Where To Go From Here

In times of such as these, the church is called to embody radical solidarity. Across history, faithful communities have sheltered the persecuted, spoken truth to power, and stood up to unjust laws in service to God’s justice. Today, as individuals face legal and political persecution from the current administration, churches must walk alongside them, drawing from those who have come before.

Though legal sanctuary has been revoked and many federally funded aid organizations have been defunded, the call to protect the vulnerable remains. The church must reclaim its role as a sanctuary in the deepest sense, providing physical refuge, legal aid, and spiritual accompaniment.

In the past, Christian movements provided sanctuary to those facing persecution. They offer us lessons for today. 

1. Decentralized Aid Networks – Instead of relying on a single church or organization, networks of faith communities must work together to provide aid to those facing persecution.

2. Documentation – Churches facilitated those facing persecution with obtaining important documents needed.

3. Food and Resource Distribution – Build networks to secure and distribute food and aid to those in need. This is crucial when formal aid is unavailable.

4. Communications – Their communications were surprisingly discreet. This allowed them to continue their work. Co

5. Moral and Spiritual Sustenance – In a time of fear, the church provided resilience through prayer, scripture, and pastoral care, sustaining those facing persecution and the members of the community. Favoring small local gatherings facilitated privacy.

6. Continue Education and Training- When education and training transitions, it is important for the community to maintain standards. This is true for both religion and other important areas.

Actions We Can Take

1. Build A Network 

With official sanctuary revoked, churches must build informal, distributed networks of churches to support those facing persecution. This includes: Coordinating with other congregations to promote solidarity. Establishing a network that can provide aid. Training people in rapid response. Remember that it is also important to share resources within the network.

2. Legal Defense and Discretion

Members of networks must operate with careful legal strategies to protect themselves and those they aid. Consult immigration and civil rights lawyers to understand state-by-state nuances on what aid is legally protected. Avoid financial conflicts with legal restrictions. Train members in their rights when approached by law enforcement, ensuring they understand warrant requirements and how to legally decline cooperation.

3. Discreet Communication and Resource Distribution

Technology must be paired with discretion, use encrypted messaging apps for communications. Avoid centralized databases of aid recipients, paper records and unsecured digital lists make communities vulnerable. Use word-of-mouth distribution for food, shelter, and aid discretion.

4. Alternative Funding Methods

With federal funding for many aid organizations cut, churches must creatively fund their work. Organize church-run worker cooperatives to provide employment to persecuted individuals while shielding them from financial hardship. Provide aid through independent, local mutual aid networks rather than large, state-monitored charities. Establish legal defense funds.

5. Global and Ecumenical Support

Just as those who have come before have relied on international partnerships, today’s churches must build global partnerships. Work with international religious freedom organizations to amplify voices and apply diplomatic pressure. Establish connections with faith communities in states that can provide financial, legal, or sanctuary support. Coordinate with Indigenous groups, Black churches, immigrant congregations, who have experience resisting violence.

The gospel demands action. As history has shown, silence accomplishes nothing, neither does a passive theological debate. The church must decide whether it aligns with power or with God’s call to defend the oppressed.

If the church fails to stand with the persecuted, it will find itself complicit. If it acts boldly, it will join the long and faithful history of those who stood against injustice, choosing God's truth first, faithfulness over fear. The road ahead requires courage, wisdom, and sacrifice, but it is the path of the gospel, and the path of those who refuse to bow to tyranny.

The time is now. Will we stand?



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