Recently Christ Church has been in the local news quite a bit. Members of the church have been buying buildings around town and telling the residing businesses their leases will not be renewed. I haven’t lived in Moscow for too long, but I have already seen the effects of this.
The consistent growth of Christ Church is very dangerous to the culture and livelihood of everyone living in Moscow, and if we want to stop it, we have to hit them where they will notice, their wallets.
Christ Church’s goal is to take over Moscow. This isn’t some conspiracy theory, it’s right on their website. Their mission statement says, “our desire is to make Moscow a Christian town through faithful and robust covenant renewal worship on the Lord’s Day.”
They aren’t even hiding the fact that they want to take over this town, and right now they are succeeding at it. While they don’t have much leverage in local government, their members own a lot of businesses around town.
Whenever I see a story about a building being sold to Christ Church, I always see the comment section filled with people annoyed with members of the church for buying up buildings and getting rid of beloved businesses.
Clearly, there’s a strong opposition to the church doing this, but I haven’t seen much dialogue about how we should be stopping this. We have to go after their money, and the best way to do this is to stop supporting businesses owned by members of Christ Church
This is easier said than done, however. It’s a whole lot easier to just go to whatever business you need to and not do research about who owns it. It’s also really hard to find a place that shows what business are Christ Church owned.
It can also just be easier to shop at these businesses sometimes. Kind of like with Amazon, while it may not be as morally correct, it can just be easier to shop at these places. I don’t like buying things from Amazon, but a lot of time it’s either easier or cheaper. If there is a store or restaurant you frequent only to discover it’s owned by a Christ Church member or affiliate, it can be easier to continue going there.
However, when you do support these businesses, you wouldn’t be just supporting their attempt to take over Moscow. You would be supporting the church who is led by Douglas Wilson, a terrible person who pushes his outdated and horrendous views.
Wilson has said and done some truly terrible things in his time leading Christ Church. Wilson and Christ Church have been vehemently against any sort of restrictions when it comes to COVID-19. They have been against masks and vaccines, alongside any governmental restrictions.
In an August 2021 blog post titled “A Biblical Defense of Fake Vaccine IDs,” Wilson defended the use of fake vaccine cards. First, this is illegal. Forging a government document is a federal offense. It is also just fully lying at the risk of the entire community. If you are so strongly against the vaccine you are willing to commit a federal crime, you should just own it. You shouldn’t try to hide it.
It won’t be easy to stop supporting the businesses or going to restaurants that are owned by members of the church, but if people want a real way to do something to the church, they have to give it try. If people can stop giving them money, they will start to notice.
Mark Warren can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @MarkWarren1832
This column has been updated for accuracy.
Lesley
I’m super glad that Mark Warren read so many great online articles to write this piece! If he has any interest in the actual beliefs of real Christ Church members, we would be happy to have a chat. Also the fearsome business owners among us aren’t terribly scary. Just awesome hardworking people (no, the Church does not own our businesses). Yes, our church is full of sinners but that is the goal right? Come, and welcome to forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ.
Mickey
For everyone who is not informed on Christ Church and their support of pedophiles, please visit https://moscowid.net and check out the Steven Sitler and Jamin Wight archives.
Darrell
I will make no comment on most of the articles claims. However, Enid, I have seen him stop for pedestrians many times. Including myself. Like Pastor Wilson or not, he isn't always driving like a game of Deathrace 2000.
Nancy
I’ve always been against anything related to Covid mandates and see nothing wrong with them bringing normalcy back to businesses… if you’ve paid attention, when they hold gatherings that were anti established mandates, they brought folks in by the plenty, and I’ll bet they were not all members of the church, but merely many that were just tired and unwilling to be brainwashed by the government and their totalitarian mandates that did nothing to save people. It was the government that funded and assisted in creating the virus. As someone who believes in the Lord our Savior, I also believe that when HE chooses my time, then it will be my time. Mask or jab be damned. Just because they want a free society, free of governmental control, and freedom to live fearless, for those that believe in the Lord, should be…. Doesn’t make them bad people. Doesn’t make them bad at all.
Christopher Lupke
So, in other words, what you are saying is you've never had a polio vaccine? Chickenpox? Measles? Diptherea? Do you drive on the right side of the road? Or do you feel it is your free will to drive all over the road? If you did so and killed someone while driving recklessly, would that have been your fault or will it have been god's will? Take your time answering.
Mickey
The problem with the church isn't to do with the mandates, its to do with them supporting pedophiles. There are two big cases, Jamin Wight, and Steven Sitler, who the pastor of CC married, knowing he was a pedophile, then Steven admitted being aroused by his own baby son. They aren't a real church or hold christian values, they just hide behind that. Read http://sitler.moscowid.net for more documented info on the case.
Lawrence Moran
Maybe you should ask yourself, "Why is Christ Church so successful? Why does it have so much support?" Here is a hint: the answer involves an increasingly powerful repudiation of the nonsense you clowns on the lunatic left are spewing. I cannot help but imagine the response if a devout Christian student tried to publish an article in the Argonaut encouraging people to boycott Muslim owned businesses in Moscow. Somehow, I doubt the Argonaut would publish that sort of drivel. So, perhaps we should ask ourselves why it published Mr. Warren's discriminatory call to arms? If this is what the University of Idaho is teaching kids, perhaps we have an explanation of New Saint Andrews burgeoning growth as a college while the U of I struggles with enrollment?
CJ
There are a lot of things to be said about your comment, Lawrence. A majority of folks in Moscow would disagree that Christ Church (CC) is successful and that it does good to the general community. Regardless of anyone's religious beliefs, the discrimination, toxicity, and downright hatred expressed towards marginalized communities goes against what God's word supposedly preaches: unconditional love. CC and Doug Wilson has attempted to cause harm to multiple people and businesses throughout the community, blatantly defied COVID policies (both set by the city council and private businesses) and has a detailed history of supporting abusers in the CC community. Also, I'd love to point out that UI actually has increased enrollment with the most recent class, which actually differs from the national enrollment trends. I wouldn't be surprised if enrollment increases again this upcoming class, but hey, that's what happens when you offer a well-rounded and inclusive education to ALL people.
Julie Gardner
I have always thought collectively gathering the true churches of the community together to stand against the Cult’s false culture would be useful. They must take offense to their hiding behind Christian doctrine used in their false religion?
Enid
Thank you for this important article. I think it's worth noting that Christ Church and church-related do not support the community. Have you seen the church or their followers supporting the volunteer fire department, etc.? They seem to only care about themselves. Also, Doug Wilson does not yield to pedestrians. He almost hit me with his huge truck when I crossed Main Street near the Breakfast Club this past Monday.
Savage
I agree, no way will I ever be supporting Christ Church in any way...My son and I have also said the same as above, they're a cult sucking people in, etc,..Moscow doesn't need that.. Thanks for writing the article Mark!
Steve Bonnar
Well written.....I've been curious lately- where does the financing for these purchases of buildings/land come from? Might be worthwhile to explore. Here is the specific link to businesses owned by members: https://www.facebook.com/Christ-Church-business-affiliation-in-Moscow-100296181755675/photos/pcb.388994236219200/420558726396084/
Anteia McCollum
Hi Steve, While The Argonaut does not currently have any reporting completed on the finances of Christ Church, this article from The Guardian delves into them a bit. Thanks for reading! https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/02/christ-church-idaho-theocracy-us-america Anteia McCollum, Argonaut Editor-in-Chief
John Wenger
Thank you, Mark, for the needed article. I am glad to see it get front online page coverage. There are many in Moscow who are not followers of the views of these limited-minded folks...we just need more broad-minded people like you to get the word out. I look forward to seeing more and updated article re. this and of course will not financially support any of their sponsoring businesses. John Wenger [email protected]