CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia State University is facing a federal lawsuit after two student Christian groups say they’re being discriminated against. They claim the university updated its policy and put the school minister in charge of overseeing the two groups, but not other re ligious groups. The two groups suing are Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship. Both are campus chapters of larger national organizations.    The more than 311-page suit filed on Sept. 24 states VSU is being prejudiced against Christians with a new policy that "punishes students for expressing their religious beliefs."   The lawsuit states that campus minister Thomas Wynn has to give the "okay" when Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship can meet, where and what speakers can visit. But groups like the Muslim Students Association and Interfaith Campus Ministers Association are exempt.   “And that means they are allowed to be student-led, they are allowed to receive all the benefits that come, having access to campus spaces, access to funding... We knew that that violated the Establishment Clause, the Free Exercise Clause, and so we knew we needed to take action quickly," said Mercer Martin, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, the firm backing the two groups.   Both clauses prohibit government entities, like public universities, from favoring a religion and protect citizens’ First Amendment rights.   “The government can’t be picking between religions, who’s going to have registered student status and who isn’t, who’s going to come under our control and who isn’t," Martin said.   Martin told 8News that Wynn has put the alleged control into practice after a gathering of the Bethel Campus Fellowship. The university has not responded to multiple requests for comment.   “They hosted an informal pajama party, just a group of students wanting to get together and have fun. And after, Thomas Wynn, the campus pastor, found out about this, he messaged them and reprimanded them and told them that you can’t be having even these informal gathering without my permission," he said.    Martin said they’re asking Wynn to be removed from overseeing the two groups, and that having someone oversee the exempt groups is not a solution.   “Even in that situation, you would have government officials dictating what the Muslim student association, how they can worship, how the Interfaith Student Alliance can worship. It’s inappropriate when it’s applied to Christians. It’s inappropriate when it’s applied to any religious group," Martin said. The court has not set a date for VSU to respond to the lawsuit. ...read more read less