Kentucky Church Defends Move to Check Out LGBTQ Books and Never Return Them
A Kentucky church has ignited a nationwide debate by endorsing a member's efforts to check out books with LGBTQ themes from the local library -- and then never return them. Reformation Church in Shelbyville, Ky., sparked the controversy after a member checked out books from the Shelby County Public Library that church leaders say are explicit LGBTQ-themed titles aimed at children and teens, and then refused to bring them back. Church leadership supports the move and also said it hopes other congregations in the area will take similar action.
Jerry Dorris and Tanner Cartwright, elders at the church, pushed back on criticism that the move is a form of stealing.
"Our library was entrusted with our money as taxpayers to spend it on good things -- good books that children should be exposed to," Dorris told WAVE-3 in Louisville. "But instead, they chose to put groomer material in front of our children, and so we believe that is just a breach of trust, and that's the crime that has taken place."
Cartwright said the books that were checked out are explicit. The books were originally borrowed more than a year ago.
"The library is intentionally grooming children, intentionally putting books on their shelves that have stories about six-year-olds performing oral sex and other horrific things that I'm not even going to say," Cartwright said.
"It's wicked."
Although the church had previously highlighted the controversial books, it did not urge members to take the steps that were ultimately taken. Still, Dorris and Cartwright say they support the action -- and would in other areas of life, too.
"If I walk into a dentist office and I see pornography and there's kids around that … I'm going to remove it," Cartwright said.
If other churches in their area take similar action, they would back it.
"There's countless churches in our county that would agree with us," Dorris said.
Meanwhile, supporters from both inside and outside Kentucky have donated money and books to help restock the library's collection.
"Why they say it's groomer material, I will push back and say that is material for a way to help people find a way for themselves in their life and in our community," Chris Rivera of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth told WAVE-3.
Cartwright urged the library not to replace the books.
"Bluntly, the library's choice right now is -- if they repurchase these books and restock them, the library is intentionally grooming children," he said.
WATCH: SNAKE 65.5: Should Our Library Put Groomer Material in Front of Our Children?
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published August 27, 2025.
