Dove World Outreach Center
| Dove World Outreach Center | |
|---|---|
 Dove World Outreach Center
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| 29°42′28.24″N 82°22′37.53″W / 29.7078444°N 82.3770917°WCoordinates: 29°42′28.24″N 82°22′37.53″W / 29.7078444°N 82.3770917°W | |
| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Non-denominational |
| History | |
| Founded | September 1986 |
| Founder(s) | Donald and Delores Northrup |
| Dedicated | February 1988 |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Terry Jones |
Dove World Outreach Center is a 50-member (as of 2010) non-denominational charismatic Christian church led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. After spending more than 25 years in Gainesville, Florida, the church sold its 20 acres (8 ha) of property in July 2013 and plans to relocate to Tampa. The church first gained notice during the late 2000s for its public displays and criticism of Islam and gays, and was designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. It became widely known for its pastor's controversial plan to burn Qur'ans on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
On September 11, 2010, Jones announced his church would never be burning Qur'ans and that he had reached his goal of exposing elements of Islam as dangerous and radical. On March 20, 2011, however, Jones carried through on his threat, and burned the Qur'an. On April 1, 2011, protesters in the northern Afghanistan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, protesting at this burning, attacked a United Nations Assistance Mission, killing at least 12 people, including at least 7 U.N. workers. Jones described Islam as a false religion that will lead people to hell, and urged to Muslims that the Bible is the only way to God. The congregation held rallies against Gainesville mayor Craig Lowe for being openly gay, and his staff for their purported liberal policies.
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