With approximately 4,000 churches around the globe, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World have often been touched by public and political unrest… in Liberia, in Zimbabwe, in Haiti, in the Ukraine, just to mention a few. Recent events have likewise intensified racial tensions in various communities of these United States.
As we, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World have gathered in this awesome city of Kansas City, Missouri for our 2016 convention, we want to give voice to the pain and fears among the residents of communities in which our members and neighbors live. Likewise, it is important for us to make clear our need for, and appreciation of those dedicated law enforcement officers that evenly and without prejudices enforce the laws in our communities; fostering peace and safety among our people.
Accordingly, we denounce both violence against the citizenry as well as violent retaliation or aggression against our law enforcement personnel. We also call upon all levels of policing agencies to publicly denounce those individuals within their ranks who abuse their authority when interacting with the citizenry. It is our belief that this practice will separate those few individuals from the many officers who honor the badge, authority and trust that has been given them under the constitution of this land. The Biblical words of Hebrews 12:14 admonishes us to “Follow peace with all men…”