A Christian influencer with a large online following says she was removed from an Alaska Airlines flight after sharing a brief message about Jesus with fellow passengers before takeoff, an incident that has ignited debate over evangelism, religious freedom and the appropriate ways to share one’s faith.

Whitney Lynn, a Florida-based evangelist, was traveling from Orlando to San Diego this week when her flight was delayed before departure. During the wait, Lynn stood and spoke to passengers for less than a minute, encouraging them not to become frustrated by the delay.

According to The Washington Post, Lynn told those on board that the delay could be part of God’s plan and suggested it might even be protecting them from danger. A video of the moment captured a flight attendant’s call chime sounding as she addressed the cabin.

Soon afterward, a crew member approached Lynn and instructed her to gather her belongings and leave the aircraft.

“The crews don’t feel safe with you,” the employee told her.

Videos later posted by Lynn show her questioning airline staff and telling fellow passengers, “We are being persecuted, persecuted to be a Christian.” She later described the incident as “spiritual warfare,” adding that “demons don’t like the name of Jesus.”

The encounter quickly gained national attention after Lynn shared multiple videos on social media. One Instagram clip had amassed roughly 3 million views by Friday afternoon, prompting widespread discussion among both supporters and critics.

In a statement, Alaska Airlines said its crew “became increasingly concerned” about a passenger’s behavior and asked her to leave the aircraft “for safety reasons.” The airline also confirmed that Lynn has been prohibited from flying on Alaska Airlines “for the foreseeable future” while it investigates the incident. The restriction also applies to Horizon Air and Hawaiian Airlines, which are part of the same airline group.

Lynn said she had been traveling to California to attend the funeral of one of her followers. Although she booked another flight after leaving the plane, she later received notice that she had been banned from the airline. She has indicated she plans to consult an attorney and says she has no intention of stopping her public evangelism.

Lynn has frequently used commercial flights as opportunities to share the Gospel, saying passengers “have no choice but to hear the truth.” In another video posted last month, she preached to travelers waiting to exit a flight in San Diego, speaking about sin, Heaven, Hell and salvation through Jesus Christ. She captioned the clip, “I just love a captive audience.”

Not all Christians agree with that approach. Brett Raio, another evangelist known for preaching on airplanes, said he believes God sometimes prompts believers to speak to strangers and that obedience can be a matter of eternal significance.

Others urge greater caution. Retired pastor and author Rodney Kennedy said evangelism is generally most effective when it grows out of trust and relationship rather than being directed at people who cannot easily walk away. He argued that sharing the Gospel without permission in a captive setting may ultimately reinforce negative perceptions of Christianity rather than draw people toward Christ.

The incident has fueled renewed conversation about where the line is between bold evangelism and respecting public spaces—raising questions many Christians continue to wrestle with as they seek to faithfully share their faith in an increasingly divided culture.