Ty Mosler walked away from his management position at the Family Christian Bookstore in Asheville, N.C., after eight years because of a quandary he never thought he'd face: A change in the Christian store's operating hours meant Mr. Mosler would have to miss going to church at least half of the year.

When John Edwards takes the national stage to debate Vice President Dick Cheney on Oct. 5, he is sure to relish talking about Robbins, N.C., the blue-collar mill town where he grew up.

Though many things have changed, Robbins' Southern, small-town atmosphere remains: Old men in worn overalls and mesh caps eat fried chicken in the Little Village restaurant on Main Street. Street lamps line the two blocks of downtown bearing red, white, and blue banners reading: "Robbins: Hometown, USA."

A well-organized spy network is fanning out to infiltrate what it thinks are some of the most dangerous places in Johnson County, Kan. The group isn't worried about terror cells or gang lairs. It's worried about church worship services.