Pastor Prosecuted for Preaching John 3:16 Outside Hospital as US State Department Monitors Case
A retired pastor faces conviction for preaching John 3:16 outside a Northern Ireland hospital as the US State Department monitors the case.
Retired Pastor Faces Criminal Charges for Preaching John 3:16 Outside Northern Ireland Hospital
A 77 year old retired pastor in Northern Ireland is facing an agonizing wait to learn whether he will be convicted for the simple act of preaching a Bible verse outside a hospital.
Clive Johnston, the former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, stood trial on April 22, 2026, at Coleraine Magistrates' Court after being charged under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023.
The charges stem from an open air Sunday service Johnston held on July 7, 2024, on the fringes of a buffer zone across a dual carriageway from Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. During the service, Johnston sang hymns with a ukulele, shared his life story, and preached from John 3:16.
Prosecutors allege that Johnston was attempting to "influence" people seeking abortion services. However, court proceedings confirmed that his sermon made no mention of abortion whatsoever. No banners or placards referencing abortion were displayed at any point during the service.
I'm glad the judge has decided to go away and have a think about this case before issuing his ruling because there is a lot at stake.
Pastor Clive Johnston said after the hearing.
We held a small, open air Sunday service near a hospital. We made no reference whatsoever to the issue of abortion.
Johnston added.
Police body camera footage shown in court captured the moment an officer interrupted Johnston mid verse, telling him "this is a safe access zone" and ordering him to stop preaching.
The Christian Institute, which is supporting Johnston's case, has called the prosecution a "shocking" attack on free speech and religious liberty. The grandfather of seven faces fines of up to £2,500 ($3,375) if convicted.
The district judge reserved judgment until May 7, 2026.
In a significant diplomatic development, the United States State Department stated it was "monitoring" Johnston's case and several other buffer zone prosecutions across the UK, calling the situation "concerning."
Northern Ireland Pastor Clive Johnston Awaits Verdict After Buffer Zone Preaching Trial
The case has drawn international attention and raised fundamental questions about whether buffer zone laws designed to protect access to abortion services are being weaponized against ordinary Christian worship that has nothing to do with the procedure.
Johnston was preaching on the opposite side of a dual carriageway from the hospital, and the abortion clinic inside was not even open at the time of his service. Yet authorities still deemed his actions a criminal offense under the 2023 legislation.
The Crusader's Opinion
Let this sink in. A 77 year old grandfather was hauled before a court for reading the most famous verse in all of Scripture outside a hospital. Not blocking a doorway. Not holding signs. Not confronting anyone. Just preaching John 3:16 on the other side of a dual carriageway while the clinic was closed.
This is not about "safe access zones." This is about silencing the Gospel in the public square. If a Muslim imam had been reciting the Quran outside that hospital, would the police have interrupted him mid verse? We all know the answer.
The fact that the United States government felt compelled to intervene and "monitor" what is happening in Northern Ireland should tell you everything about how far the United Kingdom has fallen. When preaching the Bible becomes a criminal offense, the nation has declared war on God Himself. Pastor Johnston did nothing wrong. He proclaimed eternal truth, and for that, the state wants to punish him.
Take Action
- Support the Christian Institute's legal defense of Pastor Johnston: www.christian.org.uk/case/clive-johnston
- Contact your MP or MLA to oppose the misuse of buffer zone legislation against peaceful Christian worship
- Share this story on social media to raise awareness of the growing persecution of Christians in the UK
- Pray for Pastor Clive Johnston as he awaits the verdict on May 7, 2026
- Support persecuted Christians worldwide through www.TheShepherdsShield.org
- Contact the Northern Ireland Department of Justice to express concern about religious liberty: private.office@justice-ni.gov.uk
