A North Carolina pastor is urging people of faith across the nation to raise a Christian flag above the American flag to demonstrate that God, and not the U.S. government, is the ultimate authority.



According to a report from WBTV in Charlotte, North Carolina, pastor Rit Varriale first installed a prominent flag pole outside Elizabeth Baptist Church last week, placing the Christian flag at the top and the American flag below it.



"Our typical flag etiquette is to have the American flag above the Christian flag. But when you stop and think about it, it should be our commitment to God first, then our commitment to country," he told WBTV.



"We should be flying the Christian flag above the American flag as a demonstration that Christians will respect and obey the federal government up to the point that the government asks something that is inconsistent with what God has called His people to do," Pastor Varriale told the Baptist Press, explaining that he got the idea from another church in Shelby, Focus Missionary Baptist Church, who raised the Christian flag several months ago.



Varriale said the growing number of lawsuits against Christian businesses in light of the legalization of gay marriage should cause Christians to ask, "Where did we start going wrong, and how did we come to this place?"

