As the pastor, Allen authorizes courtships between church members and approves marriages for girls from the congregation as young as 14. He promotes isolationism among church members, encouraging them to live within walking distance of one another and discouraging them from voting. And he makes it clear that the parents whose children were seized would be in conflict with the church if they reunited their families by promising a judge they would not follow the church's disciplinary practices. Either you love the Lord thy God with all your heart and soul . . . God doesn't accept serving two masters.
Some former members agree.
The Rev. Arthur Allen Jr. founded the House of Prayer church about 1966. The nondenominational congregation has about 130 members. The church began by meeting in the homes of members, then rented a building on Huff Road. After that church burned, the group met in members' homes again before buying its current property at 1194 Hollywood Road in northwest Atlanta. In calling him to preach, Allen believes, God gave him the authority to interpret Scripture.