DEARBORN — Local residents appear concerned over an upcoming event led by Arizona Pastor Steven Anderson called “Marching to Dearborn!” The event is scheduled for Friday, June 26.

Anderson is the leader of the Faithful Word Baptist Church, based in Tempe, Arizona. The church believes “that the King James Bible is the word of God without error.” The church also believes that the unsaved will “spend “eternity in torment in a literal hell.”

The church rejects “the teaching of Calvinism and believe that God wants everyone to be saved.”

Calvinism, a theological argument promoted by John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation, posits that before the creation of the world God pre-determined who would enjoy salvation and who wouldn’t.

Anderson’s church also strongly opposes homosexuality, abortion, in vitro fertilization and all other practices that may alter life before conception or end life after conception.

A video uploaded on YouTube that has now garnered more than 10,000 views features Anderson asking believers to join the church in a planned “soul-winning marathon” in Dearborn on the 26th, where participants will go door to door to “rescue” non-believers, particularly Muslims.

In the Phoenix area, the group has dedicated numerous Saturdays to going door-to-door to preach their gospel to locals. On the church’s website, the group claims to have “saved” many through these grassroots efforts.

In the video, Anderson calls for believers from across Michigan, as well as the surrounding states of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin, to join in the event.

Anderson plans to start the morning by gathering his group at the Panera Bread on Fairlane Drive in Allen Park. Following breakfast, the group will head to Dearborn with copies of their DVDs, “Marching to Zion”, which have been dubbed in Arabic for the sole purpose of distributing them here. Anderson claims he is also reaching out to local theaters in an attempt to have the DVD screened in public.

“Dearborn Michigan has the greatest Arab population in the United States,” Anderson said. “Most of these Arabs in Dearborn are Muslims, of course. We all know the Muslims are going to hell in a hand basket. They aren’t saved or believe that Jesus is the son of God.”

In the YouTube clip, Anderson acknowledges that some of his believers might be nervous about going to Dearborn, but tells them to be at ease, because they can go on to Amazon.com to purchase a “Free Palestine” T-shirt.

“If you wear this shirt, this is going to protect you while you are in Dearborn,” Anderson said.

As the video was brought to the attention of local residents, some feared that the group’s presence in Dearborn could entice some tension. Another factor is that the group’s scheduled event will be taking place during Ramadan, when local Muslims will be fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Imam Mardini, spiritual leader of the American Muslim Center in Dearborn, said that residents should use the opportunity to welcome Anderson and his followers during what is considered the most spiritual time of the year.

 “This is the month of Ramadan and we as Muslims, we invite people in the best manner and kind wisdom,” Mardini said. “If the gentlemen and his clergy are coming to town, we welcome him and I would ask the community to offer them coffee, water or anything else in the month of Ramadan.”

Mardini said that he’s done his research on the Faithful Word Baptist church and is aware of what the group will be preaching. He noted that there are several misconceptions about which the community can educate the group.

“American Muslims don’t have any agenda against any of these people,” Mardini said. “Our homes are open; our mosques are open for people to come and understand who we are. I consider this visit an opportunity for all of us to invite them to our homes and house of worships and let them see. We have nothing to hide and we are the people of peace and the people of compassion.”

City officials told The Arab American News that they have not been contacted by Anderson and are not aware of how many people will be participating in the “soul saving.” However, the mayor’s office and the police department will be preparing for the date, nonetheless.

“They didn’t contact us, but we monitor things and have seen the stuff he’s been saying online– encouraging people to come,” said Mayor Jack O’Reilly. “We’ve looked at what he presents and his agenda has nothing to do with Dearborn in particular. We become the focal point because outside of the greater Detroit area, people imagine all kinds of things that go on here that simply aren’t true.”

O’Reilly noted that the city and its residents must abide by freedom of speech laws whenever evangelists decide to bring their messages into town. He noted that residents are usually respectful under these circumstances, as some of the groups will look for any reason to make local Muslims and Arabs seem barbaric.

An example of that would be an incident at the now defunct Arab Festival in 2012, when a group called the “Bible Believers” aggressively protested in front of local residents– holding offensive signs and using a pig’s head on a stick to entice local teens to retaliate.

The Bible Believers were escorted out of the festival by the Wayne County Sherriff’s Department after attendees began throwing debris at them. On the Internet and in the media, the group attempted to portray themselves as victims.

“Those Bible Believers taunted those children and they reacted because they are children,” O’Reilly said.

O’Reilly is asking the community to either ignore Anderson and his followers or approach them subtly if residents prefer to engage in healthy dialogue.

“We have to be sure that we don’t give them any false impressions and justify their arguments,” he said. “As long as we know who we are and respect their rights, it doesn’t change Dearborn or make us any different. We just have to be strong and let them do their thing. As long as we know we are all in this together as one community and we don’t lose sight of that, then they can’t hurt us.”