Growing Persecution of Christians

In the early church the most common meeting of Christians was in believers' homes. Today, many churches use this same practice to extend and personalize their Sunday services to best minister to their congregation. Our church has an extensive home group, or cell group, ministry. While it is an extension of the Sunday service, it is very loosely structured, often involving a shared meal, etc., and discussion, revelation, etc., of the subject at hand.

This is the setting for Pastor David Jones and his wife, Mary, in San Diego. They hold such a home group meeting. However, on Good Friday they had an unexpected visitor in the form of an official from San Diego County who essentially informed them that since their Bible study was religious assembly they had to cease and desist or pay tens of thousands of dollars. This, in order to conform to county code regulating "unlawful use of land". They are required to purchase a permit.

The couple is planning to dispute the order, of course. So, many of you have called me alarmist or paranoid in the past for warning of this type of thing. Well--and I'm quite happy to say this--I TOLD YOU SO. This is yet another in a string of examples of how secular humanism is working quite hard to shut down Christians. If this particular offense against the free exercise of religion is successful, you can bet many cities will be looking at similar opportunities to stifle us pesky Christians. Mark my words. Of course, none of this is a surprise to God. Jesus said, "They hated Me before they hated you". And in the last days, this is very much what Scripture says to expect, so it shouldn't be surprise to believers, either. Let me say this again, folks...the hot and the cold are being defined, the wheat is being separated from the tares.