A troubling trend of targeted violence against Christian churches is emerging across the United States. In one recent case, Natasha Marie O’Dell of Texas pleaded guilty to arson after setting fire to the Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church in Washington in August 2023, causing $3.2 million in damages. According to the Department of Justice, O’Dell had expressed anger toward churches and specifically intended to burn one down. In a separate incident, Zimnako Salah was convicted in April 2025 of committing a hate crime after issuing bomb threats to Christian congregations across Arizona, California, and Colorado. Salah placed backpacks at church locations to incite fear, and authorities later discovered IED components in his possession. Federal officials confirmed Salah was motivated by religious hatred and had consumed violent ISIS content online.

Other incidents have pushed the concern further into the national spotlight. In Virginia, Rui Jiang was sentenced to 25 years for attempting a mass shooting at Park Valley Church in September 2023. Armed with multiple weapons, Jiang was intercepted by church security before he could carry out the attack. While his motives appeared to stem from mental health issues, he had posted disturbing threats online, including videos of Bible burning. Just months later, in June 2025, Brian Browning attempted a similar act at CrossPointe Community Church in Michigan but was fatally shot by security before entering. Browning was armed with an assault-style rifle, a handgun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. These acts have sparked federal attention, prompting former President Donald Trump to launch a task force called “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.” Citing data from 2018 to 2023, Trump noted an eightfold increase in anti-Christian incidents. Supporting this concern, the Family Research Council reported in 2024 that American society appears increasingly hostile to Christianity.

Stay Awake. Keep Watch.

SOURCE: International Christian Concern