David Lynn
| David Lynn | |
|---|---|
 David Lynn Preacher.png David Lynn preaching at Yonge and Dundas. | |
| Born | |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 🏢 Organization | Christ's Forgiveness Ministries |
| 🏡 Home town | Toronto, Ontario Canada |
| 🌐 Website | christsforgiveness |
David Lynn is a Canadian pastor and Street Preacher based out of Toronto, Ontario and is founder of Christ's Forgiveness Ministries and Christian Positive Space. He usually preaches at Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto and at various parades in Toronto and posts many of his activities on YouTube. He has also been a victim of attacks from both the Muslim and the LGBT community for his messages on traditional values and faith in Jesus as the Son of God.[1]
Lynn's preaching has been documented by numerous media outlets including Sun News, Canadian Centre for Faith and Public Life, and Bible Prophecy Radio with Pastor Paul Begley.[2][3] He has been featured and spoken about many times by Ezra Levant and Michael Coren on the Sun News Network. Lynn is also responsible for producing an infomercial dealing with the bullying of Christians in Western Culture entitled: I am a Christian.[4]
Early life and education
Lynn grew up in Toronto, Ontario where he attended the People's Church.[3] At the age of 16, he was said to have found salvation through a Gideon's Bible. He was said to have pioneered a high school Christian group, was a trainer in evangelism at the People’s Church, and pastored at both a Baptist and Pentecostal Assemblies Church in Toronto before he founded Christ’s Forgiveness Ministries in his basement apartment. He studied Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto, Pastoral Studies at Tyndale University, and graduated with a Master's of Theological Studies degree from Tyndale University's Seminary.[5][6]
Career
Prior to becoming a street preacher, Lynn worked for one of the largest media firms in Canada. After leaving this company, Lynn entered into chaplaincy and focused more attention on Church ministry through Christ’s Forgiveness Ministries.[5] He founded Christ's Forgiveness Ministries, a non-denominational Christian ministry with a stated vision "to bring the life changing message of Jesus Christ’s love and forgiveness to the world through effective discipleship and evangelism."[7]
He preaches mainly at Dundas Square which is an area occupied by many other faith groups and street evangelists of various faiths.[8]
Lynn has been confronted by a Muslim street preacher, whom he has witnessed physically assault a member of Christ's Forgiveness Ministries, an action to which he confessed on video.[9] He has also been the target of abuse from the LGBT community for preaching his views on Canada Day at the Pride Parade.[10] On Canada Day in 2012, Lynn was forced by the Toronto Police Service to leave the area of a gay pride parade.[11] Lynn and other members of Christ's Forgiveness Ministries were handing out free bibles at the corner of Yonge and Wellesley, nearby where Lynn often preaches.[11] Lynn was said to have been approached by different parade participants who engaged him in dialog about his preaching.[12] He was later surrounded by as many as 12 police officers, some of whom stated that he was promoting hate and telling others to ignore his message.[13] The incident brought outrage among some pro-family leaders, including the president of Canada Christian College Dr. Charles McVety who was outspoken about police not arresting some of the parade participants who were walking around nude.[12] Michael Coren was also outspoken about the incident on The Arena with Michael Coren where he stated, "there were a large number of people who were completely naked which is illegal and the police refused to do anything about this."[12] Lynn was also forcefully removed from the Toronto’s annual Al-Quds rally in 2012, where Toronto Palestians protested unequal treatment in the region.[14] According to Christianpositivespace.com, Lynn founded the Christian Positive Space campaign because of these events.[15]
On September 1st, 2014, Rev. Lynn was stopped by the Toronto Police Services and charged under a Busker By-law for using amplification. Ezra Levant from Sun News Network lobbied on his behalf by hiring lawyer Sonia Shickman to represent him in court.[16] This incident was spoken about a few times on national television igniting the topic of freedom of speech amongst the Christian Community. In response, Rev. Lynn created a campaign entitled "Stop Bullying Christians Now" and conducted his first rally on October 15th, 2014 at the Yonge and Dundas intersection of Toronto.[17]
References
- ↑ Baklinski, Peter (6 July 2014). "You're promoting hate': Toronto police shut down preacher at Gay Pride parade". Life Site News. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ↑ "Coming Apocalypse". Blog Talk Radio. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Confrontation with Muslim Preacher". Sun News Network. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ↑ "I am a Christian: Please Share Everywhere". YouTube. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Christian Positive Space - How It Started". Christian Positive Space. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ↑ "Leadership". Christ's Forgiveness Ministries. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ↑ "Vision". Christ's Forgiveness Ministries. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ↑ "A Preacher's Right To Preach". Sun News Network. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "Toronto Islamic Street Preacher's views on Canadian and Islamic laws". YouTube. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ Gordon, Hal (20 December 2012). "Who Will Convert These Christians?". PunditWire. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Johnson, Bryana (25 January 2013). "Will legal same-sex marriage result in religious persecution?". The Washington Times. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Baklinski, Peter (9 July 2012). "Toronto police criticized for shutting down preacher at Gay Pride parade". Life Site. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ↑ Clark, Heather (10 July 2012). "Intolerant Police Shut Down Canadian Preacher for Sharing Gospel with Homosexuals". Christian News Network. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ↑ "2012 Al Quds Rally Toronto (Speech by Rev. David Lynn - Christian Minister)". YouTube. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "Stop Bullying Christians Now". Stop Bullying Christians. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "A preacher's right to preach (Prime Time)". Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- ↑ "Stop Bullying Christians Now". Stop Bullying Christians. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
External links
- Christ's Forgiveness Ministries official website
- Christian Positive Space official website
- Stop Bullying Christians official website
- Dundas Square Church official website
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