Detroit pastor Lorenzo Sewell says Christians in Dearborn, Michigan, are privately expressing support for his stand against the city’s leadership but remain afraid to speak publicly about their faith.
Sewell, senior pastor of 180 Church, recently made national headlines after confronting the Dearborn City Council and declaring that the Muslim-majority city was operating under Sharia law.
“Since I went viral, I’ve had Dearborn Christians come out from the north, south, east, and west, and they’re afraid,” Sewell told Fox News Digital. “Think about being in a Christian nation, being afraid to talk about Christ.”
Sewell said residents have told him, “I’m with you, but I’m afraid to say it” and “I’m with you, but I’m afraid to be by you.”
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The pastor also accused officials of giving Muslims preferential treatment and maintaining a “two-tiered justice system.”
“When someone is being assaulted and nothing happens, when someone’s being assaulted and the police choose to look the other way, you can see clearly a two-tiered justice system,” Sewell said.
He cited the Islamic call to prayer, halal meat served in Dearborn Public Schools and Hamtramck’s decision to allow animal sacrifices as examples of Islamic practices receiving government accommodation.
Dearborn City Council President Mike Sareini denied Sewell’s accusations.
“The City of Dearborn is an American city governed by the U.S. Constitution, the laws of the State of Michigan, and the City of Dearborn Charter,” Sareini told Fox News Digital. “Those laws apply equally to every resident, regardless of religion or background.”
Sareini said there was “no evidence of preferential treatment” and noted that Dearborn is home to approximately 30 churches and 10 mosques.
Sewell, however, maintains that local Christians’ fear of publicly standing with him reveals the depth of the problem.
“In a Christian nation,” he said, “we’re afraid to be Christians.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
