Ask not what totalitarians can do for you, ask what totalitarians can do to you.
The government backs off a guy that denies the efficacy of the blood of Christ, and turns it full power against a preacher that preaches that it is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that a man must be saved.
So, which church does Satan fear more?
1. No indoor meetings at all.
2. Preregistration of every person.
4. Every person that comes on the property is to be screened and have their temperature taken at the entry.
Right. Today SF area towns are banning outside dining mandated by their corona response due to air quality, HOWEVER if the air is bothering you may go to an indoor community respite center. You may not dine indoors but you may go to a government designated indoor facility for relief from the poor air. Idiotic.
Gov’t of Calif.: “We will shut you down Christian, because we can”.
Mike DeWine, governor of Ohio, looks on with envy.
I recently sent a six page letter to the elder board at my church about how the church in America has failed, ours included.
I detailed eight parts of the state constitution the governor broke, many directly affecting the church.
One of the elders and I had a conversation today about my letter. I asked what the end game was and he said the vaccine.
I asked if I was to be excommunicated when I don’t take the vaccine? He didn’t have an answer to that one.
I also asked what their response will be next time the government steps in to limit their operations. He wasn’t familiar with the Grace Community situation.
As General MacAuliffe said: “Nuts!”
I would be more forceful (with hat tip to Rebel Son): “Kiss my ass and go to Hell”
Thank you Aspasia for posting this clip and listing all the onerous regulations imposed upon this church.
SHORT BACKGROUND:
In the beginning of the pandemic, John MacArthur (Senior Pastor for FIFTY years at Grace Community Church) shut down his 7000 membership church (believing the pandemic was what the experts said it was)... but every week MacArthur preached and live-streamed from the sanctuary to an empty auditorium (his wife and cameramen).
By the 5th-6th week the congregation began returning...with no prompting from MacArthur or the other leaders of the church. First in dozens, then in hundreds, then in thousands.
Since the congregation began returning of their own will, MacArthur and Grace Community Church have been to court 4 times and WON. This 5th time (Fri-Sat), they lost and were explicitly forbidden to hold church indoors.
MacArthur held church today...for the first time in direct defiance of the law.
JUDGE ISSUES ORDER BANNING PASTOR JOHN MACARTHUR FROM HOLDING INDOOR WORSHIP SERVICES by Todd Starnes
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3882975/posts
Christians: Whether or not your local church is gathering or still remote-distancing, Protestant or Catholic, this Pastor and his church deserve the full vocal support of all who belong to the Church.
The sermon MacArthur preached today discusses the responsibilities of Nations, God’s people, and the biblical requirements of leaders in relation to God’s judgement. It hasn’t been published on YouTube yet.
Below is the collection of regulations to the church that Aspasia posted in many posts in this thread:
1. No indoor meetings at all.
2. Preregistration of every person.
3. People only allowed on church property for scheduled events.
4. Every person that comes on the property is to be screened and have their temperature taken at the entry.
5. Six feet of social distance at all times and everywhere, including the parking lot and the restrooms.
6. Every other parking space must be left vacant.
7. Marked pathways to maintain social distance, monitored by staff monitors.
8. Everyone always wearing a mask.
9. Restroom monitors to control six feet social distancing.
10. Tape on the ground marking distance.
11. Signs indicating these mandates.
12. Restrooms are to be used during the service to minimize the rush.
13. No hymn books, no communion, no offering containers.
14. No pew Bibles.
15. No singing, no hugging, no shaking hands.
16. Disposable seat covers changed between services.
17. The services have to shortened.
Jesus Christ has already overcome and defeated the devil.
The devil and his rulers cannot stop the Spirit of Jesus Christ from moving in the earth. Jesus said where even 2 or 3 people are gathered together in His Name, He was there in the midst of them.
The Apostle Paul, when he was in prison, said he may be bound but the Word of God could not be bound.
Almighty God is in control. He rules in the heavens and He rules in the earth. He may allow godless rulers to cause trouble for His people, but it is only temporary and for His eternal purposes.
I guess with the raging forest fires Newsom isn’t worried about fire and brimstone.
Church should go back to Acts 2:42 keeping house groups small, mobile moving-from-home-to-home.
Could be the best thing to happen to “Christians” who “attend” “church” but have no personal, intimate walk with the Lord or close personal relationships with their brothers and sisters in Christ. So many Christians are far too dependent on great men of God like MacArthur, but lack in their personal walk with the Lord.
No way the government could shut down thousands of house groups, especially if they moved from house to house.
There was a time in China when believers would so meet, and said to one another, because they had been infiltrated by the Communists, “Pray and ask the Lord where to gather.” He would show them - but the infiltrators of course never got the message.
What Newsome and other governments are doing is doing no harm to the church of Jesus Christ who said He would build it, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Government can only hinder external organizations. Not the body of Christ - that thrives under persecution.