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
Nearly 18,000 people were baptized across 49 countries and all 50 U.S. states on Pentecost Sunday, as more than 1,600 churches joined a coordinated global baptism movement organizers described as one of the largest synchronized baptism events in modern church history.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China on Tuesday to help restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while saying Washington had seen no evidence that Beijing provided military assistance to Iran during the recent conflict.
Antisemitic incidents accounted for more than 60% of New York City’s confirmed hate crimes in May, according to the latest data released by the New York Police Department, underscoring a troubling rise in anti-Jewish hostility even as overall crime in the city continued to decline.
U.S. and allied forces intercepted multiple Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region this week, as Tehran escalated its pressure campaign despite what U.S. Central Command described as an ongoing ceasefire.
U.S. businesses added more jobs than expected in May, offering another sign that demand for workers is strengthening despite pressure from the Iran war and elevated gas prices.
The House of Representatives handed President Donald Trump a rare political setback Wednesday, voting 215-208 to pass a war powers resolution aimed at ending U.S. hostilities with Iran unless Congress gives formal authorization.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to downplay signs of friction this week after Trump confirmed he used sharp language during a private phone call over Israel’s continuing military operations in Lebanon.