They said it would never happen in America, but the First Amendment was severely attacked in Nebraska from 1977 to 1984. Christian Conviction v. State Persecution chronicles not only the events but why they took place. This was not isolated to a single denomination or group. Among the churches attacked were Amish, Mennonite, Apostolic, Pentecostal, Baptist, and Church of Christ. Among the homeschool families, the list expands farther. Faith, freedom, and liberty were all under attack by the Nebraska Department of Education and their allies in the courts and the state legislature.

Before I ever met Paul, I had seen his face on the CBN film footage of him being hauled away by sheriff's deputies from an altar where he was praying with a group of men. As Paul writes in this book, "Few cases of the loss of Christian freedom have drawn more attention than the jailing of the pastor and the padlocking of the [Faith Baptist] church building in Louisville, Nebraska." The powerful film footage and photos from this incident "went viral" across the American evangelical landscape, and there was widespread outrage and concern. This persecution backfired: It would cement the courage and convictions of an entire generation of parents who had become increasingly alarmed about what was happening in public schools.