Christians fined for sharing their faith at Calgary LRT station

About Us

At Concerned Christians Canada, we are committed to speaking out and bringing the truth of God's word to bare on all aspects of society and life. Speaking into the culture is in fact being the salt of this world that Christ called us to be.

Click here to see some ways CCC is being salt in this world
Christ said we are the light of the world. He said that we are not to hide this light under a bushel but that we are to live as examples of holiness and Godliness in this dark world. With our projects, which are focused on serving and blessing, we are committed to demonstrating the love of Christ without forsaking the gospel. We regognize that we are to be salt and light, not salt or light.

Click here to see some ways CCC is being a light in this dark world.
Concerned Christians Canada is encouraging Christians, who are called by Christ's name to stand for Christ, and when they have done all to stand, to stand having girded themselves with the armor of God. We are sounding the trumpet call to all men and women that love the Lord to be the watchmen over the nation that we are called to be.

Our nation, although founded by men who believed in the God of the Bible, has markedly departed not only from holding the Bible up as THE authority for and above all men, but has substancially departed from honoring the God of the Bible.
There are many attacks on the Biblical definition of the family. God has blessed his definition of marriage, other choices bring curses, not only on the adults but also on the children and on the society that embraces those choices.

CCC is committed to explaining the benefits for God's design for marriage. As an organization, we are also committed to promoting God's model, to individuals, groups and politicians.
In this day and age, youth are hurting. Whether it be that they have been wounded by sexual, physical, emotional or spiritual abuse, at home or elsewhere, or broken by "dating" which has left them abandoned and broken, whether they have had stability and security robbed from them due to their parents divorcing, or any of a myriad of other problems, children are more and more hopeless and need to know that Christ is for them if the turn to Him. Find out how CCC is reaching out to youth.
We need your prayer support.

God is our source and our provider, but he uses people like us to pray for one another, to edify one another and to build each other up in the faith. He uses people like us working together in the Spirit of Christ to change lives. Find out how CCC is encouraging the body of Christ to work together to Pray, Act and Make a Difference!

Search:

CCC Needs You

Please support Concerned Christians Canada with a donation.

CCC exists through private support alone, we are not governmentally or organizationally funded.

Main Menu

Political Poll

Do you believe that Christians are persecuted for their faith in Canada?

	yes
	no

Become a Fan of CCC

Concerned Christians Canada on Facebook

Christians fined for sharing their faith at Calgary LRT station

(2 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

Concerned Christians Canada asked to help Calgary Pastor whose evangelistic team was fined for passing out gospel tracts

I was contacted yesterday regarding an incident which occured at the Centre Street LRT platform attached to the Telus Convention Centre. Pastor Lawrence Irwin and a team of volunteers headed to the LRT platform to sing worship songs and pass out gospel tracts after he had been told by several paritioners that they had been pressured and threatened, with fines and arrest, by transit officers when they had been preaching the gospel or giving out gospel tracts at Calgary LRT stations. He found out first hand that the accounts he had received are true. Pastor Irwin discovered that handing out pamphlets and singing on an LRT platform will invoke threats, and subsequent action, by transit officers, of both fines and arrests. CCC has put together the attached press release and is working together with other Christians to make this incident as public as possible. We also continue to work, with Christians and other organizations, at striking down ungodly and unconstitutional laws and work toward re-inforcing the crumbling foundations of our nation, to rebuild and restore Christian values and principals through all aspects of society.

We would like to ask three things of you.

Would you please forward this e-mail to as many people as you can? The media is not reliable in truthfully reporting the facts regarding Christian persecution in Canada so we need your help in getting the word out.
Would you make a donation to CCC to help us in fighting the increasing pressure against Christian free speech? And would you purchase a yearly membership to CCC? With your support you will enable us to continue to stand for freedom and democracy for all and for the preaching and sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Remember, every victory we win is a victory not only for Christians but for all citizens of Canada who believe in freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. But we need you in order to keep up the fight. The gospel is free but every battle front needs it supply chain or it can not succeed.
- To donate, visit our website and use the "Contribute to CCC" section on the left of our site to sent a contribution. Your support is both needed and appreciated
- To become a member of CCC, click here and fill in and submit our membership form
Would you make the time to call the Calgary Transit office and respectfully let them know that freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are guaranteed fundamental freedoms in Canada and that you feel that the suppression of such freedoms, whether on LRT platforms, or in any other public place is wrong. Encourage them to stop threatening Christians who offer LRT users tracts with fines and arrest. Also, let them know that you are not at all happy to hear about the fines issued to Christians at the Centre Street Platform yesterday for handing out pamphlets and using a guitar on public transit property. The number to reach their office is 403-262-1000

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

September 22, 2010

Freedom of Speech Attacked Again
Christians fined for sharing their faith at Calgary LRT station

A Calgary preacher, Lawrence Irwin, from one of Canada's largest churches, Centre Street Church, headed up a team of volunteers that was fined for sharing Christian beliefs at the Centre Street LRT station, in Calgary, Alberta, yesterday. He and around seven other volunteers were playing music and singing worship songs while offering pamphlets to people on the LRT platform, when transit officers came to remove them forcibly, if necessary, from the platform and threatened them with arrest if they didn't stop passing out the pamphlets and playing the music on or near the public transit property. A few of the members ended up getting tickets for handing out pamphlets, and playing the guiter.

Pastor Irwin expressed his deep concern with the lack of regard, to democratic freedoms, the officers showed. He stated, "One of the reasons I was downtown today handing out pamphlets to people, that wanted them, was to see if the reports I had been receiving were accurate. I had been told by fellow followers of Christ that this kind of harassment and trampling of freedoms was happening in Calgary, but I wanted to see it for myself. Surely they must be aware that freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly are all protected rights in our country."

Pastor Lawrence Irwin further stated that he was prepared to team up with other Christian groups who are fighting legally for freedom of religion and freedom of expression in Calgary. "A message must be sent so that Christians don't have to walk around in silence, regarding their faith, for fear that they will be fined for sharing verbally, or with written materials, what they believe. I, for one, plan on standing with those who are standing for what is right, and will support those Christian's, or Christian groups, who are in legal battles, in Calgary, fighting for freedom for all, so that the gospel may go forth unhindered", stated Irwin.

For more information contact Pastor Lawrence Irwin at 403-815-0581 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

- 30 -

Next >

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 September 2010 03:48

Comments

+2 #2 Jim Blake 2010-12-13 15:32

Thank you Dangun for your comments. While I don't agree with them I will fight to preserve your right to share them, whether from a street corner or even on my organization's website. That is called freedom of expression which, within reasonable limits, is a good thing. In the future though, please share your views without name calling.

Our society is based on Christian values and you benefit from those values every day. Whether you choose to honor the God who granted you those freedoms or not is up to you, but as for me and my house we shall serve the Lord. You choose whom you will serve either God or satan, but know this, not choosing God through Jesus Christ is choosing satan. There is no middle or neutral ground. You choose one or the other. Jesus said it clearly, "He who is not with me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

May the Lord God give you eyes to see and ears to hear the One who created you for a good purpose in His own image.

God bless you Dangun

Quote

-5 #1 Dangun 2010-12-12 18:54

I'm glad you got fined! What gives you idiots the right to preach in a public place! We are secular, I do not want your religion shoved down my throat. Do it at a church! I do not believe in any of your nonsense nor should I be exposed to it!