Church outreach is not the same as it was just decades ago. Our culture is just not as friendly or trusting as we once were. More and more people are using “no solicitation” signs on their properties. But what does that mean for church members who are going door to door? Do the same rules still apply to church members, or just those trying to sell products? Check out this legal insight from the Christian Law Association to see what the law says.
Do “No Solicitation” Signs Apply To Church Members On Visitation?
Do quote “no solicitation” signs apply to church members who are going out for their church on visitation?
Here’s an excerpt from attorney David Gibbs, Jr. of the Christian Law Association.
A question often asked by pastors and others is whether “no solicitation” signs apply to soul winners or church visitation when church members are going door to door. The answer depends on where the sign is posted. The Supreme Court and several lower courts have determined that the distribution of free literature and the giving of personal invitations cannot be restricted by law in America. Therefore, a “no solicitation” sign, posted at the entrance to a neighborhood, an apartment complex, or a mobile home park cannot, I repeat, cannot legally prevent soul winners or church visitation from taking place. However, a “no solicitation” sign posted on an individual residence must by law be respected. Knocking on the door of a home that has this sign posted could lead to a trespassing charge and even a possible arrest.
This legal insight is provided by the Christian Law Association. Since 1969, CLA has been providing free legal assistance to Bible-believing churches and Christians who are experiencing difficulty in practicing their religious faith because of governmental regulation, intrusion, or prohibition in one form or another. The Christian Law Association exists to preserve Christian liberty for your children and grandchildren. CLA receives in excess of 100,000 phone calls annually, not counting the thousands of pieces of correspondence from those who are in some way facing legal difficulties for doing what the Bible commands. These cases involve Christians arrested for witnessing to others in public, public school students being told they do not have the right to read their Bibles at school, churches being excluded from communities, Christians being fired for sharing their faith at work, and thousands of other shocking assaults on our precious religious freedoms. CLA provides free legal services based in part on the generosity of God’s people.