13:7) does not include compliance when such officials attempt to subvert sound doctrine, corrupt biblical morality, exercise ecclesiastical authority, or supplant Christ as head of the church in any other way.” In a week, 21,000 people signed onto the statement, agreeing that “the honor that we rightly owe our earthly governors and magistrates ( Rom. MacArthur and Grace elders posted a 2,200-word “ Biblical Case for the Church’s Duty to Remain Open.” But a few weeks ago, under the new regulations and after 21 weeks of canceling typical services, their response changed. ![]() Leaders at Grace opposed California’s stay-at-home order as it extended through the spring but agreed to “submit to the sovereign purposes of God” and stay online. These decisions reflect their theology, with leaders explicitly calling out their priorities as a church and what they believe God would have them do in response to the current circumstances.Ĭalifornia reissued shutdown directives last month as the virus rebounded, ordering places of worship to “discontinue indoor singing and chanting activities and limit indoor attendance to 25 percent of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.” As happened in Nevada, some churches sued, saying the ban is unconstitutional. People are angry and scared, so you need to look for opportunities to share the love of Jesus wherever you go.”įor many Christians, how churches meet during the pandemic isn’t merely a matter of style or structure. He told the vocal crowd, “During this pandemic, God wants to use you. He referenced the debate over masks as one divisive example. Laurie, a longtime Calvary Chapel leader whose 15,000-member congregation joined the Southern Baptist Convention a few years ago, discussed in his sermon how people are prone to respond to the pandemic, the economy, and social unrest with anger and frustration. Masks were required-though, as in many places, not all wore them properly-and signs directed eager worshipers to wave at rather than touch each other. Yesterday, volunteers scanned attendees’ foreheads with infrared thermometers to take their temperature before they entered the tent, where rows of six chairs were spaced about six feet apart. After the first week of meeting under the tent, pastor Greg Laurie said, “Our church loved it,” so Harvest added a second morning service. You’re talking about eternity, eternal hell or eternal heaven.”Īn hour away in Riverside, California, worshippers at Harvest Christian Fellowship were greeted with cheeky pink and purple signs that said, “Smile with your eyes (and wear a mask)” and “Just leave room for your Bible-and another 5½ feet.” It was the third Sunday that Harvest met in a white tent half the size of a football field to comply with state orders restricting indoor worship. MacArthur preached on Jesus’ role as divider and judge, saying that in recent months, “I’ve never heard so many people talking about death on such a superficial level. ![]() The congregation sang “We Gather Together,” which MacArthur pointed out was written when Dutch Protestants met for church despite being forbidden by their king. ![]() On Sunday, most attendees were not wearing masks, social distancing, or avoiding contact, as MacArthur told Carlson, they “didn’t buy the narrative.” Prior to the pandemic, attendance at the church’s three services averaged around 8,000 combined. The Grace to You preacher received so much attention for his stance-from the elders’ viral post on the church’s website to a segment on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program-that the church added an additional 1,000 chairs outdoors yesterday. MacArthur-who has taken an outspoken stand against churches yielding to government regulations on worship gatherings-said this Sunday was “a very special day for a more abundant joy” since the congregation was together in person once again. In Sun Valley, congregants filling Grace Community Church’s 3,500-seat sanctuary rose and cheered, some documenting the moment with their iPhones, when pastor John MacArthur opened the second week in a row of in-person services. Two California churches were so eager to meet last weekend that when their services began, worshipers erupted in applause.
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