That Land Is Ours, Pastor

Yesterday, I talked about a pastor and his wife in San Diego County who have been told by a county official that they need to stop holding their Bible study in their home or get a permit for proper land use. I'm sure we'll hear a lot about it in the coming days as the Christian community gets its feathers ruffled about it.

Yesterday, I pointed out that we do need to be concerned about the government (national, state or local) infringing on our rights to worship. Jesus warned us that the world would hate His followers more than they hated him, so we need to be on our guard.

I also noted that we need to respect the laws that affect our area. But, what happens when laws are passed that harm churches and religious gatherings? This question brings me to what I believe is an even greater threat to the church today than any single government official's attempt to stop Christianity.

I am most concerned about the issue of eminent domain. This is a legal maneuver that governments typically use to gain access to private property for the construction of highways, utilities, etc. If necessary, this is a proper use of eminent domain. However, recently there have been moves across the country to use eminent domain to obtain private property then turn that over to commercial developers. The idea is that the commercial developments can generate more tax dollars than residential areas.

Such was an effort a few years ago in the city of Ozark, Missouri, where the city government tried to condemn a residential neighborhood in an effort to turn the land into a commercial area. It failed, and led to tighter laws on eminent domain use in the state, but those laws have left a huge loophole. There are no protections against the taking of property owned by not-for-profit organizations, like churches.

Imagine, if you will, that your church sits on a heavily travelled strip of road. As a tax exempt organization, your land generates no tax for the government. A cash-strapped city might target your prime piece of real estate for eminent domain, then turn that "condemned" land and facilities over to a developer to build a strip mall.

This type of possibility is why I believe churches should set aside money in their budgets to keep an attorney and maybe even a lobbyiest on retainer to represent them before the government. I would even encourage church leaders to get involved on some level with their government representatives to push for greater protections.

Yes, if it is law, we have to abide by it, but in America, we still have the ability as citizens to shape those laws. It's time to get involved and be a part of the process.