Sheriff's Deputy Fired for Hosting Bible Study With Ex-Inmates Says God Told Him Not to File Lawsuit Seeking 'Financial Restitution'
A deputy at a Georgia prison who was fired for hosting a Bible study with former inmates has said that he will not pursue legal actions against his former employer.
Josh McCuen, a former sheriff's deputy who worked at the Hall County Jail, told The Christian Post about his ministry, Revival 172.
McCuen, whose leading of a Christian study and nonprofit known as Revival 172 contributed to his termination, explained that he felt called to pour what he could into the ministry.
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"I am always open to options for jobs but I believe God's calling me to run Revival 172 full time," said McCuen told CP on Tuesday.
"I got bills that are coming up, I don't know what's going to happen but I know God's going to provide. Through all this my faith is not shaken."
When asked by CP if he was planning on any legal action against the Hall County sheriff's office for the termination, McCuen responded that "I am not seeking any financial restitution."
"I'm not seeking a lawsuit because God spoke to me and He said 'Josh, no man will get the glory for when I raise you up,'" said McCuen.
Actions, not beliefs
Over the past several days McCuen has garnered headlines from local media and other sources for reportedly being fired for holding a Bible study with former inmates.
A husband and father of three kids, McCuen had been working with the Hall County Jail for eight months when he was fired.
"A former metro area sheriff's deputy says his bosses fired him because he was trying to spread the Gospel," WSB-TV reported Thursday. "He recently started a Bible study off site for former inmates and began raising funds to put Bibles in every cell. Commanders said he was fired for breaking rules, but McCuen calls it persecution."
Hall County Office of the Sheriff provided CP with a copy of the press statement released regarding McCuen's termination.
In it, Sheriff Gerald Couch noted that many religious ministries operate at their jail and that McCuen was terminated for his "actions and not his religious beliefs."
"Religion was never the focus of the sheriff's office concerns, but simply his poor job performance," stated Couch in remarks released Friday. "I have a strong Christian faith and neither I nor anyone at the sheriff's office would ever persecute someone for their faith, whatever that may be."
At issue, according to the office, was concern over deputy McCuen himself leading the Bible study for inmates he encountered at the jail.
McCuen told CP that he recalled one of his superiors explaining that "it's OK to plug them into a church but it's not OK to lead them."
Providing nourishment through God's Word
According to McCuen, Revival 172 began with an inmate whose strong Christian faith led him to Christ. The name of the ministry comes from the prison pod, number 172, where this happened.
McCuen's particular concern was that of "jailhouse Jesus," which describes people who find Jesus while in prison only to leave their Christian convictions once they exit the system.
"That's where Revival 172 comes in. We actually want to have a place for these guys to be plugged in and be fed by God's Word," said McCuen to CP.
McCuen also directed CP to a Go Fund Me page online where people can donate funds to help with various needs for Revival 172.
"We are wanting to get a small facility to rent and pay the rent up for the whole year, as well as buy food to support these families of the inmates while they're in jail and any other family that needs help and support," reads the page.
"We will be supplying them with food, drinks and your everyday household items to levitate some financial pressure. We also need instruments and sound equipment for praise and worship and we also need seating for the services."
