If we told you that a pastor had been arrested for holding regular Bible study meetings at his house, where in the world would you think this had occurred? Would you believe that this happened in Arizona? More than a dozen Phoenix police officers and city officials raided the home of the pastor and arrested him, saying that he could not hold regular church meetings at his own house, because it is not in an area zoned for churches and he had violated building code laws.
Incredibly, this pastor was sentenced to:
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60 days in jail
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3 years probation
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$12,180 fine
This occurred, and yet people are allowed to have several people over to their homes for regular poker nights or book club meetings, for example.
Advocates stands for the right of individuals to study the Bible with others in their own homes. That’s how the early church was started, after all – by groups of Christians gathering in one another’s homes and studying the word of God together.
ACTION POINT
Please pray for this man and his family. We have worked on several cases involving city zoning boards, so we have a vested interest in stories like this one. If you or anyone you know is facing a similar situation, please call us at (888) 588-6888.