Called to Witness: Faithful Nonviolent Resistance for Followers of Christ
By Connor Prusha, MFSA Organizing Associate
Clergy are being arrested outside detention facilities. Denominations are filing First Amendment lawsuits against federal immigration enforcement. Congregations from Manhattan to Los Angeles are posting "ICE-free zone" signs and training rapid response teams. This surge of coordinated response to the dangerous and harmful actions of the Trump administration is part of a mobilization of Christians at a scale unseen since the civil rights movement.
For United Methodists, the call to faithful nonviolent resistance emerges from our deepest theological convictions. John Wesley refused to separate personal piety from social transformation, writing that "the gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness.”[1] The 2024 General Conference codified this heritage when delegates adopted Social Principles explicitly supporting civil disobedience against unjust laws, provided such witness remains nonviolent and respects human dignity.
We live with the uncomfortable truth that charity without justice offers comfort without courage, leaving us practicing only half the gospel. The need for leadership is critical, but fear and hesitation remain in the hearts of many. How can we move from conviction to action?
The Current Landscape of Faithful Nonviolent Resistance
The Trump administration's January 2025 decision to rescind "sensitive locations" protections ignited immediate response from faith communities nationwide. The Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law Center filed suit on behalf of twenty-seven religious bodies, arguing First Amendment violations.[2]
United Methodist congregations are among those answering the summons. St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC in Manhattan reactivated its sanctuary ministry begun under the first Trump presidency.[3] Rev. Hannah Kardon, a United Methodist pastor in Chicago, was shot with pepper balls while praying outside Broadview ICE Detention Facility this past October.[4] Her clerical collar was visible. Her witness and resolve were undeniable. The Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference, along with numerous others, passed a 2024 resolution denouncing Christian Nationalism, joining a groundswell of denominational voices actively distinguishing displays of patriotism from religious and political idolatry. These are just some of the ways people of faith are standing up today, but it's by no means a new process.
Understanding the Framework
Gene Sharp, a political scientist whose research influenced nonviolent justice movements from Poland to the Philippines, documented 198 distinct methods of nonviolent action.[5] The vast majority require no special training and carry no legal risks. These range from making public statements, signing petitions and attending vigils to joining marches, participating in boycotts, and engaging in strategic noncooperation. All allow an individual to withdraw consent from systems that harm God's children and make visible what the powers that be prefer to conceal.
Erica Chenoweth, a leading researcher on civil resistance at Harvard, discovered in years of research that no justice movement has failed once 3.5% of the population actively participated in it.[6] Just three and a half percent. It often feels like we need everyone to be involved to make progress, but that’s not the case. We need committed people willing to show up consistently and raise their voice.
Our connection as United Methodists makes us perfectly suited for this work. We already organize in small groups. We already embrace a shared mission. We already believe that the Body of Christ functions because its many members come together with different gifts. What is required is the prayerful effort, energy, and engagement to get involved.
How to Get Involved in Faithful Nonviolent Resistance
Nonviolent resistance is in the DNA of who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. Just as there is no single injustice or evil in the world, there is no single way to participate. Your involvement will look different depending on your physical abilities, financial situation, geographic location, family responsibilities, and risk tolerance. What matters is finding an entry point that fits your situation while allowing you to show up consistently. The following options represent a spectrum of engagement, and all of them matter.
Show Up in Person
Vigils, marches, and prayer gatherings are happening regularly across the country. Certain chapters of The Poor People's Campaign host weekly "Moral Witness Wednesday" actions and coordinate gatherings in over 32 states. If you live in a rural area, consider organizing a local prayer vigil at your courthouse or drive to the largest metropolitan area nearby to join a march. Sometimes the most powerful changes are made where people least expect them.
Form or Join an Affinity Group
An affinity group is a small circle of eight to twelve people who prepare together, act together, and support one another. These groups can form within your congregation, in an ecumenical gathering of local churches, or online among people in different places. Some members may attend protests. Others may handle behind-the-scenes logistics, manage a social media presence, create a text or phone chain to distribute information, coordinate childcare, or provide emotional support to those unable to attend. The person ensuring everyone has water contributes as meaningfully as the person holding a sign. Start by identifying three or four people who share your concerns. The Fellowship of Reconciliation provides excellent free training materials and resources.
Document and Bear Witness
Legal observers document interactions between demonstrators and law enforcement, creating crucial evidence if civil rights are violated. You can also document what happens in your own community. If you witness an ICE raid, record it from a safe distance. If your congregation experiences harassment, keep detailed records. This work transforms isolated incidents into patterns that courts and journalists can examine. The National Lawyers Guild offers legal observer training in many cities.
Train Your Congregation
"Know Your Rights" trainings have become more popular as traditional protections for sensitive areas like churches have been stripped away. They’re a great way to take the anxiety and frustration you may be feeling and turn them into a sense of confidence and preparedness. Sanctuary Faith provides a plethora of resources for congregants, clergy leaders, and congregation members seeking more information on responding to ICE, template signage, and rapid response protocols. You might consider hosting a training during Sunday school or a Wednesday gathering. Role-playing different scenarios, as some United Methodist churches have already done, can help church members feel prepared rather than panicked.
Give Money Strategically
Financial support remains one of the most accessible forms of participation for those who cannot attend protests or other demonstrations due to work, health, caregiving, or distance. Consider recurring monthly donations to organizations like MFSA, Faith in Action, the Poor People's Campaign, or the Immigration Law and Justice Network. Local immigrant defense funds also need support. Even modest contributions add up when many people give consistently.
Educate Yourself
Effective advocacy requires understanding how systems work. Learning about your First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly, as well as Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches, can make a difference when you are making a public witness. It’s vital to understand how immigration enforcement operates and what options you have to legally and nonviolently challenge unjust and/or illegal actions. The ACLU's "Know Your Rights" resources and UM News’ compilation of scenarios for United Methodists provide accessible explanations. UM News has also compiled several Taking time to educate yourself prepares you to speak clearly, act wisely, and help others understand what is at stake.
The Invitation Before Us
I return often to the principles that have shaped MFSA's long history of prophetic Christian witness. Our willingness to stand up for what is right matters more than preserving the structures and institutions around us. Faith and action belong together, rooted in prayer. All issues of equity and justice are intersectional. Our resilience and hope help define us.
Dr. King identified the heart of nonviolent resistance as one that seeks to defeat evil, never persons. It accepts suffering rather than inflicting it. Going on to perfection in love is always at its center.
That love compels me and beckons to me, and I know it does to you, too. What steps will we take this week? In whatever ways you choose to show up and get involved, know that they make a difference and move us toward Beloved Community one action at a time.
"Little children, let's not love with words or speech but with action and truth." — 1 John 3:18 CEB
[1] John Wesley, "Preface to Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)," in The Works of John Wesley, ed. Franz Hildebrandt and Oliver A. Beckerlegge, vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1983), 74.
[2] Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown Law, "More Than Two Dozen Christian and Jewish Denominations and Associations Sue to Protect Religious Freedoms," press release, February 11, 2025, https://www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2025/02/Sensitive-Locations-Press-Release-2.11.25-AM.pdf.
[3] Cynthia B. Astle, "United Methodists Mobilizing to Aid Immigrants in Face of Trump Orders," United Methodist Insight, January 29, 2025, https://um-insight.net/in-the-world/advocating-justice/united-methodists-mobilizing-to-aid-immigrants-in-face-of-tr/.
[4] Mira Wassef, "Clergy Say Religious Rights Are Under Attack Inside and Outside the Broadview ICE Facility," WBEZ Chicago, October 23, 2025, https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/10/23/clergy-say-religious-rights-are-under-attack-inside-and-outside-the-broadview-ice-facility.
[5] Gene Sharp, The Politics of Nonviolent Action (Boston: Porter Sargent, 1973).
[6] Erica Chenoweth, "The Success of Nonviolent Civil Resistance," TEDxBoulder, September 21, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJSehRlU34w.
Connor Prusha (he/him/his) serves as an Organizing Associate for the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA). He is a nonprofit professional with 4+ years of experience in fundraising, program administration, grantmaking, communications, and community organizing. Connor also serves as Lead, Philanthropy at United Methodist Communications. He is a Certified Candidate for Ordained Ministry in the East Ohio Conference and is a Master of Divinity student at Drew Theological School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Baldwin Wallace University and a Master of Public Administration from Bowling Green State University (OH). Connor is deeply passionate about bringing people together and creating safe spaces that promote a holistic approach to Christ-centered justice and community healing.