Pastor JP Pokluda is making a startling claim about the violent airplane confrontation involving Messianic Jewish author Jonathan Cahn: he believes the incident offers evidence that Christianity is true.
The frightening encounter reportedly occurred aboard an American Airlines flight on September 3. Cahn said he had been enjoying a friendly conversation with fellow passenger Arthur Lundeen, during which he discussed his new book, The Altar of Pergamon, explained the gospel and encouraged Lundeen to read the Bible. According to Cahn, the passenger's demeanor suddenly changed after the conversation turned explicitly to Jesus.
Cahn alleged that Lundeen became enraged, denounced what he had said about Christ and eventually struck him, attempted to seize his laptop and injured his shoulder. Other passengers restrained the man with duct tape, and the flight made an emergency landing in Baltimore, where Lundeen was arrested. Cahn later described the confrontation as spiritual warfare and declared, "The devil is real."
Now Pokluda, lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in McGregor, Texas, says Christians should not be too quick to explain away the disturbing episode. Reacting on Instagram, he asked whether the incident might function as an "apologetic of the faith," adding, "We chose correctly." He also questioned how people who reject Christianity would account for such a sudden and violent response following a conversation about Jesus.
Pokluda connected the encounter with the biblical accounts of demonic activity, suggesting that the spiritual conflict described in Scripture did not end with the ancient world. His interpretation will undoubtedly divide viewers: some will regard the episode as evidence of unseen spiritual forces, while others may point to psychological, medical or behavioral explanations that have not been publicly established.
Whatever caused the terrifying outburst, Cahn's account has transformed what initially appeared to be another case of midair chaos into a much larger conversation about Jesus, evil and spiritual warfare. For Pokluda, the timing was simply too striking to dismiss: a man heard the gospel, allegedly erupted in rage and attacked the person sharing it. He believes Christians have seen this pattern before-on the pages of Scripture.
