It is 2024, and we live in a world of smartphones, internet and technology. As more speed and availability are needed to keep the EMF infrastructure standing, more cell towers have been constructed. But with the need for cell towers comes the need for land, hence why telecom companies have been eyeing churches.

A telecom company will typically see a gap in its infrastructure map and begin to research possible land opportunities (i.e. churches) in the area. Telecom companies don’t consider the church’s land God’s land; they see it as needed land to build their cell tower to make a profit.

The telecom company will then contact the church leaders and offer them anywhere between $1800 - $2000 to “lease” a plot of land on their property for anywhere from between 5-10 years. The telecom company will build their cell tower on church land, maintain it, require a key to church property and even pour a slab of concrete for the church. The telecom company’s offering may seem like good business and even “God’s will” to some leaders of struggling churches but there are other things to consider.

For example, have the elders of the church considered the dangers of EMF Radiation to the healthy or frail people in their church? How about the neighbors surrounding the church? How about the church staff? Have the elders considered what installing a cell tower will “say” to their surrounding neighbors? Will the neighbors be upset? Will the church lose its witness? Hopefully the elders are praying through a decision like this. Sometimes church leaders can have tunnel vision when it comes to lucrative opportunities and forget to seek the Lord. They see financial benefits for the church but miss seeing the consequences in the long term.

Some Christians think that if the evidence of EMF harm was real, then it would exhibit itself right away. Sometimes it does (i.e. in those who are EMF sensitive) and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes migraines and tinnitus happen slowly over time and sometimes it happens right away. It’s difficult to tell what would happen to a neighborhood before a tower is installed, but one thing is sure, once the contract is signed, the telecom company holds all the rights. If people start getting sick, it doesn’t matter. That tower would stay and keep emitting dangerous EMF Radiation until the land-lease contract expires or is renewed. Taking health away from church members or making neighbors physically sick should never happen under a church’s watch. People should be the priority before any lucrative contracts are signed.

Not every church that has been approached by a telecom company decides to accept their offer. Some of the reasons include: the church loves their neighbors as themselves, the church does not need the extra money, the business contract falls outside the scope of the Great Commission and is thus rejected. Some churches do not want to subsidize pornography to the world. Some churches do not want to increase the profits of a telecom company (i.e. helping companies financially profit is not the purpose of the church; it’s about preaching the gospel).

Would a telecom company, before installing a cell tower, ever admit to their technology being anything other than “safe and effective“? I don’t think the telecom industry is the best source for answers since they have a lot to lose by studying the harms of this tech. The difficult part is trying to find accurate scientific evidence of EMF harm. People will typically bring up the fact that there isn't any evidence or studies showing the harmful effects of EMF Radiation. A) That isn’t true and B) The studies are out there, but it requires a bit of digging to find them. In addition, there have not been any studies showing EMF Radiation to be beneficial or neutral to humans either.

Cell towers, as a topic, are not in the Bible but how churches interact in a community, how they conduct business with others and how they steward their land is all in the Bible. Every decision that a church makes should be filtered through the Great Commission and their church’s mission statement. If it doesn’t filter through that, then that decision is outside the scope of that church and shouldn’t be considered.

When churches align themselves with governments, those alliances tend to become unholy alliances. The same thing happens with corporations. What are the spiritual benefits to a business agreement with a telecom company? Does the company filter pornography and blasphemy or does it broadcast godless filth freely?

It is true that a cell tower’s frequencies can interfere with sound equipment/worship service of a church. It is also true that the cell towers are typically an eye soar (i.e. “That’s not a real palm tree, Mom!“). However, when people bring up those issues, they are really missing the point of what a cell tower is. Being next to a cell tower is way different than holding your smartphone. (I have posted a few links at the bottom of this page for further reading on this topic).

I have seen several churches that have a cell tower on its property and/or it steeple. I don’t think telecom companies are going to be going away anytime soon (nor technology). This is an issue that will be ongoing for foreseeable future.

The following is a sample letter that you can use for your own church.

Dear Church Leaders:

The topic of a possible cell tower being leased on our property was brought up at our last meeting. I have been thinking and praying about this topic and I submit the following questions for your consideration:

1. In 2011, the WHO declared EMF Radiation “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. In addition, there haven’t been any studies showing neutral or beneficial effects of EMF Radiation. With those facts in mind, is a cell tower something our church should install on its property?

2. Our church has a congregation made up of many frail people. What are the health risks to frail people in our congregation being so close to a cell tower?

3. If a member of our church developed health issues from the cell tower (i.e. tinnitus, migraines, sickness, etc.) and didn’t experience those symptoms at home, would they ever come back to a worship service?

4. What are the long-term effects of the cell tower’s frequencies to our church’s staff, 40+ hours a week for the next 5, 10, 15 years?

5. The church’s land is God’s property. How does a cell tower fit into our church’s mission statement or the Great Commission?

6. The cell tower’s purpose isn’t just for phone calls and 911 emergencies; it’s used for data transfer. 25% of all search queries are pornography related (Covenant Eyes Statistic). Should a church’s land subsidize pornography to the world?

7. Good health can’t be bought. Is $1800/month from the telecom company worth the potential health risks from EMF Radiation?

Being locked into a contract for the next 5-10 years with a structure that emits EMF Radiation seems very risky. Our church is a second home to most of us, as we are on the property multiple times a week. Our church shouldn’t be an unsafe place for anyone (member or visitor).

The telecom company’s desire to lease a piece of our land is unrelated to the Great Commission and our church’s mission statement. Our church’s purpose isn’t to increase revenue for a telecom company. Yes, a land lease agreement would help pay off our mortgage, but there has to be safer ways to obtain money than this. $1800/month is a drop in the bucket for the telecom company, but the health of our congregation is without price.

I would hate for the cell tower to be installed and have our congregation get sick(er). We have a community of cancer survivors, cancer patients, and people with chronic diseases. Why risk their health for dangerous technology? If only 5 people got sick from the cell tower, it wouldn’t be worth it in my opinion.

I’m concerned for the members of our church, our neighbors, and our staff. A cell tower affects everyone in the surrounding area and beyond. People shouldn’t have to worry about the EMF Radiation that is emitted on the other side of the wall. By way of analogy, if a company paid to dump their toxic waste on church property and later, that waste seeped into the ground water, that would be a horrible decision. That decision would hurt our members and our neighbors for years to come.

We can’t control the radiation that bombards us 24/7 through technology, but we can control what we do with our church property.

I would ask you to prayerfully consider rejecting the telecom company’s offer and drop these plans.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)