by Stefan Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, USA (Worthy News) – Authorities in the most populous county of the United States have banned meetings of Church on the Beach, which had been holding public beach services for nearly two decades.
The decision by Los Angeles County has been challenged by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ). “For 18 years, Church on the Beach has been faithfully serving its community by holding worship services on Redondo Beach with proper permits from Los Angeles County,” the advocacy group said in a statement obtained by Worthy News on Tuesday.
“Approximately 120 people gather every Sunday morning to worship in God’s creation, with many attendees specifically choosing this setting because they have had difficult or negative experiences in traditional church buildings,” the ACLJ added.
The group said its legal team sent a detailed demand letter to officials, outlining the “constitutional violations” of singling out one organization because of its viewpoint and discriminating against members.
“Our letter made it clear that the county’s actions violate well-established First Amendment principles as articulated by the Supreme Court in cases like Widmar v. Vincent and Lamb’s Chapel.”
The ACLJ warned that it had given Los Angeles County “until March 20, 2025, to provide assurances that this discriminatory policy will be ended and that churches will be free to use the beach under the same generally applicable rules as nonreligious gatherings.”
NO PERMITS
Yet the Department of Beaches and Harbors recently told the Church on the Beach that it would no longer issue yearly permits for “religious activities,” Worthy News learned.
Instead, the county reportedly announced that “grandfathered” groups would be allowed only six annual events, with $250 permit fees required for four.
It also is restricting the meetings to specific locations.
“The key fact: None of these rules apply to nonreligious groups. Even more concerning, a county official told the pastor that churches ‘don’t need the beach’ because they can ‘meet in a building’ – a statement that demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of both religious freedom and the specific ministry of Church on the Beach,” the ACLJ complained.
The Church on the Beach views its mission as reaching at least some of the county’s nearly 9.7 million people with the Gospel who may otherwise not attend worship services.
The ACLJ added that 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.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has laid out his most explicit vision yet for transforming China’s currency into a global reserve, calling for the renminbi to become widely used in international trade, investment, and foreign-exchange markets—and ultimately held by central banks.
The first month of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has been marked by a troubling surge in antisemitic hate crimes across New York City, even as overall gun violence fell to historic lows, according to newly released data from the New York City Police Department.
Eyal Zamir, Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, convened the IDF’s senior operational commanders’ forum on Monday, underscoring a renewed push to strengthen combat readiness as the military returns to its regular training and exercise cycle following months of sustained operations.
The Trump administration announced Monday that all federal immigration and homeland security officers operating in Minneapolis will now be equipped with body-worn cameras, a move officials say will increase transparency and protect law enforcement amid rising tensions and political scrutiny.
President Donald Trump demanded Monday that House lawmakers swiftly approve the bipartisan spending package passed by the Senate, urging both parties to set aside additional policy demands to bring a partial government shutdown to a rapid end.
President Donald Trump announced Feb. 2 the creation of a new strategic private-sector critical minerals stockpile, a move the White House says will shield U.S. industry from supply shocks and reduce reliance on Beijing’s dominance of rare earths and key metals.
A network of left-wing activist groups working to obstruct federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota has received millions of dollars from a nonprofit tied to the Soros family, according to an investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation.