He posted a notice on Facebook announcing the fact.
Facebook removed the post, accusing the church of “promoting a crime.”
Here is the post and the Facebook ban announcement:
The pastor responded with this explanation:
It seems like every single day the government is giving us new mandates and suggestions from 100 people gathering to 50 people gathering to 10 people gathering and it’s all about social distancing. You know, sometimes pastors have some very difficult decisions to make on behalf of their sheep and their church. Our church is going to respond in a way that I realize many people are going to be critical of. We have to do what we feel is in the greater context and demographic of our local church..Apparently, Zuckerberg's first commandment is "Thous shall not defy the government in any way. Not even for church services."
A lot of churches are closing up their doors during the coronavirus scare. And I get it. It’s a difficult decision. We’re online, they’re online, a lot of people are watching as livestreams are growing in abundance and I’m grateful for that outreach in the kingdom. However, here at Global Vision, we do not believe that it is going to fit the context of who we are to close our services. We will continue to livestream but we are going, not in defiance, not in rebellion, we are going to remain open.
We just recently had a tornado that ravaged through our city. We’ve been a 24-hour distribution center, people still sleeping in the building even to this day. So we’re not trying to be those that push back, and in your face and abrasive. We will never shame any pastor or any congregation that feels the need to stop their services for now. But we don’t want to be shamed for staying open.
If you are sick, if you are elderly, if you have children and if you do not feel the need to get out, no judgement whatsoever.
You can stay home and watch the livestream. We get it and we understand. … We are not going to give in to the chaos, we are not going to fold to the fear. The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear.
-RW
(ht The Patriot)
Many would applaud such actions. Here a Catholic priest said the same thing,
ReplyDeleteDiocesan priest: "My church stays open, period."
https://youtu.be/d8elw5bnCr8
This homily was given by Father John Echert, pastor of St. Augustine Catholic church in St. Paul Minnesota http://holytrinitysspmn.org/Home/About
I hear there’s an old new virus on the loose, the AK-20, commonly known as the AssKissing virus. Among its symptoms are an uncritical, self-righteous lockstep adherence to authoritarian edicts from various governments, and an inability to discern the difference between a fake crime committed by people peacefully going about their business and real crimes committed by the politicians against these same people. Researchers have yet to determine why this virus is concentrated among the members of the major media, but the known, effective antidote to this disease is the red pill. However the serious side effects to the red pill: disorientation, likely loss of friends, job, income, social and political power makes this remedy an albatross for the faint hearted.
ReplyDeleteThe history of the Christian church starts with the first church committing “crimes”, crimes against the state. Christians forget it ok to be targeted as criminals if it’s for the right reason. Even unto death.
ReplyDeleteSome of us haven't forgot Joshua
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I should have said “many have forgotten”.
DeleteThank God for the remnant who have not.