Government Threatens Bible Study Shut Down...

From www.cbn.org
Craig Von Busack

It's an all-too-familiar tale -- a local government declaring a home Bible study or church to be in violation of zoning laws. Often citing neighbor's complaints, parking and zoning restrictions, some local or county governments have moved to close down home fellowships across the country. The latest story to make headlines is concerning a San Diego pastor and his wife who have been told they cannot have a Bible study in their home. The couple says they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, and then they were threatened with fines if they refuse to stop the Bible study for their 15 attendees.

Pastor David Jones and his wife, Mary, were hosting the weekly study near their church, when they say they were visited by a county code enforcement officer. According to Dean Broyles, an attorney for the Joneses, they were questioned by the county official about the Bible study. "Do you have a regular meeting in your home?" The pastor's wife replied, "Yes." "Do you say 'amen'?" the official asked. "Yes," she replied. "Do you pray?" Again she said, "Yes." "Do you say 'praise the Lord'?" Another "Yes."

Unbelievably, the official told the pastor and his wife they were in violation of county rules.

Within days they received a written warning that listed the home Bible study an "unlawful use of land." They were notified to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit" -- a move that could cost the Bible study thousands of dollars.

Jones, his wife, and their attorney, Dean Broyles, were interviewed on the Fox News Channel. Broyles says the couple's rights have been violated.

"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," says the attorney. "And I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw that here in the year 2009 that a pastor and his wife are being told that they can't have a simple Bible study in their own home."

The American Family Association has launched an online petition drive related to the incident, asking the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to immediately stop interfering with the rights of individuals to hold Bible studies in their homes.

Jones and his wife say they will continue to challenge the county's policy. If the County refuses to release the pastor and his wife from obtaining the permit, they will consider a lawsuit in federal court.