The Charity Commission has begun an investigation into Bread of Life Community Church following complaints from the National Secular Society (NSS).
Bread of Life Church has already hit the headlines thanks to its ongoing dispute with Colchester City Council. According to the church, the council initially tried to stop it from using sound amplification during open air preaching. However, complaints then moved on to the content of the message being preached and references to hell were apparently said to cause “harassment, alarm and distress".
The NSS has reported the online preaching of the church pastor, Stephen Clayden, to the Charity Commission, claiming anti-Muslim bigotry, misogyny and homophobia, which the church denies.
Among the many quotes the NSS found objectionable was the following from Clayden: "They [Muslims] intend to take over the same way that socialism does. Small increments, the tortoise, so that you and I do not even notice it. Outbreeding the white population, outbreeding all of us, and having more and more children.
"Most Muslim families have over 10 children now. They're told to do that. They are told to do that in order to eradicate the native population.”
Clayden rejected any claims that he or his church promote any form of bigotry, telling Civil Society magazine, “We wholeheartedly reject the accusation that our views and statements are anti-Muslim, homophobic, and misogynistic. All of the statements I have been quoted on are statements which come straight from the Holy Bible.”
He added, “We love LGBT people and we love Muslims, we care about them, and we have a fervent desire for them to come to faith in Jesus Christ to receive his forgiveness, just as we have.”
The Charity Commission has opened a compliance case into the church, with a spokesperson saying, “The commission has clear expectations that all charities, regardless of their purpose, must operate for the public benefit and within the law.
“Concerns have been raised with us about alleged sermons linked to Bread of Life Community Church and we have opened a regulatory compliance case to continue assessing these to determine any next steps.”
