GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For more than 50 years, Bethany Christian Services has worked tirelessly to assist the most vulnerable. However, the organization is now facing a major hurdle in their mission. Last week, the faith-based organization filed a lawsuit against a state agency over funding.
Bethany Christian Services allege they are being cut off from necessary federal funds due to their religious beliefs.
Founded in the 1940s, Bethany has worked throughout West Michigan, continuously expanding their footprint. Since 1981, they have been contracted with the state of Michigan to provide resettlement services to refugees.
According to their lawsuit filed in federal court last week, Bethany believes that the Office of Global Michigan (OGM) is denying them funding because of their hiring practices, which prioritizes those holding Christian beliefs.
Bethany acknowledges they have such a policy: requiring new hires sign the Apostle’s Creed.
The oath reads in part: “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.”
The organization argues that this is a protected practice.
They believe this is why the OGM has cut them off from certain federal funds.
“This is not about funding,” Nhung Hurst, general counsel for Bethany, told FOX 17. “This is about people who will one day wake up and there won't be services if we don't get an answer.”
Hurst tells FOX 17 the organization has tried to communicate with OGM staffers about how best to proceed in order to ensure funding comes through, with no apparent success.
“Bethany Christian Services is not trying to enter a new space, with a new set of missions or values. It just begs the question of, Why now?” Hurst said. “It is the state of Michigan that has changed the terms and conditions, and we're just asking for a conversation to sit down face-to-face.”
The lawsuit points to language they say OGM has added to grants, saying, “OGM requires the following: When developing and implementing hiring policies, the grantee will create opportunities to employ staff that represent the cultural, national origin, and religions of the newcomer populations being served under this agreement.”
However, two employees at Bethany, who spoke to FOX 17 under anonymity, claim that while the organization hasn’t changed their policy, they asay they have recently changed how they enforce said policy.
They allege that around summer 2023, Bethany started strictly enforcing their policy of hiring employees with Christian beliefs, whereas previously they were more lenient.
As a result of the funding issues, 15 employees, including the one who spoke to FOX 17, were told their futures with Bethany were uncertain. For now, their last day will be Oct. 15.
"We don’t want to release any staff, but without a preliminary injunction or resolution with the state, some staff may not have guaranteed employment beyond the end of the contracts since the refugee-resettlement contracts end," a spokesperson for Bethany told FOX 17.
They have since filed an injunction with the court, asking the judge to step in.
"With this injunction, we are asking the state to pause ending those contracts. Bethany is committed to doing everything in our power to prevent service disruption to clients and the loss of jobs to our staff," their spokesperson said Monday.
Hurst remains committed to their mission, stating, "We are going to continue to serve our clients well until someone tells us otherwise. We will not let them suffer for a contract issue. We just won't."
In 2019, the state told them they couldn't decline to help LGBTQ couples obtain foster licensing, or they would begin an investigation.
Bethany wrote about the incident in their lawsuit, stating they began complying with this requirement, and still place children with same-sex couples to this day.
The Office of Global Michigan declined to comment on the matter.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
