Government Regulating the Church?

In 2010?

Could it really be happening in our time?

It is really happening, and right in our back yard!

The City of Walker Michigan is currently issuing licenses to churches!

In March of 1775, attorney Patrick Henry, rode into the small town of Culpepper, Virginia. As he rode into the town square, he was completely shocked by what he witnessed. There, in the middle of the square, was a man tied to a whipping post, his back laid bare, with bones exposed. He had been scourged mercilessly, with whips laced with metal. When they stopped beating him, Patrick Henry could plainly see the bones of his rib cage. He turned to ask someone in the crowd, "What has the man done to deserve such a beating as this?" The reply given him was that the man being scourged was a minister. He was one of twelve preachers, locked in jail, because they refused to take the king's license to preach the gospel.

The governor was under orders from King George to compel all preachers to take the license. While being tried, without the benefit of a jury, the minister stated, "I will never submit to taking your license. I am controlled by the Holy Spirit, and authorized by God Almighty, and will not allow you to control me by a license, no matter what you may do to me." Three days later, he was scourged to death, and such was the fate of the other ministers, as well. This was the incident that sparked Patrick Henry to write the famous words, which later became the rallying cry of the American Revolution, .

"What is it that the gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to purchase at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

Though not yet exercising their perceived right to regulate the preaching and counseling of the church, the City of Walker has the ordinance in place to do so at the will of the City Clerk!  They have requested the churches to submit a business license application in the name of collecting emergency contact information.  If/when the application is submitted to the city, the ordinance gives the city the unconstitutional right, among other things, to enter the church "with or without a search warrant" to inspect the books and records.  It also requires the church to cease all activity upon the revocation or suspension of the license! 

[ Pictured right is Mayor Rob VerHeulen ]

The US Taxpayers Party of Kent County is leading the charge against a government agency licensing the Church of God.

The Commissioners have agreed to remove the request from the business license section of the ordinance, but remain determined to have the authority to cite the church with a civil infraction if the church does not comply with the request to annually register with the city!!!

This is real!      This is today!      This is wrong!

This is a violation of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution!

The city will be meeting again on Monday, April 5 at 8:00 P.M.  Please come and defend the church from such ludicrous government oppression!  Before coming, be sure to write a letter to each of the Commissioners and send it to their email accounts.  Visit http://www.ci.walker.mi.us/Default.htm for those addresses.

If you need more information, please contact me at bill@ustpm.org.

THE PATRIOT PASTOR