Chris Avell, pastor of Dad’s Place Church in Bryan, Ohio, is facing months of jail time.
His crime? Sheltering and ministering to the homeless at his church.
For Pastor Avell, this case is personal. He once considered himself an atheist, but says God changed his mind, his heart and his path in 2009. Now, he desires to share his Christian faith and live out his vocation to minister to others.
In March 2023, Dad’s Place began operating 24-hours a day to serve anyone in need, including those needing help and temporary shelter. The Bryan Police Department even took people to the church when they had nowhere to go.
Dad’s Place operated without incident until November 2023 when, as winter set in in Northern Ohio, Bryan city officials ordered the church to cease 24-hour operations or face stiff penalties.
City officials sent Dad’s Place a letter “ordering the church to stop allowing overnight guests or face criminal prosecution,” saying the church “could no longer house the homeless because there’s no bedrooms.”
On New Year’s Eve, “police showed up at the church” and “handed the pastor a packet of multiple charges and violations.”
First Liberty Institute, which represents Pastor Avell, said in a press release that the city has been “aggressively attacking the church in court” for over a year, “including alleged zoning violations, middle-of-the-night fire inspections, police antagonism and even criminal charges.”
For his act of sacrifice and generosity, Avell has been convicted of 18 separate criminal charges of violating the fire code and city zoning regulations. He faces up to 60 days in jail.
The Daily Citizen spoke with Hiram Sasser, Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute.
Sasser told us that Pastor Avell is facing two cases – one civil and one criminal.
“He’s been technically convicted of the crime of allowing people to come into his church to get out of the freezing cold,” Sasser said, speaking of the criminal case. “To the extent that’s a crime, he’s been convicted of that. We’re in the process of appealing that conviction right now,” he added.
A state appellate court has put a hold on Pastor Avell’s criminal sentence while the appeal plays out, so he hasn’t yet gone to prison.
In the civil case, the city is seeking to force Pastor Avell to immediately evict anyone currently being sheltered at Dad’s Place.
After the district court ruled against him, Avell won a stay of that decision, permitting Dad’s Place to continue operating while the case proceeds. The civil case is also now in the appellate stage.
You can watch a brief video to learn more about Dad’s Place Church:
At the National Religious Broadcasters Convention last month, Kelly Shackelford, President & CEO of First Liberty Institute, participated in a panel focused on legal issues, and spoke about a concerning trend.
“I’ve been doing legal work for 36 years, and we’re seeing something we’ve never seen,” Shackelford said. “We’ve got this stash of cases all of a sudden of pastors being criminally charged for being pastors. And I’ve just never seen this before, it’s really a new thing.”
“[Pastors have been charged] for feeding people, for taking care of homeless people. This is not something we used to see,” Shackelford added.
Speaking of Pastor Avell’s case, Shackelford said, “We’re going to be creating some really important precedents to protect the church and pastors.”
We asked Sasser about the increasing levels of hostility – and even lawsuits – levelled at pastors and churches today. He told us that pastors should rejoice at any sufferings that might come their way.
“They’d be lucky to get arrested for serving God’s people,” Sasser said, “for operating your church, and welcoming people, and serving people and transforming lives with the power of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. That sounds like the gig Jesus called everybody to.”
“If these kinds of things happen, it’s important for them to do what God is calling them to do – but also to call us at First Liberty,” Sasser added.
He emphasized that First Liberty stands ready to help any pastors who might face complaints, lawsuits or charges for carrying out their vocation, jesting, “It could be an angel that comes to release you from jail,” referencing Acts 12:7, “or a First Liberty lawyer.”
In his Farewell Address, President George Washington warned about any attempts to undermine religion and morality within our nation.
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports,” the president wrote, adding,
Indeed, religion and morality are necessary ingredients for a prosperous and well-ordered society. That’s part of the reason why it’s so troubling local city officials are punishing and criminalizing a pastor for living out his mission.
Please join us in praying for Pastor Avell, for peace for him and his family, for the lawyers at First Liberty who are representing him, and for justice to be done.
To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
Related articles and resources:
Ministering to the Heart of Pastors
Pastor to Pastor with Dave Stone
Ohio Church – ‘Dad’s Place’ – Sues City After Months of Harassment For Serving the Homeless
Ohio Pastor Facing Criminal Charges for Opening Church Doors to Homeless
Photo from First Liberty Institute.
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