even if they are not yet ready to attend a Christian service. The sessions will remain available after their original broadcasts, making them useful resources for churches, missionaries, and personal gospel conversations.

You can watch, follow, and share the conference through the following pages:

YouTube: youtube.com/@christisconference
Facebook: facebook.com/christisconference
Conference Information: christis.co

The online series will lead into three special nights of in-person meetings in the Dearborn area on August 26–28 at 6:30 p.m. We are praying that the livestreams will create interest, answer questions, and encourage people to attend the concluding meetings personally.

We are also preparing for the upcoming release of an important new book by Michael Germi. Michael was born in Iran and raised in a devout Shia Muslim family. He practiced the teachings and traditions of Islam before eventually placing his faith in Jesus Christ. Today, he uses his background and knowledge of Islam to proclaim the gospel and help Christians better understand the beliefs of their Muslim neighbors.

In Investigating Islam, Michael examines the historical, theological, textual, and scientific claims of Islam and compares them with the testimony of the Bible. The book addresses difficult questions carefully and directly while continually pointing readers toward the truth of Jesus Christ.

This is an evangelistic and apologetic resource designed to help believers speak with greater knowledge, confidence, and compassion. The book will be especially useful for:

We have been working with Michael to prepare the manuscript, illustrations, interior design, and supporting resources for publication. We are excited to see this project nearing completion and believe it can become a valuable tool for gospel ministry in Dearborn and around the world. You can pre-order on Kindle now.

“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ.”
—Colossians 4:3