Mercy Culture Church Launches in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 2019, Mercy Culture Church has been establishing its roots in Fort Worth, Texas. Over the past seven years, it has expanded significantly, with its latest satellite campus now in Washington, D.C.

This new location is overseen by Jaco Buens and his wife, Philippa, both associated with Blaze TV.

However, the journey to launch Mercy Culture DC was fraught with challenges. Recently on the Glenn Beck program, Mr. Buens revealed the spiritual struggles they faced in Washington, where the church is seen as a crucial player in preserving conservative biblical teachings.

Buens pointed out that the current administration is suggesting churches sell their properties to developers, complicating efforts to secure a location for Mercy Culture DC.

After extensive searching, they finally selected a building, but that was only the beginning of their troubles.

“We started receiving complaints,” Buens shared. “They said things like, ‘You’re too political… You’re against abortion, and you promote a binary view of gender.’” He argued that these topics are not merely political but deeply spiritual issues at their core.

Upon learning about the negative feedback, he delved into the historical context of churches in Washington, D.C. He found troubling evidence dating back to the oldest church in the city.

“There are 13 churches here that, for over 200 years, have been operating under a collective Holy Spirit philosophy,” he detailed, labeling this as blasphemy.

During a tour of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, founded in the late 1700s, the guide proudly mentioned that it is part of a group guided by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who received national acclaim for her progressive sermon during President Trump’s 2025 inauguration prayer service.

Buens was informed, “We all endorsed that speech because that’s how changes happen here, through this collective spirit of the Holy Spirit.”

Ultimately, he perceived a demonic “stronghold” controlling the religious landscape in the city, hampering the spread of the true gospel.

This “unlucky 13,” as he called it, is partly why Mercy Culture DC struggles with finding a permanent place. To some, Buens is considered an “extremist” to be suppressed.

“We’ve been evicted multiple times,” he stated, reiterating that their church is frequently tagged as “too political” for opposing abortion and gender transitions for minors.

“Washington, D.C. is unique. In this city, the church often leads the way in evil.”

For more insight, check out the detailed discussion in the video above.