From Focus On The Family: 

Experts say action at the local level may be the most effective defense.

A church in Oklahoma may be first to lose its property under last summer’s Kelo decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that gave communities expanded power to take property through eminent domain.

Centennial Baptist Church is located on prime real estate in Sand Springs, Okla., just outside Tulsa. Its recently built steel building is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a new Home Depot.

Oklahoma Sen. Randy Brogdon disagrees with the idea of a community taking over property with an eye on greater tax revenue.

"There is an abuse of eminent domain powers which basically means government at different levels is stepping in and taking property away from individuals," he said. "We’re seeing a manifestation of man’s heart right now, and it all stems back to one thing and that’s greed."

While federal legislation to the fix the problem has been suggested, Heather Wilhelm with Americans for Limited Government told Family News in Focus that there is a better way.

"We’ve found that it’s really effective to work on the state and local level," she said. "It’s amazing what grassroots activists can do when they’re put in touch with each other. When they put their minds to it, and real change happens on the state level, we’ve found that it often flows upward."

According to Brogdon, it’s an issue the church cannot ignore.

"If there’s ever a cause that Christians should get their arms around, it better be this one right here," he said, "because it’s taking away one of our God-given rights."

Posted by Walt in Constitutional Issues, Social Issues