Federal agents investigate Idaho town Troy after residents made hostile comments about evangelical church at public hearing

A small Idaho town is now facing a federal lawsuit after a public hearing spiraled into what investigators are calling discriminatory attacks against a growing evangelical church.

The Department of Justice has stepped in with serious allegations that could change everything for Troy, Idaho.

The Church That Sparked Federal Attention

Christ Church, an evangelical congregation based in nearby Moscow, Idaho, had been experiencing rapid growth that their current facility couldn’t accommodate.

In September 2022, church leaders began searching for a second location in the neighboring town of Troy, population under 1,000.

What seemed like a simple expansion plan would soon attract the attention of federal investigators.

A Vacant Building and Big Dreams

Church elder Matt Meyer, who happens to be a Troy resident, purchased a vacant former bank building in the town’s downtown business district in November 2022.

His vision was straightforward: convert part of the property for weekend worship services while renting out the rest as community event space.

Meyer applied for a conditional use permit, explaining he couldn’t find any other suitable spaces in Troy for church services.

He emphasized that the purchase would bring property tax revenue to the city and have minimal impact on surrounding businesses.

The Controversial Background

Christ Church wasn’t without controversy in the region.

The conservative evangelical church had faced opposition in the liberal college town of Moscow, with some residents boycotting businesses connected to the congregation.

In September 2020, several church members were arrested for not wearing masks at an outdoor worship service protesting the city’s COVID-19 mask mandate.

Senior Pastor Douglas Wilson had drawn criticism for his provocative writings, with some alleging he wanted to establish a “Christian theocracy” in America.

When the Public Turned Hostile

The Troy City Council scheduled a public hearing to discuss the church’s permit application.

Local residents packed the meeting, but their comments weren’t focused on typical zoning concerns like traffic or parking.

According to federal investigators, many of the public comments demonstrated clear “animus and discrimination against Christ Church, its members, and their religious beliefs.”

The hostile nature of these comments would later become a central piece of evidence in the federal case.

The City’s Justification

In March 2023, the Troy City Council rejected the church’s permit application.

City officials claimed the church “did not enhance the commercial district” and pointed to local opposition and potential traffic concerns.

However, federal investigators found several problems with this reasoning.

The city had told Meyer he could use the building for other community events with no retail purpose, which would supposedly “enhance the commercial district.”

No traffic study was conducted, and the city never offered conditions that could address parking concerns.

Federal Agents Step In

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), federal legislation designed to protect religious institutions from zoning discrimination.

The lawsuit revealed the most damaging evidence: the city allowed nonreligious assembly uses like clubs, museums, auditoriums, and art galleries in the same zoning district where they denied the church’s application.

“RLUIPA unequivocally forbids local governments from deciding zoning matters based on their dislike of certain religious groups,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon.

The City Fights Back

Troy’s city attorney Todd Richardson rejected the discrimination allegations, accusing the Justice Department of using “bullying tactics.”

He insisted the case was about preserving the commercial district, not religious bias.

Ironically, the city has allowed Christ Church to hold services in the building for the past two years while the federal investigation was ongoing.

In April 2025, Troy passed an interim zoning ordinance that prohibited churches as a conditional use and eliminated many previously permitted uses in the business district.

What This Means for Religious Freedom

This case represents a significant test of federal religious protection laws under the current administration’s commitment to defending Christian institutions.

The Trump administration has made combating anti-Christian bias a priority, establishing task forces specifically to address these issues.

For the small town of Troy, the federal lawsuit could result in significant legal costs and potentially force changes to their zoning policies.

The outcome may set an important precedent for how local governments handle religious institution permits nationwide.