'God Spoke to Me': He Claims Hosting Bible Studies With Ex-Inmates Cost Him His Job — and Here's How He Says the Lord Wants Him to Respond

Josh McCuen, the former sheriff’s deputy who said he was fired from his position at Hall County Jail in Georgia for holding Bible studies with ex-inmates, says that he will not be pursuing legal action against county officials following his dismissal.

"I am not seeking any financial restitution," McCuen told the Christian Post. "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.'"

He also said that Revival 172, the ministry he created to help inmates and their families discover God, could end up becoming a full-time job.

"I am always open to options for jobs but I believe God's calling me to run Revival 172 full time," he said. "I got bills that are coming up. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know God's going to provide."

McCuen added, "Through all this my faith is not shaken."

As TheBlaze previously reported, he was on the job for just eight months when he was recently fired, though there are differing accounts as to why he was dismissed. Consider that McCuen, who said his efforts were waged to “help rehabilitate spiritually the guys who are … coming out of jail,” believes that he was persecuted for his Christian faith when commanding officers reportedly told him to resign or be fired.

But his bosses claim that he was fired for not following the rules and that religion was never brought up as a factor, with Sheriff Gerald Couch clarifying his stance in a recent statement to the Christian Post.

"Religion was never the focus of the sheriff's office concerns, but simply his poor job performance," Couch said. "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 the center of the debate are regulations that preclude officers from “fraternizing” with inmates. And McCuen’s Bible studies and revivals, no matter how noble, were apparently seen as falling under that umbrella by his higher-ups, who also claim that he was cited twice for insubordination, though the context of those reprimands wasn’t revealed, according to WSB Radio.

“It’s clear they call it fraternizing,” McCuen told WSB-TV earlier this month. “It’s actually called being persecuted for Christ. And I take joy in that.”

McCuen started a Facebook page in December called Revival 172 and began posting regular messages there about his faith and the revival services he’s been holding for ex-inmates and their families. A GoFundMe page setup to raise money for the ministry explains his intentions.

“About 4 months ago, while working in the jail, I came across an [inmate] Jason Williams, who God used to change my life. God grabbed a hold of me and gave me a love for the lost,” he wrote. “I was a law enforcement officer for 9 years and up until 4 months ago I thought that every suspect I arrested and every inmate was a maggot. God used an inmate to minister to me and God placed me in a jail around these guys everyday to show me that they are still his people too.”

McCuen explains that he approached the initial inmate who started the prison revival and decided to found Revival 172 to help families during loved ones’ incarceration, while also assisting former inmates after their release.

Read more about the story here.

(H/T: Christian Post)

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