Back in 2001, The Church of the Awesome God moved into a location in north Lincoln. The building was being rented on the edge of an area zoned for industrial uses.

The city had been threatening the church with eviction for a year – without giving a single reason why –  even though all churches have the right under the First Amendment to gather and worship.

Along with being a worship center, the church also gives back to the community in just about every way they can. They are a food bank collection point, provide low-income families with holiday cheer, offer their space for meetings for UNL Christian youth, hold rummage sales for charity and so much more.

“The church should be given a ‘thank you’ by the city, not letters threatening them with eviction,” said then Executive Director of the ACLU of Nebraska Tim Butz.

The ACLU of Nebraska notified Lincoln city officials in January to inform them that legal action would be taken unless the city stopped harassing the church. But in May, the city sent a letter to the church’s landlord threatening sanctions unless the church moved.

“The First Amendment guarantees the right to free exercise of religion,” ACLU of Nebraska Legal Director Amy Miller said. “A church cannot be forced to close its doors unless the city can prove there is a compelling reason to shut them down.”

The city put forth a proposal that stated if the church stayed, they would be required to hire a mechanical engineer and install a new air intake system with shut-off valves in case of a hazardous spill. Meanwhile, no other businesses in this location were required to do this.

It was clear that the city was treating the church differently than other businesses, so we asked the city to remove the part of the proposed ordinance that requires churches in the zoned areas to meet safety standards that no other business is required to meet.

After many negotiations with the Planning Commission and City Council, the ACLU of Nebraska won a change to the city ordinance that allows churches in industrial zones!

This was not only a victory for the Church of the Awesome God, but one for all people of our state and the First Amendment.


2016 is the 50th anniversary of the ACLU of Nebraska. We will feature several memories from our five decades of defending freedom in the Cornhusker state here. Do you have a favorite memory? Share it with us!