Pastor MacArthur released a quick update on Grace Community Church’s decision to finally reopen after several months closed, joining the other 70% of churches already open and affirming their decision to “obey God rather than men” while lamenting other churches shutting down for the rest of the year, such as SBC President J.D. Greear’s Summit Church and Andy Stanley NorthPoint.
Commenting that their board is united and unanimous in their decision to reopen, and stay open, MacArthur spoke on the choice to be ” faithful to the Lord and leave the results to him.”
We will render to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar, but we will not render to Ceasar what belongs to God. We will be faithful to him, And that means we will continue to as a church every Sunday. Every Sunday. That is not going to stop.
Macarthur detailed some extra precautions they’ve taken at Grace, including water, masks, sanitizer, and putting a screen outside of the seminary building with seating for 1000 people, emphasizing that they love and support all the congregants in whatever way they attend.
We’ll do what we can to be as gracious to as wide an audience of people as possible so that people feel comfortable, and so they have some options where they can find that comfort.
At the 10:20 minute, MacArthur launched a few grenades at leaders who have shuttered their services, lamenting that these pastors have done a great disservice to their flocks by not understanding what a church is and failing to shepherd them.
I’ll tell you what is disappointing to me, how few churches are standing up. How few large churches or even Christian leaders are willing to say “look, were’ not going to bow to Ceasar. We’re going to serve our Lord.” Churches are shutting down. Large churches are shutting down until they say January. I don’t have any way to understand that, other than they don’t know what a church is and they don’t shepherd their people. But that’s sad. And you have a lot of people in Christianity who seem to be significant leaders who arent giving any strength and courage to the church, they’re not standing up and rising up and calling on Christians to be the church in the world.”
We don’t disagree with Pastor MacArthur.
