After pastoring for 54 years, 52 of which have been with Maryville Baptist Church, Dr. Jack Roberts never expected to play David against a Kentucky Goliath - Gov. Andy Beshear. But as we saw with Abraham, Sarah and even Moses, no matter the age, God works miracles through his faithful. Read on to learn more about this case, and what the godless governor of KY did and wants to do now. -Mat

In his 52 years of preaching at Maryville Baptist Church, Pastor Roberts never once closed the church.

But on March 25, radically pro-abortion KY Gov. Beshear banned ALL worship, including parking lot services. But, like other governors that restrict churches, he declared abortion centers and liquor stores “essential.”

On GOOD FRIDAY, when we remember the Crucifixion of Jesus, Gov. Beshear warned that no one should dare attend EASTER services. He warned that he would send police officers to monitor churches and take down the license plates and VIN numbers, and then issue Notices of Quarantine - even for parking lot services.

Never mind that Gov. Beshear allowed big box retail centers, abortion clinics, and liquor stores to stay open and largely unrestricted – churches and houses of worship had to shut down.

On the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter, a church located in a county next to Maryville sued the Louisville Mayor and won an injunction, preventing the Mayor from stopping parking lot services. The precedent set by that Trump appointed judge should have served as a warning to Gov. Beshear - but the abortion-loving governor didn’t care. Instead, he doubled down on the other Kentucky counties.

On Easter Sunday, Maryville Baptist Church opened its parking lot and readied its loudspeakers for a drive-in service. Attendees arrived and stayed in their own cars and prepared to listen to Pastor Roberts’ sermon.

But there was someone else waiting in that church parking lot as well – the police.  The officers went car to car, taking down the license plate numbers and issuing citations to the faithful flock who just wanted to worship their Lord - in their cars!. Even the local news team sent to cover the event received the notice. Many who were still arriving saw the police cars and turned away, sacrificing their right to worship out of fear of tyrannical governmental punishment.

Church members lose their job...

On Monday, as Maryville attendees went to work, reports of the church hit the media. Multiple Maryville Baptist attendees report being sent home and/or immediately fired from their “essential service” jobs. None had symptoms, none tested positive for COVID. Instead, these faithful Christians were fired for exercising their Constitutional RIGHT to religious freedom. These people lost their jobs - for attending church.

But it gets worse…

Attendees whose license plates were taken each received MANDATORY 14-day quarantine orders for simply attending the stay-in-your-own-car drive-in church service. These faithful Christians were ordered to remain only in their homes for the next 14 days—even though none had tested positive for the COVID virus, nor did any have symptoms.

Four days after the service, Dr. Roberts received a letter from the governor informing this humble pastor that he was no longer allowed to leave the state, or even the county without permission.  

Pastor Roberts and Maryville Baptist’s attendees were put on the equivalent of house arrest – for attending church.

Pastor Roberts decided he’d had enough of Gov. Beshear’s godless tyranny, and he called us at Liberty Counsel. We filed suit immediately. The case first went before an Obama appointee who denied our request for an injunction. So we appealed.

In two back-to-back Saturday afternoon decisions, the Court of Appeals agreed with us with two 3-0 opinions, and the state of Kentucky was freed from Gov. Beshears’ illegal and unconstitutional shutdown orders. That court ruling wisely noted that Gov. Beshear trusted people to go shopping, but not to go to church, and that his anti-church edicts were not only wrong, they were unconstitutional. And in an amazing act of God, that court used scripture from the Holy Bible in its decision against the godless governor.

Nearing 80 years of age - Dr. Roberts defeated Kentucky’s Goliath.

One would THINK two 3-0 rulings from the Court of Appeals would have been the end, but Gov. Beshear is defiantly determined to have his godless anti-church ways forced again upon the good people of Kentucky.

Unbelievably, Gov. Beshear is now demanding the courts allow him to return to his anti-church ways and enable him to once again shut down any house of God, any time he chooses.

And once again, we here at Liberty Counsel will rise to the challenge and stand side by side with Pastor Roberts and the faithful adherents of Maryville Baptist Church. We filed a reply brief to Gov. Beshear’s tyrannical demands last week, and we are preparing oral arguments to go before the court later this year.

Liberty Counsel is by no means the largest law firm in the country. In fact, by comparison to many, we are quite small. But for 31 years we’ve been fighting tirelessly to protect America’s Judeo-Christian values and First Amendment RIGHT to religious freedom.  And as you have seen time after time, WE WIN.

Here’s the thing I hope you take away from today’s message.

It does not matter how old or how young, how big, or how small - God WILL strengthen us all to accomplish His mighty will. He is gathering Gideon’s army, and while godless giants might view the Lord’s people as small, or old or weak; the Lord our God has and will prepare all for victory in His name.

I want to thank you for being a part of this new Gideon’s army, made up of young and old, strong, and weak. Thank you for standing for God’s truth in a time of viciousness and lies. And thank you for supporting Liberty Counsel.

YOUR support means that we never, ever have to charge our clients, especially humble pastors who would likely never be able to afford such court cases on their own. YOUR support means that God’s people will be represented in the halls of justice throughout the United States…and that WE WILL preserve America’s religious freedom – even if it means taking this and our four other cases against the governors of California, Illinois, Virginia and Maine – all the way to the Supreme Court.

The gates of hell shall NOT prevail against God’s church…and neither will the godless governor of Kentucky.

We only have a short time left before the church challenge grant expires. This grant automatically DOUBLES the impact of all donations. Please, do not miss this opportunity to fully fund the fight for our churches.

In Christ,

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman

P.S. If we voted biblical values, these rogue governors would not be restricting churches today. That’s why I am offering our “Silence Is Not an Option,” training course FOR FREE. This vital training details exactly what pastors and churches can do politically. Arm yourself, your pastor, and your church NOW; before it is too late. Select here to get your "Silence Is Not an Option" download now.

P.P.S. As I mentioned above, a generous supporter has established a CHALLENGE GRANT which will effectively DOUBLE the impact of your donation today. Please don't let this opportunity to DOUBLE your effective support pass you by. America's pastors and churches are relying on YOU, a faithful Liberty Counsel supporter, to help ensure religious freedom remains FREE! Select here or the graphic below.