Ms. Gabbard grew up in a secretive offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement and has made a dizzying journey from conservative to liberal darling to Trump ally.

The dispute, which some critics say tests the church’s autonomy, heads to the Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The congregation in Nairobi, Kenya, has been forced to move to 10 different locations over 10 years, and yet it has survived as a sanctuary in an increasingly hostile environment.