All across this country, local governments are hiding behind their misguided interpretation of "separation of church and state" to deny people their constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and to follow the religion of their choice. Yet when illegal ordinances banning home Bible studies, house churches or any other religious gathering in a home are exposed, too often people of faith refuse to stand together to force their local officials to do what is right.
One of our blog readers sent me a link to a news story that broke last week on a San Diego newscast. A pastor and his wife were "interrogated" by a San Diego County employee for holding a small Bible study -- about 15 people -- in their home on a weekly basis, which the employee said violates county ordinances.
The couple's attorney, Dean Broyles of the Western Center for Law & Policy, said a few days after the interrogation, the pastor and his wife received a written warning that listed "unlawful use of land" and that told them to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit," a process that could cost them thousands of dollars.
"If the county thinks they can shut down groups of 10 or 15 Christians meeting in a home, what about people who meet regularly at home for poker night? What about people who meet for Tupperware parties? What about people who are meeting to watch baseball games on a regular basis and support the Chargers?" Broyles asked the TV reporter.
The couple is fighting this. But they should not have to fight this on their own. Every person living in that county who values his or her constitutional rights should be demanding that the county government recognize the Bill of Rights -- for everyone.
Years ago, we encountered a similar situation in Siloam Springs, Ark. Although city officials looked the other way when large churches in the community held small group Bible studies at members' homes, they told us we couldn't have a few people at a Sunday morning service at our house. The ordinance they cited prohibited any regular gathering in which more than two or three cars would be parked at a house. When we asked the ministers of the churches in town to sign a letter asking the city council to overturn the ordinance, none of them was willing to "rock the boat."
We face a related situation in Fairfax County, Va., in which the county refuses to give churches a permanent zoning permit. All they can get is a special use permit, which means they have to get the county's permission to do anything. But rather than banding together to fight this subtle discrimination, the churches live with the status quo.
During this past election, we heard a lot about the politics of change. Change must begin where we live. If we cannot effect change on the local level, how can we expect to change our world?
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