Open Letter To State & Local Officials

NEW DISCIPLE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

474 SANDALWOOD DRIVE

FELTON, DE 19943

NewDiscipleFellowshipChurch@gmail.com

719-651-0642

July 17, 2025

To Whom It May Concern:
The Governor of Delaware, State Representatives, and Kent County Sheriff,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I write to you not only as a citizen of the United States and the state of Delaware, but more importantly, as a servant of the Most High God and pastor of New Disciple Fellowship, a Bible-believing church being planted here in Kent County. I extend this letter to each of you with deep respect for the offices you hold, but with even deeper conviction concerning the authority of God’s Word and the headship of Jesus Christ over His Church.

This communication serves to make one thing explicitly and unmistakably clear:
Under no circumstances, including but not limited to pandemics, martial law, or emergency declarations, will we close the doors of our church. We will not cease to gather, to worship, to preach the Word of God, or to serve our community in obedience to the Great Commission. We will not bow to any pressure to declare the church “non-essential,” for we answer to a higher authority than government — we answer to Almighty God.

The Biblical Mandate

The Holy Scriptures state in Hebrews 10:25, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” The church is not simply a social institution or a voluntary assembly. It is the living body of Christ on earth. Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Our Lord gave His people the commission to go into all the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). This mission is not conditional. It does not pause for the flu, for war, or executive orders. The apostles continued preaching the gospel even when threatened with imprisonment or death. When commanded to cease preaching, Peter replied in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men.” So must we.

The Constitutional Mandate

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and the right of the people to assemble peaceably. These are not privileges granted by government — they are inalienable rights recognized by our founding documents, rooted in the natural law endowed by our Creator. Any attempt to interfere with the operations of the church under the guise of public health or safety crosses a sacred line.

The Constitution does not contain a pandemic clause, nor does it suspend its guarantees in times of emergency. It is precisely in such times that the integrity of these rights is most tested. If the state can tell churches when they may or may not gather based on shifting and sometimes arbitrary health metrics, then the church has become a servant of the state, not of Christ.

We do not deny that the state has a legitimate God-ordained role in protecting public safety and punishing evil (Romans 13). However, the state does not have authority over the church's mission, nor can it redefine what constitutes “essential.” To us — and God — the gathering of the people, the preaching of the gospel, and the call to repentance are more essential than any commercial service or bureaucratic protocol.

The Historical Mandate

For two thousand years, the true Church has endured plagues, persecutions, famines, and war. It has never closed its doors because Caesar demanded it. Whether under Roman emperors, totalitarian regimes, or tyrants masquerading as public servants, faithful Christians have continued to meet — sometimes in catacombs, in forests, in basements, or behind closed doors — because the church cannot die. The Bride of Christ does not bend her knee to political convenience.

In America, many churches failed this test in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Far too many acquiesced to unconstitutional orders, shuttering their doors while liquor stores and abortion clinics remained open. The devastating effects of those closures — spiritual, emotional, and societal — are still unfolding.

Let it be known that New Disciple Fellowship will not repeat that error. We will not compromise the mission of the Church for the approval of man, nor will we outsource our discernment to public officials who do not share our ultimate allegiance. We understand the cost of this conviction and are prepared to bear it.

Our Pledge

We are not anarchists. We do not seek to undermine government. We pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1–2), respect civil authority, and desire peaceful relationships with all. But we also want to be clear:

• We will never submit to any mandate that forces us to suspend or restrict our worship gatherings.
• We will never accept the classification of the church as “non-essential.”
• We will never require proof of vaccination, compliance with mask mandates, or any health pass to enter our sanctuary.
• We will never close our doors in the name of public health, political stability, or national emergency.
• We will always follow the Lord Jesus Christ and the unchanging truth of Scripture, regardless of cost or consequence.

If you, in your role as governor, sheriff, or legislator, attempt to infringe upon our right to gather, preach, baptize, and disciple as the Word of God commands, we will stand peacefully but firmly against you, not in rebellion, but in obedience to God.

This is not a threat, nor is it meant to be confrontational. It is a declaration. Our conscience is bound to the Word of God. History will judge all leaders, both spiritual and civil, for how they responded in times of testing. May we all be found faithful.

Our Invitation

We do not write this in anger, but in love. You are welcome to visit our church anytime. Come see firsthand how we serve our community, how we worship our Lord, and how we raise disciples to walk in truth and holiness. Our doors are open to all — and they always will be.

We urge you to reconsider any policy, law, or regulation that may in the future encroach upon the sacred rights of God’s people to gather and worship. We are not alone. More and more churches across the nation are awakening to their responsibility to stand courageously in the face of creeping tyranny. This is not rebellion; it is reformation.

Let us remember the words inscribed in our founding documents and in the Word of God. Let us not trade liberty for safety, or truth for compliance. The Church is eternal. The government is temporary.

May God grant you wisdom, courage, and humility in your service. And may He bless the state of Delaware and the United States of America.

In Christ alone,
Pastor George R. Hobbs Jr.

New Disciple Fellowship Church