Daily Faith TV
FAITH34m·May 23, 2025

Faith Under Fire: Pastor Phil Hutchings on Bold Christianity in Canada

Pastor Phil Hutchings of Higher Life Church in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada joins Philip Cameron for a gripping conversation about what it truly costs to stand for bold Christianity in the face of government opposition. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Phil refused to close his church doors — and paid for it with a stint in solitary confinement, shackled in ankle chains for seven days. "It wasn't about bravado," he explains. "I just realized if there's one time for the church to be open, it would be during this craziness." Rather than silencing his congregation, the arrest became a catalyst. A Satanist who stumbled upon their outdoor worship service — thinking it was a freedom rally — got saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and is now preaching the gospel. Phil unpacks the spiritual lesson behind the story of the twelve spies in Numbers 13–14, showing how ten spies spoke in agreement with the problem rather than the Promise, and how God gave them exactly what they declared. His book, *A Mouthful of Miracles*, equips believers to stop speaking defeat and start speaking victory. Phil also shares his vision to plant seven new churches — one for every day he spent in jail — as a declaration that persecution only propels the Kingdom forward. Get his book and learn more at higherlifechurch.ca.

What's Discussed

Pastor Phil Hutchings of Higher Life Church in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada recounts being arrested and placed in solitary confinement for seven days — in ankle chains — after refusing to close his church during COVID-19 mandates. Rather than shrinking the congregation, the persecution grew it. A self-identified Satanist wandered into an outdoor worship service and was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit; he now preaches the gospel. Phil draws on Numbers 13–14 and the story of the twelve spies to teach that words frame reality — his book, A Mouthful of Miracles, provides practical declarations to shift believers from victim to victor. He also announces a goal to plant seven new churches, one for each day he spent in jail.

  1. 17:17Arrested for Keeping Church Open
  2. 18:27Seven Days in Solitary Confinement
  3. 21:01Persecution Grows the Church
  4. 22:24Satanist Saved at Outdoor Service
  5. 24:24Breaking Weak Christianity Series
  6. 26:30Power of Words and A Mouthful of Miracles
  7. 29:00Twelve Spies and Speaking Faith
  8. 26:59Planting Seven Churches as a Statement

Featuring Phil Hutchings

Topics

phil hutchingshigher life churchcovid church persecutionpower of wordsa mouthful of miraclessolitary confinement faithcanadian pastor