Mark Driscoll suggests Ariz. city officials took down 'Jesus Christ '24' sign
Are officials in one Arizona city actively removing signs that urge residents to “Vote for Jesus”?
Last month, Mark Driscoll, the founding pastor of Trinity Church in Scottsdale, refused to comply with a city order to take down a campaign-style sign with the name of Jesus Christ on property surrounding his church.
The sign, which reads “Jesus Christ ‘24,” has been removed twice since the dispute began between Driscoll and the city, including the latest removal, which, according to Driscoll, came “less than 24 hours” after the second sign was posted.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
When officials told Driscoll to take the first sign down, they put another one up "a block away" from the city hall building near a Scottsdale "sign-free zone,” according to Driscoll.
Just one day later, that sign was “quickly and violently removed,” he claimed.
“Any guesses on who did it?” Driscoll asked on social media.
The Christian Post reached out Wednesday to the city of Scottsdale for comment. This story will be updated if a response is received.
This latest dispute comes nearly a month after Driscoll said during a church service on Sept. 15 that he had received an email from the city that cited a number of complaints about the sign.
At the time, officials acknowledged the sign “does not appear to be a political sign.”
“I'm sure it wasn't someone named Karen, but someone complained,” Driscoll told his congregation.
After sharing a partial copy of the letter and an image of the sign on social media, Driscoll wrote, “The government asked us to take down our Jesus '24 sign. My response? We will not comply, but we will multiply.”
He then showed photos of the area where the sign was placed near Trinity Church, which included a number of political signs identical to the one put up by Driscoll’s church.
Driscoll defiantly called on the government to solve some of the country’s more pressing issues rather than focus on signs.
"I would just humbly submit that if you work for the gov't, before you go around collecting signs, figure out how to close the border and take care of people before signs,” he said.
Driscoll briefly recounted the history of Scottsdale and its founder, U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott, in 1888.
They named the town after a Bible-teaching pastor,” said Driscoll. “He moved here, started Bible studies and planted a church. If Winfield Scott were here, he would tell you he probably had a, you know, Jesus Christ 1888 sign in the front of his church when they started in Scottsdale, Arizona, because he’s a Bible-believing Christian.”
He then announced everyone in the congregation would receive a free sign and urged them to consider voting according to their faith and not mere partisan politics.
"As you're choosing your political leader, make sure you choose your eternal Savior,” he added.
