SPANISH LAKE — The lesson at Grace Baptist Church on Sunday came from the book of Hebrews, and it might as well have served as a call to arms for the tiny congregation on the banks of the Mississippi here.

“… Lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,” Grace’s pastor, the Rev. Ken Spilger, read to 50 people seated before him. “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”

Spilger was speaking about the personal sins of his flock, but he could have been referring to the sin that he believes would follow the construction of a $350 million casino complex being proposed half a mile from Grace’s front door, and the need for people of faith to stand in its way.

Last week, lawyers for North County Development LLC brought their request to the St. Louis County Planning Commission for a public hearing: to rezone 377 acres of farmland along Riverview Drive about a mile north of Interstate 270 and about 500 feet south of the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.

Opponents turned out at the hearing in large numbers to voice concerns about North County Development’s plans for a casino, convention center, hotel, 18-hole golf course, theater, wind farm and more than 8,000 parking spaces. A smaller group voiced support for the project, called Riverview Casino. Dora Gianoulakis, president of the Spanish Lake Community Association and an opposition leader, called the umbrella of individuals and groups allied against the developers “an interesting mixture of people.” That mixture has brought together disparate worldviews. Conservative Christians have found themselves standing alongside environmentalists, for instance. And anti-gambling Christians may link up with the last group they’d ever expected to agree with — owners of the six other casinos in the St. Louis area. Some trace the roots of Christian opposition to gambling all the way back to a scene in the Gospel of Matthew, in which the Roman soldiers who have crucified Christ are “casting lots” for his garments. “Christians have such a strong aversion to gambling and games of chance because the Gospels teach us an important lesson in that verse,” said the Rev. Nathan Wolff, pastor of Bellefontaine United Methodist Church, who was at the rezoning hearing. “We’re talking about something as fundamental as the Crucifixion and the behavior of the people who crucified Jesus.” Edward Griesedieck, attorney for North County Development, said he “disputes the entire premise” that a casino brings moral damage to a community. “Gaming is an entertainment activity, and for the vast majority of people in Missouri, a casino is a perfectly acceptable entertainment venue,” he said.

The concern among some Christians in Spanish Lake extends beyond what they see as the moral hazards of gambling. The New Testament book of Colossians says that “in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible,” and those words lead many Christians to environmentalism. The Columbia Bottom Conservation Area — 4,318 acres along 6 1/2 miles of river — is a haven for wildlife, especially migrating birds that use the river as a north-south flyway, and frequently stop in its wetlands to feed and rest. A waterfowl refuge that makes up a large section of the southern part of the conservation area, and that is closed to the public for four months out of the year, parallels the northern border of the proposed casino complex site, and is separated from it by only 500 feet. Some opponents of the complex worry that noise, light and a proposed wind farm will disrupt the natural habitat of the conservation area’s wildlife. And those worries have been given a religious imprimatur. “This is also about the stewardship of our environment,” said the Rev. Daniel Hite, chairman of Missouri Clergy Against Gambling Expansion. “The environmental impact is part of the consideration.” In November, Missourians voted to cap the number of casino licenses in the state at 13, which includes those already in existence and one under construction. Six of those are in the St. Louis area, and, opponents of the Riverview complex point out, within a 30-minute drive of Spanish Lake. “Unless a license is forwarded or surrendered, there are no licenses available,” said Gene McNary, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission. “The only way someone could apply for a license would be to go to the Legislature and ask it to change the law to raise the cap.” Casino representatives in the area would not speculate about which interests they would join forces with to oppose the Riverview project if it becomes a reality. But religious leaders say that despite their opposition to gambling, they would partner with existing casinos to make sure Riverview is never built. “If the need is warranted,” said Hite, “I’d stand with anyone against it.” Community leaders and anti-gambling activists say the moral stature people of faith bring to the fight helps their side. “Church support can help to broaden the base,” Gianoulakis said. “Having the faith community with us in a strong way is an enormous help,” said Les Bernal, executive director of Washington-based Stop Predatory Gambling. “The backbone of most of America’s notable social movements — ending slavery, fighting for civil rights — was the faith community. They’re a huge asset.” Missouri is not the only state debating gambling issues. Bernal said similar battles are being waged “in every corner of the country.” The organization defines “predatory gambling” as “using gambling to prey on human weakness, for profit,” and Bernal said the precarious economy is making the prey more vulnerable. “The predatory gambling trade is trying to take advantage of the states’ weak financial position — the budget crises many states face, and the need to create jobs for their citizens,” he said. “They’re trying to create this myth that casino capitalism is the answer to all that.” Griesedieck listed various community entities that would benefit financially from the annual taxes Riverview would owe the county — $1.1 million for the Spanish Lake Fire District, $7.1 million for the Hazelwood School District. He said the casino would provide 1,500 to 2,500 jobs during construction and permanent employment for between 1,750 to 2,250 people. “I would suggest there is no other industry that provides so much assistance to the community it’s in,” Griesedieck said. Casinos are good for their communities “because they contribute funds to things that have little to do with gaming. This casino would be a tremendous boon to North County and a positive influence.” But members of Spanish Lake’s faith community say a casino would hinder their efforts to work with the poor. People with fewer means tend to be attracted to the lure of easy money won at a casino, they say, and when they lose the little money they have, the cycle continues. Last year Spanish Lake clergy received a letter from the St. Louis County Office of Family and Community Services asking for their help. Grace Baptist Church took action, sending its members to the nearby Countryside Apartments complex to work with kids. “We are trying to meet them at a need that’s very, very real, and a casino is not going to help,” said Spilger. “It’s very frustrating to me.” A major moral issue for religious opponents to gambling is the way in which winners win. “To win, everybody you’re playing against has to lose,” said Marty Seward, a member of Grace Baptist. “And the people they’d be preying on are part of this community.” “If you’re a casino and you lose more than you win, you’re not a casino for long,” said Wolff. “The losers are left in the community waiting for a cab ride home, if you will. And I’m the cabdriver.”