WASHINGTON – Pastor Robert Jeffress is combating again after he says his mega-church, First Baptist Dallas, was pressured to take down two billboards promoting his upcoming sermon, "America is a Christian Nation."
Jeffress tells CBN News the day after the billboards went up, the Dallas Morning News printed two articles characterizing their content material as "hateful" and "divisive." Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was quoted in one of many articles.
Jeffress says the articles have been despatched to the corporate that created the billboards, Outfront Media, which ended up taking them down and canceling its contract with First Baptist Dallas. The firm pointed to the Dallas Morning News articles and categorised the commercials as "anger-provoking."
Now, Jeffress is questioning Rawlings and town of Dallas.
"Let's be very clear: We do not object to the billboard company's right to refuse to post our message," Jeffress informed CBN News. "What we do object to is the city of Dallas, its mayor and any other officials indirectly interfering with our church's right to publish its own message."
"Our question is simply this: Did the city of Dallas directly or indirectly in any way threaten the billboard company? If so, I think that is action that is illegal," Jeffress added.
Scott Goldstein, a spokesman from Rawlings' workplace, informed CBN News Rawlings had "no communication" with Outfront Media.
"A Dallas Morning News reporter requested him his opinions concerning the billboard and he shared his ideas. That was the extent of it," Goldstein stated.
The "America is a Christian Nation" sermon is a part of the church's "Freedom Sunday" which Jeffress says is primarily based on Psalm 33:12 – "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
"The gist of my message this coming Sunday is to point out the historical evidence that, in fact, our nation was founded by Orthodox Christians who believed that the future of our nation's well-being depended upon our adherence to Christian principles," Jeffress informed CBN News.
"'America is a Christian Nation,' did not come from me. It originated from John Jay, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court, and was also found in two different Supreme Court rulings," he went on.
Since slicing ties with Outfront Media, Jeffress tells CBN News one other firm has supplied to put up 20 billboards within the Dallas space.
Meanwhile, Jeffress says he and First Baptist Dallas expect report attendance this Sunday.
"I thank Mayor Rawlings and the Dallas Morning News for serving to us promote our message," he stated.