Drug Rehab Ministry Faces Florida County's Axe; County Faces Lawsuit
by Allie Martin
May 11, 2006
(AgapePress) - - In one Florida county, officials have told the leader of a men's outreach organization that its headquarters can no longer be used for Christian meetings or discipleship. Men of Destiny Ministries, a self-described "Christian discipleship program" for men with "a history of life controlling problems," operates out of a 6,300-square-foot home in Osceola County, Florida. Fourteen men live at the ministry headquarters, go out to work during the day, and have Christian meetings at night.
The meetings are led a pastor who encourages the men, teaches them about Christ, and helps them overcome various addictions and pursue wholeness through a spiritual "regeneration" process designed to heal the damage caused by their destructive behaviors.
Last month, however, the Osceola County Commission voted to shut down the ministry.
Commission officials told Men of Destiny that the men in residence could continue to live in the home, but the faith-based drug "regeneration" program and the Christian teaching going on there must stop. The pro-faith and pro-family legal organization Liberty Counsel has filed suit against the County in an effort to reverse the decision.
Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver finds the Florida county commissioners' demands outrageous. According to the County, he notes, while the Men of Destiny residents are free to gather in the same house for secular purposes and go on living there, "they can't gather together for Christian meetings and talk about staying drug-free."
Not only does that make no sense, but "certainly it violates the Constitution," Staver asserts. And, he points out, "It also violates another federal law known as the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act; plus, it violates several other laws, such as the Fair Housing Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act and many others as well."
The County's reason for imposing these restrictions on the Christian group, Staver contends, is that the area is not zoned "to discuss drugs or to discuss church-related issues." The attorney says the County has basically told the Men of Destiny program participants that "you can stay in this home and you can discuss anything else you want to, but you can't talk about drugs, you can't talk about a regeneration program, you can't encourage your fellow housemate to stay drug-free, and you can't open up the Bible to talk about religious instruction."
The Liberty Counsel spokesman says he and his organization "believe that [the Commissioners' position on Men of Destiny and its activities] is wrong, and it's unconstitutional." The pro-family legal defense group has filed suit against the County in an effort to reverse its decision regarding the ministry.
Staver says Osceola County officials have told Men of Destiny that the ministry must cease operations by the end of May or else face daily fines.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
