A Detroit minister is telling Christians that it is time to stop shopping on Sunday.

Pastor Willie Lark, Sr., from the House of Prayer in Benton Harbor, Michigan told WWJ Newsradio 950's Zahra Huber that God spoke to him and said he wants his day back.

If Christians stop shopping on Sunday, then businesses won't find it profitable to open, says Lark who shuts down his Lark's Bar-B-Q Restaurant on Sunday.

“God’s day is supposed to look different than any other day,” Lark told WWJ. “And the average person that don’t go to church on Sunday, if you ask them the question: ‘Why not?’ they will tell you that they have to work on Sunday.”

Lark's argument isn't new -- it has been made for decades -- but it still isn't clear if closing stores on Sunday really increases church attendance or just results in people doing something else.

Companies like Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby already close on Sunday. And in Bergen County, New Jersey, a widespread ban on Sunday shopping is still on the books. County residents have developed a Facebook page to try to get the 'Blue Laws' repealed , but so far, it hasn't worked.

All of this to say, Lark isn't pulling his movement out of thin air (and he is definitely calling it a movement). He and his congregation plan to visit other churches and ask Christians to join them in the cause.

Lark says he wants to see gas stations and restaurants closed on Sunday as well. And eventually, he says, maybe he can get rid of another Sunday fixture if he can convince professional athletes who are Christian to put down their footballs and pick up their Bibles.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Blooper celebrates the Atlanta Brave’s 5-0 win over the New York Mets during a MLB game Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at Truist Park. This year, the venue is a first-time host of the MLB All-Star game. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC

Featured

Rebecca Ramage-Tuttle, assistant director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, says the the DOE rule change is “a slippery slope” for civil rights. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC