Greg Locke plans to move church amid longstanding community noise complaints
Pastor Greg Locke has announced plans to relocate his Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee following persistent community complaints and legal challenges over noise and zoning violations.
The move comes as Locke’s church faces multiple lawsuits, including one from Wilson County alleging that the church has failed to comply with local zoning and stormwater regulations.
During a worship service, Locke revealed that his church had secured a contract for a new location, saying, “We have 30 days to close.” The church has been holding services at the current site since 2011.
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Locke told his congregation that it was “an extraordinary day of giving both in-house and online.”
“We put ourselves in situations that if God don’t bail us out and come through, then it’s not going to get done. … That’s not reckless or foolish. That is what the Bible calls faith,” he said.
The congregation has been embroiled in legal disputes concerning its operations and expansion efforts.
The lawsuit filed by Wilson County in March 2023 stated that there had been a four-year history of zoning disputes with the church, including unpermitted construction activities and continuous noise complaints from nearby residents. Despite efforts to mitigate sound through the erection of a new tent, complaints had persisted, it added.
Locke, known for his outspoken opposition to Planned Parenthood and his support for former President Donald Trump, has engaged in deliverance ministry. As his national prominence increased, so did attendance at Global Vision Bible Church, attracting visitors from various states on Sundays.
Global Vision expanded its property in May 2020.
Locke has vocally opposed the lawsuits, describing them as “bogus” and asserting his intention to counter-sue.
Locke has constantly stated that evil forces have been working together to silence him and his message of spiritual warfare and deliverance.
Locke shot to internet fame after posting a video on Facebook in 2016 criticizing Target for its policy of allowing men who identify as trans to enter female-only spaces, including dressing rooms and restrooms. He later became very outspoken in favor of Trump and then against ongoing coronavirus lockdown orders that kept some churches closed for over 1.5 years.
In November 2022, YouTube removed Locke’s personal account from the platform weeks after shutting down his church’s account.
In 2021, Facebook removed Locke’s announcement that he would hold church services during the COVID-19 lockdowns in defiance of government orders at the time against social gatherings of no more than 10 people. At the time, Facebook accused Locke of “promoting a crime.”
