SAN DIEGO, Kalifornia - May 25, 2009 - Liberal, tolerant Kalifornia proves its rank hypocrisy again for the whole world to see. A pastor and his wife were forced to stop having a group Bible study at their home. The county said that the couple needs to apply for a “Major Use Permit” costing $10,000 or face fines for having friends over to study the Bible.

The couple, whose names are being withheld until a demand letter can be filed on their behalf, told their attorneys that a county government employee knocked on their door on Good Friday, asking a litany of questions about their Tuesday night Bible studies, which are attended by approximately 15 people.

“Do you have a regular weekly meeting in your home? Do you sing? Do you say ‘amen’?” the official reportedly asked. “Do you say, ‘Praise the Lord’?”

The pastor’s wife answered yes.

She says she was then told, however, that she must stop holding “religious assemblies” until she and her husband obtain a Major Use Permit (MUP) from the county, a permit that often involves traffic and environmental studies, compliance with parking and sidewalk regulations, and costs that top tens of thousands of dollars.

And if they fail to pay for the MUP, the county official reportedly warned the couple will be charged escalating fines beginning at $100, then $200, $500, $1000, and then it will get ugly. Broyles confirmed that the county official followed through on his threat, for the pastor and his wife received a written warning ordering the couple to “cease/stop religious assembly on parcel or obtain a major use permit.”

“The Western Center for Law and Policy is troubled by this draconian move to suppress home Bible studies,” said the law center in a statement. “If the current trends in our nation continue, churches may be forced underground. If that happens, believers will once again be forced to meet in homes. If homes are already closed by the government to assembly and worship, where then will Christians meet?”

On a personal note, Broyles added, “I’ve been leading Bible studies in my home for 13 years in San Diego County, and I personally believe that home fellowship Bible studies are the past and future of the church. … If you look at China, the church grew from home Bible studies. I’m deeply concerned that if in the U.S. we are not able to meet in our homes and freely practice our religion, then we may be worse off than China.”

Broyles also explained that oppressive governments, such as Communist China or Nazi Germany, worked to repress home fellowships, labeling them the “underground church” or “subversive groups,” legally compelling Christians to meet only in sanctioned, government-controlled “official” churches.