We will be persecuted

Spreading (and living) the Gospel can sometimes be an inconvenience to the world.

This was originally going to be an odds and ends post for that future rendition of the series but I promoted it.

My most-read Substack post (to date) had to do with a town’s objections to a religious-themed event. But what got my attention on an otherwise-standard Show Notes from Erick Erickson (perhaps the first Substacker I paid attention to, long before this Substack came into being) was its very last item, which emanated from God’s country, northwest Ohio. (And just about as far northwest as you can get.)

This battle is taking place just a few stops down the old Conrail main line from the town I grew up in. The city of Bryan is normally known for making Dum-Dum lollipops and other candies but now is being sued for harassing a church by the First Liberty Institute:

First Liberty Institute and the law firms Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and Spengler Nathanson PLL today filed a federal lawsuit and motion for a temporary restraining order against Bryan, Ohio and city officials seeking to shut down the religious activities of Dad’s Place and Pastor Chris Avell.  Avell faces nearly two dozen criminal charges for keeping his church open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

(…)

In March 2023, Dad’s Place began operating its ministry 24 hours a day to serve the most vulnerable in its community.  For months, Dad’s place did so without incident.  However, in November 2023 as winter began in Northern Ohio, Bryan city officials issued an ultimatum to the church: cease operating 24 hours a day or face legal penalties.  After Dad’s Place refused to force those within its care out onto the streets, city officials began engaging in a campaign to harass, intimidate, and shut down Dad’s Place.

In looking at the location of the church on Google Maps, it’s in the downtown area of Bryan, within sight of the Williams County courthouse. So it’s not in a residential area, but in a portion of town that would presumably remain somewhat inactive during non-business hours. Moreover, it is located (per the legal motion) next to a homeless shelter and is being staffed by volunteers when the pastor’s not there.

Perhaps this is another case where government doesn’t agree with what a church is doing. After trying to cut police service to the church’s population and evicting the church through its zoning rules, the city of Bryan finally filed 18 criminal charges against Pastor Avell - all because what is described by the church as “8 to 12” patrons are in need of its services.

Yet, in the best tradition of “he said, she said” the city contends in its own release that “approximately 20 people” had been sleeping on the floor one recent evening, according to the town’s fire chief. Worthy of mention: the weather that day in the region featured a high in the teens. (Notice this only became a problem to the city when the weather became chilly.)

Obviously the church has a few legal strikes against it, given that its zoning doesn’t allow for first-floor residency. Yet I’m sure the City of Bryan has been quick to approve zoning carveouts when they deem that it’s in the best interest of the city, and to the extent it can the church has been cooperative with the city’s requests. Knowing what I know about the building code, at least insofar as occupancy goes, if the building is okay to be a church it’s likely okay to be a temporary shelter insofar as exiting and facilities goes, as a supplement to the homeless facility next door. They might be short a shower but that’s about it, since a couple of toilets would be more than sufficient for 20 people. (One piece of information I am lacking is how many attend a normal Sunday service at Avell’s church. More than likely there aren’t many from the Bryan community-at-large, seeing how many churches are in town.)

But the shame of it is that we’re wasting money, both that of a charitable organization [First Liberty is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit] and that of the taxpayers of Bryan who are now subject to the lawsuit. It’s also taking away from the mission of Dad’s Place, which is that of catering to an often-unserved population. “We’re a church, and we do Christ’s work,” said Avell in a First Liberty video.

Now I was reading the comments to the video and one viewer said something about the “pastor is shipping in homeless, many are criminals, from Toledo.” Wouldn’t that be the best population for going to church? And my question is how they would get there from Toledo, 50 miles away: walk down the railroad track?

I get that many homeless are that way because they don’t want to follow rules, and their mental state - whether through some sort of addiction or untreated mental illness - is such that they’re happier living in the woods and celebrating their version of freedom than coming to the Lord and realizing they’re more free by accepting that they are, just like the rest of us, sinners who fall short of the glory of God. But there are those who are just down on their luck and need that love or just a warm place to rest besides their cars. There but for the grace of God go I, since I was in a position where I could have lost my home during the Great Recession. Fortunately I was being looked out for, even before I truly knew Him.

Perhaps the best solution would be that of the City of Bryan amending its zoning to allow for the proper use in the downtown district and the church raising enough funds to address whatever code violations are there in a reasonable manner, or even being able to buy the building. It’s a complex case that may end up someday in front of the Supreme Court as a religious liberty fight.

In the meantime, in the eyes of supporters of Dad’s Place and Pastor Abell, the persecution continues apace. You would think they would know better in God’s country, but those who don’t hear the Word knoweth not.

Until next time, also remember you can Buy Me a Coffee since I have a page there.