South Carolina pastor Johnnie Clark jailed for loud church services

A South Carolina church pastor was sentenced to jail Thursday after being found guilty of violating city noise limits.

Pastor Apostle Johnnie Clark leads the Rehoboth United Assemblies Church in Columbia. According to The State newspaper, the church has been in its current location for more than 25 years, however recent development in the area has brought the church into conflict with some of its new neighbors.

The Pentecostal worship service is known for singing, shouting, dancing and drumming. According to WLTX-TV, the police have been called to the scene more than 50 times.

On Thursday, after a three-day trial, a judge found Clark guilty of unlawful sound amplification. The State reports Clark was sentenced to one day in jail while WLTX-TV reports Clark will serve two weeks in jail.

A search of the Richland County inmate roster shows that Clark is currently detained at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

In an interview with WLTX nearly two years ago, Clark said, "I am sorry we don't worship the Lord quietly and that is everyone's preference how you worship the Lord. We just happen to be a Pentecostal apostolic church and our praise is very vocal to the Lord."