Moon Township ‘megachurch’ moving forward with 4-day festival despite legal challenges

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Revival Today Church is known for its big evangelical events. The megachurch in Moon Township posted a video to social media promoting its four-day spiritual festival that kicks off Tuesday at 7 p.m.

They’re moving forward with the “Breakthrough in Ministry Conference” at the property on Coraopolis Heights Road despite ongoing legal battles and complaints from neighbors and the township over the last few months.

>> Some Moon Township neighbors concerned over large church festival planned for this summer

Several people who live nearby didn’t want to do an interview because they said they were afraid the pastor would lash out at them. They told Channel 11′s Antoinette DelBel that the music at the venue is way too loud and is disrupting their lives.

Channel 11 spoke with neighbors when the church held its first festival at the end of June. Their biggest complaint was the loud music and sermons they said went on for hours.

“Starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning, until 11 p.m. on Saturday night, there was music. There were sound checks,” said neighbor Danielle Dawn at a township public hearing on July 1. “This morning, they were speaking in tongues. I had to close my windows.”

Kern Matthews lives near the site and went to the weeklong festival over the summer.

>> Moon Township neighbors growing frustrated with ‘megachurch’ hosting large event this weekend

“The only time you get the noise is if you’re inside the tent,” Matthews said. “Even when you drive away from the property at the gate, which is probably two-tenths of a mile, there is very little noise.”

Township leaders told Channel 11 they’re not able to comment on the matter because of court cases against Revival Today Church. They said they took legal action against the church earlier this month for putting up a massive tent without a permit and for violating other codes. The church filed a suit appealing that.

In June, the township filed an injunction against Revival Today Church alleging they were in violation of several ordinances, but a judge denied it, and the event went on as planned.

“I don’t know what [the] codes are, violations are but from just a lay person attending, I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Matthews said.

As several neighbors brace themselves for this week’s festival, Matthews is encouraging them to embrace it, saying his experience was a great one.

“If people come in and listen to what is being said, it resonates,” said Matthews. “It gives you purpose for living. It’s positive. It’s uplifting.”

Channel 11 has reached out to the church and the attorney representing them for their side of the story but has not heard back.

A public hearing on the matter will be held on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. at Moon Middle School.

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