Judicial Tyranny: When a Court Bans a Child From Church

We live in a strange world and sometimes you think you’ve heard everything. Well, here’s a new one. A judge, Jennifer Nofsinger of Maine’s District Court, ruled in December of 2024 that a custodial parent, Emily Bickford, could no longer take her then eleven-year-old daughter to Calvary Chapel church services (because the district court considered them to be a cult, and believed it was psychologically damaging to the child)!

Emily Bickford and the girl’s father, Matthew Bradeen, were never married (their relationship ended before the child was born) but they share joint custody of their child. Emily is a devout Christian who faithfully attends Calvary Chapel Greater Portland in Maine. The Calvary Chapel Association (CCA) has over 1,800 affiliated locations in the United States. The Calvary Chapel movement was founded in California in 1965 by Pastor Chuck Smith (featured in the 2023 film, Jesus Revolution).