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California Churches Refuse to Shut Down in Face of Local Leaders Threatening to Cut Power
LifeSite News ^ | 7/28/20 | Calvin Freiburger

Posted on 07/28/2020 5:29:16 PM PDT by marshmallow

Public worship will continue, the pastors said, because 'God has not granted civic rules authority over the doctrine, practice, or polity of the church.'

SUN VALLEY, California, July 27, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The elders of Grace Community Church have no intention of submitting to California’s demands that they shut down worship services, even if authorities shut off their power in retaliation.

The Bible commands Christian churches to remain open regardless of the dictates of secular leaders, church leadership argued in an open letter posted to Grace’s website: “Scripture does mandate careful, conscientious obedience to all governing authority, including kings, governors, employers, and their agents” as long as “government authorities do not attempt to assert ecclesiastical authority or issue orders that forbid our obedience to God’s law.”

But “God has not granted civic rulers authority over the doctrine, practice, or polity of the church,” declared Pastor John MacArthur and the rest of the church elders. And “when any government official issues orders regulating worship (such as bans on singing, caps on attendance, or prohibitions against gatherings and services), he steps outside the legitimate bounds of his God-ordained authority as a civic official and arrogates to himself authority that God expressly grants only to the Lord Jesus Christ as sovereign over His Kingdom.

“Therefore, in response to the recent state order requiring churches in California to limit or suspend all meetings indefinitely, we, the pastors and elders of Grace Community Church, respectfully inform our civic leaders that they have exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction, and faithfulness to Christ prohibits us from observing the restrictions they want to impose on our corporate worship services,” the letter declared.

“When officials restrict church attendance to a certain number, they attempt to impose a restriction that in principle makes it impossible for the saints to gather......

(Excerpt) Read more at lifesitenews.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Evangelical Christian; Religion & Politics; Worship
KEYWORDS: california; church; sunvalley; tyranny
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1 posted on 07/28/2020 5:29:16 PM PDT by marshmallow
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To: metmom
Grace Community Church ping!
2 posted on 07/28/2020 5:30:22 PM PDT by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

Church services are beautiful when done by candlelight


3 posted on 07/28/2020 5:32:50 PM PDT by The Louiswu (TheyÂ’re going full Animal Farm. Never go full Animal Farm.)
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To: marshmallow

Portable generators at Sam’s Club or. Costco


4 posted on 07/28/2020 5:33:03 PM PDT by BigEdLB (BigedLB, Russian BOT, At your service)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

http://www.google.com/search?q=Grace+Community+Church


5 posted on 07/28/2020 5:36:15 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: marshmallow

It would be shame if someone cut the power to thee governors mansion and his private homes.

Fight fire with fire.


6 posted on 07/28/2020 5:38:57 PM PDT by CodeToad (Arm Up! They Have!)
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To: marshmallow

Good for them.


7 posted on 07/28/2020 5:39:35 PM PDT by Pajamajan ( Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't wait. Do it today.)
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To: marshmallow

GOOD FOR THEM!
“reasonable precutions” do NOT need to close churches (almost everything else is open anyway, so why pick on churches?)


8 posted on 07/28/2020 5:48:23 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (Politicians are not born, theyÂ’re excreted. Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: marshmallow

When will they cut the power to protest areas?

When will they shut off cell phone coverage in riot areas?


9 posted on 07/28/2020 6:06:18 PM PDT by Regulator
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To: faithhopecharity

All the churches need to get together and protest this insane, dictatorial move. Churches aren’t supporting each other enough in this desaparéate moment.


10 posted on 07/28/2020 6:16:57 PM PDT by livius
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To: BigEdLB

Amen! Port-a-potties work just as well as flush toilets too!


11 posted on 07/28/2020 6:26:43 PM PDT by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: marshmallow

To hell with the authorities in Los Diablos (Formerly Los Angeles).


12 posted on 07/28/2020 6:33:02 PM PDT by HighSierra5
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To: The Louiswu

Candles and incense are all we need.


13 posted on 07/28/2020 6:41:31 PM PDT by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: BigEdLB

Dito


14 posted on 07/28/2020 7:07:14 PM PDT by Revel
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To: marshmallow
Wish my church understood this and opened back up.
15 posted on 07/28/2020 7:31:38 PM PDT by glaseatr (Father of a Marine, Uncle of SGT Adam Estep. A Co. 2/5 Cav. KIA Thurs April 29, 2004 Baghdad Iraq)
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To: marshmallow

Thanks for the ping.


16 posted on 07/28/2020 7:32:53 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: marshmallow

What the government is doing is unconstitutional.

MacArthur is exactly right on this one.


17 posted on 07/28/2020 7:34:14 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: marshmallow

Want to start a war? Keep it up.


18 posted on 07/28/2020 7:35:33 PM PDT by DownInFlames (Galsd)
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To: marshmallow
Hello! The LORD created light. He is light.1 John 1:5

This might be a good reminder to the Los Angeles wanna be tyrants. Looks like they never payed attention in Sunday school.

Genesis 1:1-4:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.

19 posted on 07/28/2020 7:40:34 PM PDT by 444Flyer (John 3, Revelation 20, Joshua 24:15, 1 Kings 18:16-39, Pick a side...)
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To: marshmallow
The government says NOTHING to the rioters but threatens churches? Ridiculous.

The church members need to make sure they have cameras ready in case the Anti-Christ governor sends police to arrest people for going to church.

RECALL THEM ALL.

20 posted on 07/28/2020 7:58:52 PM PDT by Pajamajan ( Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't wait. Do it today.)
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