A fiery explosion at Abundant Life Church in Boonville, New York injured five people, including pastor Brandon Pitts and four Boonville firefighters around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after responders were called for a reported gas odor. The church was described as sustaining “catastrophic damage” and considered destroyed. New York State Police said there was no initial indication of criminal activity.

Investigators determined the blast was triggered when a furnace turned on and ignited leaked propane while four people were in the basement. State Police said the leak originated when a propane fuel line was damaged after the building shifted under heavy snow weight on the roof. The incident began after the church reported smelling gas, and firefighters were attempting to locate an electrical panel to shut off power when the explosion occurred.

Named casualties reported include Fire Chief David Pritchard Jr. (60), Pastor Brandon Pitts (43), and firefighters Nicholas Amicucci (43) and Richard Czajka (71), with Allan Austin (67) also hospitalized. Reporting indicates at least some victims were listed in critical condition, with others described as fair. The church’s heating was reportedly tied to propane cylinders.

What this means: This incident highlights how severe winter conditions can create secondary facility hazards for churches and ministries, especially where propane heating systems are used. For Christian stakeholders, the immediate risk is not targeted violence but high-impact infrastructure failure during routine ministry activity and emergency response.

Who's at risk: Churches, faith-based facilities, and ministry housing in snow-prone regions using propane-based heating face elevated risk when heavy snow loads shift structures and damage fuel lines. Responders and staff are particularly exposed during gas-odor callouts, as shown by injuries to firefighters and the pastor.

Outlook: With police reporting no initial indication of criminal activity and investigators attributing cause to snow-related structural shift and propane line damage, follow-on developments will likely center on medical status updates and final investigative findings. Ministries should monitor local conditions where heavy snowfall totals may increase building stress and related utility hazards.

IGANGA, UGANDA – On January 28, 2026, Hamba Juma, a 33-year-old Christian convert, was reportedly stabbed to death with a panga by his father along the Kaliro–Iganga road near Iganga town in Iganga District, Eastern Region, Uganda. The suspect reportedly fled and police had not investigated at the time of writing.

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – A Lusaka businesswoman, Bertha Chulu, appeared in court on three theft charges for allegedly stealing personal belongings from congregants during prayer sessions at Omega Fire Ministries Church on January 18, 2026. The case was adjourned to March 2, 2026 for trial to commence.

No current updates.

No current updates.

No current updates.

SUWON, SOUTH KOREA – South Korea’s joint prosecution-police task force reopened a previously dropped tax evasion investigation involving the Shincheonji Church of Jesus after a Supreme Court ruling upheld tax authorities’ assessment against the church. The case was revisited on 2026-02-19 in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

No current updates.

No current updates.

MEMPHIS, UNITED STATES – Memphis Fire Department investigators ruled a fire at New Life Outreach Ministries Church in South Memphis an arson case after firefighters responded around 9:30 p.m. The church sustained an estimated $6,000 in damage and the responsible party was not identified.

DECATUR, UNITED STATES – A man was arrested in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars in electronic equipment from a church in Decatur, Alabama. Police responded to a burglary call on Feb. 20 on Upper River Road, and the suspect was later detained with some of the stolen items.

MOBILE, UNITED STATES – Mobile Police responded to a reported burglary at the First Baptist Church of Mobile after a caller saw a man inside the church wearing the pastor’s robes. The suspect resisted detention but was arrested and charged; no injuries were reported.

NORTH PROVIDENCE, UNITED STATES – A Rhode Island man was convicted and sentenced for a series of February 2024 arson attacks at Shiloh Gospel Temple, a predominantly Black church in North Providence, Rhode Island. The church was empty and no one was injured, but it sustained significant damage, and court records said the perpetrator chose the church based on the actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, and/or ethnicity of congregants.

VINTON, UNITED STATES – A woman staying overnight at Christian Life Church in Vinton was arrested after an early-morning fire at the church on February 18, 2026. She was booked on arson-related charges and cruelty to juveniles, with two children present at the church during the incident.

PORTLAND, UNITED STATES – In PORTLAND, MAINE, the glass door of the White Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church was found shattered and believed connected to shots fired the previous night. Police executed a high-risk search warrant and conducted two high-risk traffic stops, with no arrests announced as of the report.

EAST SACRAMENTO, UNITED STATES – An individual described as suspicious was arrested on firearm charges outside an Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church in East Sacramento after an off-duty detective removed a loaded handgun from the person. No injuries were reported and the individual’s motivations were unknown at the time of reporting.

UNION CITY, UNITED STATES – Federal immigration officers (ICE) arrested two men outside Iglesia Cristiana Dios De Amor Church in Union City, New Jersey. ICE said one man, a native of El Salvador, had a final order of removal and missed an immigration hearing, and the other, from Guatemala, entered the U.S. illegally.

CLOVER, UNITED STATES – A woman disrupted a Sunday morning service at New River Church in Clover, South Carolina by screaming at the pastor and congregants, playing loud music, and shouting profanities while moving toward the stage. She was escorted out, identified as Audrey Bahneman, and arrested for disturbing religious services.

BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM – Christian pastor Dia Moodley was arrested in Broadmead, Bristol after a street sermon and detained on suspicion of assault by beating and a racially/religiously aggravated public order offense. He was released on police bail with conditions barring him from parts of Bristol city centre, including Broadmead.

BUNCRANA, IRELAND – A man received a three-month jail sentence after breaking into St Mary’s Oratory in Buncrana, County Donegal, and stealing church collection boxes. Gardaí reported CCTV showed two men inside the church and that bolt cutters and more than €250 in cash were found during a later stop at an Applegreen filling station.

HUTTENHEIM, GERMANY – Two arsonists reportedly set fires at the entrance and on the altar of St. Peter’s Church in Huttenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany on February 14, 2026. The fires were extinguished before causing extensive damage.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – A Sudanese asylum seeker threatened Christian preacher Daniel Ayettey with a knife at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, London after a brief religious exchange. The suspect was arrested, convicted for threatening a person with an offensive weapon in public, and received a 22-month suspended sentence at Southwark Crown Court.

No current updates.

We lift up street preachers and public evangelists in the UK who are facing hostility, threats, and even violence. Fill them with courage that comes from Your Spirit—not fear, not pride, but steady, obedient boldness.

When opposition rises, give them clarity to stand firm when You say “speak,” and humility to step away when You say “go.” Teach them to move where the Holy Spirit sends them—into the right streets, the right conversations, the right moments—trusting You to open doors no one can shut.

Guard them from harm, give them wisdom to de-escalate danger, and surround them with faithful friends and supportive churches. Restrain those who would attack, soften hearts in the crowds, and turn opponents into seekers. Let their lives and words honor Jesus, and let the gospel bear fruit even in the face of resistance.

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