Short Take #3: Update on Canadian Church

Here is another short take from The Christian Worldview with David Wheaton. I want to give a little follow-up on that church in Canada and the pastor that we covered several weeks ago, James Coates, the pastor of Grace Life Church just outside Edmonton. Well, this week, this is from Protestia, their website, police and security put up a chain-link fence around Grace Life Church. In a completely unprecedented move, police and security arrived on site at the church in the middle of the night and put up a chain and wire fence around Grace Life Church in Edmonton, Alberta, home of previously imprisoned pastor James Coates, in order to keep them out and prevent them, the congregation, from gathering for future services until they comply with shutdown restrictions.

Remember, the shutdown restriction was something like 15% of capacity. Earlier this morning, Alberta Health Services issued a statement announcing it has physically closed Grace Life Church and has prevented access to the building until the church can demonstrate the ability to comply, that's always the government's favorite word, comply, with Alberta's chief medical officer of health restrictions. Now, just think about this, there have been no outbreaks of COVID, no major outbreaks that we know of at Grace Life Church in Canada, yet they're erecting a fence around the church so that the parishioners can't go in to worship.

It's just completely delusional, over-the-top, before grabbing the worst sort of tyrannical, religion-limiting actions that you can possibly imagine over this virus, of which, again, 99.9% of people survive. And this church has a conviction that they are to meet in person. Now, just listen to what the pastor's wife wrote on social media. She said, this is what happens when you have freedom of religion in a free and democratic society. They jail your pastor for freely opening the doors of the church and serving Christ's sheep and hurting people. Now they've chained the doors of Grace Life Church and closing in chain-link fence.

This is all under the guise of a health order. Too bad the church isn't a building, she writes, it's a blood-bought people. Christ has and will prevail. We have an enemy, and that enemy has been defeated by the death and resurrection of Christ.

For all those who find satisfaction in this, because there are many who do, who think, oh, they should be shut down, they're endangering everyone even though there's no COVID outbreaks, and they've been meeting for months. You cannot stop the Gospel, she writes. The name of Jesus Christ will go forth with even more power and more conviction. The Word of God will sound out across this nation, accomplishing all the work God has ordained to glorify Himself.

Last paragraph. I pray for all the pastors and Christians that still think this is about a virus and health order. I really hope anyone who listens to this program doesn't think it's just about the virus and health order anymore as well.

Clearly, our charter, Canada's constitution and criminal code mean nothing as long as the government can come up with a good enough story to disregard it. God have mercy on our nation. I pray for their souls.

They are clearly under God's judgment. Wow, what a strong statement from Pastor James Coates' wife named Erin. This has been a short take from The Christian Worldview with David Wheaton. To find out more about The Christian Worldview, order resources, make a donation, become a monthly partner or contact us, visit thechristianworldview.org. You can also call us at toll-free 1-888-646-2200 or write to us at Box 401 Excelsior, Minnesota 55331. That's Box 401 Excelsior, Minnesota 55331.