A church in England will launch an appeal on Friday (May 1) after authorities issued a ban to the entire congregation on preaching in a city center.
Colchester Magistrates’ Court will hear the appeal against a Community Protection Notice (CPN) that authorities served on Bread of Life Community Church in Essex.
Rights group Christian Concern said authorities have used public order powers in an unprecedented way by targeting a whole church rather than individual evangelists. It said the notice criminalizes both the content of the message and the manner of preaching.
The Rev. Stephen Clayden, pastor of Bread of Life Community Church, said the church has preached lawfully and peacefully in Colchester for six years.
“We have harmed no one,” said Clayden. “We will not be intimidated into abandoning the Great Commission.”
Clayden rejected claims that the church acted unlawfully and confirmed that he will challenge the CPN. The Christian Legal Centre is supporting the case.
“We respect the law. But we cannot and will not stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said. “No council has the authority to silence the Church.”
Christian Concern said council wardens imposed the CPN after applying pressure on the church, including prohibiting the use of amplification during weekly outreach. No Public Space Protection Order restricts amplified sound at the city center location.
Breaching the notice constitutes a criminal offense, meaning Clayden and other church members could face prosecution if they do not comply.
Christian Concern added that no one had previously complained about the church’s outreach, including preaching and conversations with the public.
Wardens issued a Community Protection Warning in November and later threatened fines. They then raised concerns not only about volume but also about the content of the preaching, including references to judgment and hell, which the council claimed might distress listeners.
The CPN accuses the church of using amplification and “religious messaging” that mentions “hell” and causes “harassment, alarm and distress.” It also states that wardens “tried to educate” the preachers but found the activity “unreasonable” and “detrimental” to the community.
The Christian Legal Centre will argue in court under section 46 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 that the CPN is unlawful. The church denies that any of the alleged conduct took place and rejects claims that it engaged in threatening, harassing or intimidating behavior. It says describing biblical teaching about hell as “intimidation” misrepresents routine Christian evangelism.
The church records and livestreams all outreach activity and says no evidence shows threats or harassment. It will also argue that the case concerns discomfort with its message rather than any genuine disturbance – an issue protected under Articles 9 and 10 of the Human Rights Act.
The appeal further states that the council has not demonstrated any real detrimental effect on the quality of life in the area, as the law requires.
The church also argues that authorities have produced no objective evidence of harm and denies that its conduct has been persistent or unreasonable.
Christian Concern said the CPN is “vague and disproportionate,” particularly in its ban on undefined “intimidating behavior.” The church argues that attempts to restrict doctrinal statements, such as warnings about God’s judgment, amount to unlawful censorship of protected religious speech.
At the hearing, the church will ask the court to cancel the CPN in full or, alternatively, remove any requirements that unlawfully restrict religious expression.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, described the case as a “deeply alarming development.”
“Public-order powers designed to address genuine anti-social behavior are now being used to clamp down on Christian preaching,” she said. “Today it is amplification; tomorrow it is the content of the message itself. We are seeing a slippery slope from managing noise to policing theology.”
Williams said preaching and public witness lie at the heart of the Christian faith and remain protected by law.
“If a church can be criminalized simply for proclaiming the gospel, then freedom of religion and speech in the U.K. are in serious jeopardy,” she said. “This church brings the Good News of Jesus Christ to the heart of this community, and we will support it as it challenges the notice.”
