“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17
Yakima Union Gospel Mission is a Christian organization in Yakima, Washington, founded in 1936 to assist those experiencing homelessness and poverty. The ministry provides supportive services to those in need by providing them with warm meals, shelter, recovery programs, and more.
Yakima Union Gospel Mission offers its services of aid and help to all, regardless of anyone’s background, political opinions, or religious beliefs. To keep the ministry Biblically grounded and focused, the organization requires all who are employed by the ministry to be like-minded believers who agree with the mission’s Christian beliefs and practices, which includes its beliefs on biblical marriage and sexuality.
Unfortunately, the mission was threatened with significant punishment for its hiring policies because of the state of Washington’s Law Against Discrimination. To combat this threat, Alliance Defending Freedom’s attorneys represented the Yakima Union Gospel Mission in challenging the Washington state law.
Praise be to God, on Tuesday, January 6th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in a unanimous decision to uphold our right to Religious Liberty and that the Yakima Union Gospel Mission has the right to hire like-minded employees who agree and live by the mission’s Christian beliefs. This decision resoundingly showed that the government cannot make Christian organizations hire individuals who personally and publicly oppose the ministry’s mission and beliefs.
This ruling reinforces the truth that the Government cannot control or force Christian organizations, ministries, or churches to act against their Biblical convictions. Our First Amendment rights protect one’s right to publicly live out their religious convictions, not restrict them.
As we begin our “Let Us Pray” devotionals for 2026, we will be taking time during the legislative session to encourage you to pray, by name, for our elected leaders (see below). Let us commit to praying regularly for our Kentucky governmental leaders to act in ways that bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ and are a blessing to our Commonwealth.
LET US PRAY…
Father, we praise You for this very important victory for Religious Liberty as we kick off this new year. Lord, we pray for protection on all Christian organizations, ministries, and churches throughout America to always be free to publicly act in accordance with their Biblical convictions. Father, may many more pro-family, pro-life, and pro-freedom victories occur this year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Praying For Our Kentucky Leaders
Join us in praying for our elected leaders throughout the 2026 Legislative Session!
KY Senate Leadership
Sen. Robert Stivers (Senate President)
Sen. David Givens (President Pro Tempore)
Sen. Max Wise (Majority Floor Leader)
Sen. Robby Mills (Majority Caucus Chair)
Sen. Mike Wilson (Majority Whip)
Sen. Gerald Neal (Minority Floor Leader)
Sen. Reggie Thomas (Minority Caucus Chair)
Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong (Minority Whip)