All evangelical Christians ought to be deeply concerned about the case of Pastor Clive Johnston.

Pastor Johnston was arrested for preaching the gospel outside Coleraine Hospital on Sunday 7th July 2024. His only offence was preaching on the fringes of the exclusion zone created by legislation passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly, which prohibits protests in the vicinity of premises where abortions are performed.

He was standing at a busy roundabout outside the hospital perimeter, on the opposite side of the road. He did not mention abortion. He was not carrying placards or engaging in protest activity. He had a Bible, a ukele and the sign of the cross. At the time of his arrest, he was simply preaching from John 3:16.

This case raises serious concerns about the growing restrictions placed upon Christian witness in our society. These so-called “safe zones” are, in reality, becoming Christian exclusion zones, where the open proclamation of the gospel is treated as a criminal offence.

Pastor Johnston is a retired servant of God, seventy-seven years of age. He now faces the possibility of thousands of pounds in fines and a criminal record if found guilty. His only “crime” is preaching the gospel. He rightly maintains that there should be no no-go areas for the gospel.

Should we be concerned that our freedoms are being threatened in this way? Absolutely.

Please pray for Pastor Johnston and for the team at The Christian Institute, who are on the front line of this important battle for gospel freedom.

“Yesterday in court the prosecutors argued that Christian freedom to conduct a church service was legal everywhere EXCEPT inside an exclusion zone. This is an extraordinary argument which highlights that would once freedom is curtailed the domino effect can be potentially catastrophic. The Judge has deferred judgement until 7th May at 10am when the verdict will be given in writing. Please pray for the preservation of our gospel freedoms.