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Los Angeles County has prohibited a church from holding services on a public beach where it has worshiped for 18 years, while allowing nonreligious groups to continue their activities — in only the latest illegal attempt to silence the Christian faith.
Officials for Los Angeles County have enacted a new policy prohibiting a church from holding services on a public beach — a location they have utilized for worship for the past 18 years — while permitting nonreligious groups to continue their activities without hindrance.
This action not only raises concerns about the application of public space regulations but also highlights a broader societal shift away from accommodating religious expression in the public sphere.
“The beach location isn’t merely a preference — it’s a crucial component of their ministry’s outreach to those who might never step foot in a conventional church,” said Nathan Moelker, associate counsel for the ACLJ.
Earlier this month, the ACLJ sent county leaders a letter calling for a voluntary change in policy towards Church on the Beach, stating,
“[I]t is unlawful for a public entity to treat religious groups differently or less favorably than non-religious groups with regard to the access of public forums. Accordingly, we demand that LA County immediately cease from discriminating against Church on the Beach for its religious activity, and instead immediately agree to allow the church to continue meeting pursuant to generally applicable LA County policy.”
The ACLJ is giving the county until March 20 to respond to the letter, or it will file a lawsuit.
“When government officials try to relegate faith to the four walls of a building, they fundamentally misunderstand both our Constitution and the nature of religious liberty,” Moelker wrote. “For many in the Church on the Beach congregation, the outdoor setting itself is an integral part of their worship experience, especially for those who have had negative experiences in traditional churches.”
The background of the case reaches back to last year. In late October, Los Angeles County unexpectedly altered its policy, informing the pastor of the church that the Department of Beaches and Harbors would no longer grant yearly permits for religious activities. Instead, the county introduced a restrictive policy limiting religious groups that had been “grandfathered in” to only six gatherings per year.
Under these new rules, only two religious gatherings would be allowed with waived permit fees, while the remaining four would require a paid permit and be confined to specific locations, such as Dockweiler, Mothers Beach, and Will Rogers T5. These restrictions, however, do not apply to nonreligious groups.
Adding to the concern, a county official reportedly told the King Harbor’s pastor that churches “don’t need the beach” because they can “meet in a building,” revealing a flawed understanding of both religious freedom and the particular mission of Church on the Beach.
Although the county has granted a temporary permit that allows the church to continue meeting for a few months, once that period ends, the church will effectively be forced to shut down its beach ministry. No alternative location has been provided, leaving the congregation without a place to gather for worship.
The legal implications of this policy change are clear. The ACLJ has identified this as a blatant case of religious discrimination. Public beaches, much like parks, are recognized as traditional public forums where speech cannot be restricted based on content unless the government meets the highest standard of legal justification.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled in favor of protecting religious expression in such spaces, including in cases like Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches School District, where it affirmed that the government cannot exclude religious viewpoints from public forums.
In another case, Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators’ Association, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that streets and parks have historically been reserved for public use, serving as spaces for assembly and open discourse. The same principle applies to public beaches, which function as extensions of public parks.
The government has no legal basis to single out religious groups for exclusion while allowing secular organizations to continue meeting freely. Such a policy is not only unfair but also a direct violation of the constitutional right to free exercise of religion.
This incident is not isolated but rather indicative of a broader societal trend where nonreligious activities are prioritized over religious ones. Such actions reflect a growing secularization within our culture, where the sacredness of religious gatherings is increasingly overshadowed by secular pursuits.
The marginalization of religious groups in public spaces poses a significant threat to the pluralistic fabric of our society. When governmental authorities selectively enforce regulations that disproportionately affect religious communities, it sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to further encroachments on religious liberties.
Such actions contradict the very essence of the First Amendment, which guarantees not only the freedom to hold personal religious beliefs but also the right to express and practice those beliefs publicly.
The actions taken against this California church should serve as a wake-up call to Christians and religious freedom advocates across the country. If we allow public officials to selectively restrict religious gatherings while permitting secular events to continue, we set a precedent that will only encourage further infringements on religious liberties.
Today it is a church on a beach; tomorrow it could be an even greater push to restrict Christian businesses, faith-based charities, or even the ability to share religious beliefs in public forums.
This is not a time for silence or complacency. Christians must be willing to defend their rights and push back against efforts to marginalize their faith. This can be done through legal action, public advocacy, and by holding government officials accountable for their decisions.
Too often, believers shy away from these debates out of fear of controversy or because they have been conditioned to believe that faith should remain a private matter — but Christianity has never been a faith of silence.
From its earliest days, the Gospel has been proclaimed in public spaces, and believers have been called to be the salt and light of the world. Retreating into the shadows is not an option.
This situation highlights the need for a renewed appreciation of religious expression in America. If our society continues to push faith out of the public square, we will inevitably lose the moral compass that has guided us for generations. The values instilled by Christian teachings — love, justice, compassion, and truth — are essential for the well-being of our communities.
Public spaces should be open to all, including those who wish to gather for worship. To deny this right to Christians while allowing secular groups permission is not only hypocritical but unjust. It sends a message that religious faith is somehow inferior or less deserving of public acknowledgment. This is a dangerous path to travel, one that will only lead to greater division and chaos — and a loss of the God-given freedoms that define our nation.
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