Comments on: Bible Study Raid

By: Nabal Ben-Nimrod

Nabal Ben-Nimrod — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:26:57 +0000

Carol- Who says they aren’t part of a mainstream denomination? Didn’t you notice the cigarette butt can by the front door?

Yours,
-N

By: Joanna

Joanna — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:27:09 +0000

Is what happened really specifically after Christians or would they have done exactly the same thing other meetings for different religions/causes that met in homes and were annoying the neighbors?

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:28:15 +0000

It’s a disturbing sign in two ways. First of all, how bad is in in the “mainstream” church setting that people have to go to homes to have Bible studies? The church system is so targeted on marketing and gathering the most bodies, not concerned if those “warm bodies” are even those of true saints, that’s it’s failing to provide the spiritual needs of the saints. When they have to meet in homes to find true fellowship, it tells me that the mainstream church system has failed.

Secondly, when people are fined and raided by the Police for gathering in homes, it tells me that the system is out to get anything that is genuinely Christian.

In times past when the church was persecuted, it grew, but we are in the LAST DAYS prophetically speaking and the church is so lukewarm that we all know what that truly means…I don’t have to say it.

Only a matter of time.

By: Lee

Lee — Sun, 31 May 2009 14:44:42 +0000

Interestingly, this news story struck a cord with me as a pastor. Why? Because in trying to help another churches start home Bible Studies, cell groups, and home churches in some of the areas where fellow churches are located we have met the same county, city, and community hassle. They went door-to-door handing out fliers and answering any questions. They went to the county, the local boards, neighborhood associations, and city… and guess what? Everything was fine until one neighbor complained.

Then all of sudden they needed parking permits, county codes might be broken, they might need to get a zoning permit, a building use permit. Then came the questions: Why were they meeting together? What kind of organization was this? What materials did they use in the study? Were children adequately taken care of? Do you have the proper childcare certification? Are you exceeding fire codes? Each concern was patiently answered and explained, and they went back to the county, the neighborhood association, to each neighbor — even the one who complained and would not admit he did — and… it turned out that no zoning laws were being broken, no permits were needed, and only one neighbor complained. And guess why they complained? They did not want “Bible Thumpers” (his words) “in my neighborhood upsetting my children.” Huh? It took over a year of hassles to finally get to the truth from the County. And some actual fees were paid that did not need to be and yet were never refunded. That was several years ago and the Bible Studies are now going on all over the area.

There are neighborhoods and suburbs in our area that actually have written in their neighborhood association codes that no Bible studies or home churches can be done in homes in their areas. Some housing tracts even restrict where churches can be built.

Just so you know…

By: Reformed Pentecostal

Reformed Pentecostal — Sun, 31 May 2009 14:41:22 +0000

Jim is certainly correct in what he says.

I spend more time talking to “Christians” to strengthen their walk with the Lord. A strong walk, with your eyes on eternal things, usually leads to a stronger witness, both lived and verbalized.

What happened in San Diego may not be deemed “true persecution” but it certainly is a warning we all need to acknowledge as what may be coming.

EVERYONE needs to wake up!

By: Jim Duval

Jim Duval — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:01:02 +0000

Perhaps at this juncture the word “persecution” might seem a trifle incipient, but then so were the initial stages of National Socialism in the early 30’s. Many Jews in those days merely shrugged things off until Herr Hitler gained the power that he did and cracked down with more deliberate vigor. America, don’t remain asleep at the switch. Habakkuk prayed for years regarding the evil behavior of his people – and God’s answer? Full blown invasion. I’ve preached it often long before “9-11″. Please don’t think it can’t happen. North America is ripe.

By: Angus

Angus — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:38:56 +0000

This story doesn’t really register much on the “Christian persecution” scale, but I got a kick out of exaggerating the county official’s inflammatory mishandling of this case. If or when such incidences become common place and more deliberate against Christians, then I won’t be joking about it anymore.