State Going After Christian Leaders Individually
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 11 months ago
News from North of the border.
Yesterday evening, all six of the elders of Trinity Bible Chapel were charged under Section 10.1 of the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) for holding church services on Sunday, December 27. We are peaceful family men seeking to pastorally care for our families and our church in sincere obedience to God. We are not criminals. Officers from the Waterloo Region Police Service (WRPS) showed up at each of our homes last night at roughly 8pm and gave us each a summons to court. While other pastors in Ontario have faced similar charges under the ROA for holding church services, to our knowledge this is the first time that each and every member of an entire elders board has been charged for gathering a church to worship. Although we know of officers within the WRPS who personally disagree with these charges, it appears the WRPS is trying to make an example of us. For years we have taught our children to respect police, and now our children and grandchildren are witness to their fathers and grandfathers receiving charges from police for worshipping Christ with our church. It is a dark day for Waterloo Region and Ontario.
Since we decided to re-open the church in June, implementing various COVID protocols in our services, we have not had a single outbreak traced back to our church. We thank God for that. Instead, we have heard a plethora of stories from many of our congregants about how they were negatively affected spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and financially during the first lockdown. On December 3, we informed our governing authorities that we cannot shut down the church again in an open letter entitled, “Here we Stand: The Church Must Meet.”[1] Not one of our officials replied with an attempt to work with us. Our church community has become a vital refuge for hundreds of people during these times of despair. Our government is destroying our society to prevent the spread of a virus with a fraction of a fractional death rate.[2] This is evil. Nowhere does the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantee freedom from risk or virus, but it does protect the freedom of conscience, religion, belief, and assembly.[3] These are unlawful laws, a violation of God given rights, a contravention of Section 176 of the Criminal Code, and an infringement of the Charter.
We have ancestors who fought in wars to protect us from state abuses of this nature, and many of our families fled police states that eerily resemble what we are being subjected to at the present. Our high school teachers, parents, and grandparents warned us against governments that act this way.
While we seek to honour and pray for our governing officials, we are also grieved over the apparent hypocrisy and arbitrary applications of law. Several politicians have been caught violating their own laws by visiting cottages, hosting gatherings, or jaunting to warmer climates. Our very own Chief of Police, Brian Larkin, publicly endorsed much larger public gatherings in June. While Ontarians were restricted to outdoor gatherings of 5 or less persons, the Chief of Police offered the “full support” to a protest in which the “crowd may have been between 12,000 and 20,000 strong.”[4] Chief Larkin explained to participants, even as they contravened lockdown orders, that police “will ensure you have the support needed to practice your democratic right and have your voice heard.”[5] The arbitrary rule of law is dangerous even as it is contrary to our inherited values.
Our Saviour shed His blood to purchase the church, and therefore deeming the church “unessential” is tantamount to deeming the blood of Christ unessential, which is a public act of blasphemy.
Yes it is of course blasphemous, what they’re doing. Jesus is Lord. The state must bow to king Jesus.
But while I don’t take issue with this pastor’s heart, I think he may misunderstand things. When the state declares you a criminal, you’re a criminal. Embrace it. You’re a peaceable man, and maybe that’s what you mean. But you’re now a criminal.
Be a criminal for Christ. I’ve said before that pastors who defy the state must be ready to put his hands behind his back, be cuffed, and sent to prison. Either that or fight back.
This tactic represents the next step in statism. It isn’t just the church, administratively, or corporately. The church isn’t just fined, or doors nailed shut. They are going after Christians individually and personally.
Be prepared. They are engaged in warfare against you.
On January 4, 2021 at 11:28 pm, Wilson said:
Note some of the WRPS said they didn’t agree with their orders or the law but they still enforced the law. Cops are not on your side.
On January 5, 2021 at 8:53 am, Fred said:
“Our government is destroying our society to prevent the spread of a virus…”
He’s almost there. I would encourage him keep pulling this thread. What’s being done has nothing to do with a virus. The existence of cold viruses is the contrivance of reason. The actual reason is global communist takeover of the entire world.
Boards of a Church never works out well. I’m not arguing scriptural authority for or against such, but those men in the Acts were not the keepers of property, debt, licenses, zoning, and etc. The Church as business model will fail, and indeed ’round my way they are all in serious decline. Goodbye. So, also, as a practical matter, my point about this, if there is no leadership, then there is nobody to arrest. Take us and crucify us all, or leave us alone in that case.
When “authorities” ask who is in charge everybody can say with one voice; we are the body of Christ.
I’ve said before several times over the last few years that we will find out who the real Christians are. I’m welcoming these times in this regard. This is what you need for church; two or more people and a desire to know and more fully serve Holy God. That’s it.
Sell your property, or otherwise spend the 10k to 15k to get out from under the IRS here is the US. Hurry!!!
On January 5, 2021 at 9:46 am, Dov Sar said:
“When “authorities” ask who is in charge everybody can say with one voice; we are the body of Christ.”
When authorities ask who is in charge, everybody should say with one voice: Jesus! Try arresting Him! (advice, read Psalm 2 first)
On January 5, 2021 at 10:23 am, Fred said:
Arresting the body of Christ IS arresting Jesus OBTW.
On January 5, 2021 at 10:38 am, Dan C. said:
The State cannot have a competing form of authority since from it alone flows all art, science and faith as the human leaders wish. So, the Church has to go. My Taiwanese friend warned me of this; it’s what the ChiComs did to his country.
The sooner the body of Christ begins to understand this, the better.
On January 5, 2021 at 11:37 am, John said:
It is time for the churches to become militant bastions of their Faith.
Jesus understands there is a time to fight and told that to his Apostles.
On January 5, 2021 at 11:43 am, revjen45 said:
You can bet they aren’t f’king with Team Mo.
On January 5, 2021 at 12:26 pm, Bob in NC said:
“We ought to obey God rather than men.”- Acts 5:29
On January 5, 2021 at 2:24 pm, Terminal Madness said:
Wasn’t there a book written a long time ago that warned all of this would be happening?
As a youngster the local church had a made on a budget “documentary” style film that eerily predicted this time right down to the motley crew of globalist traitor scum running the republic into the ground.
I left the church theater crying as a lil’ guy but now it isn’t so bad.
The wisdom is a gift and never a curse.
On January 6, 2021 at 3:04 pm, Jimmy the Saint said:
@ John: “It is time for the churches to become militant bastions of their Faith.”
Most of them are. Unfortunately, these days, that faith is of the “Jesus, the First Socialist” variety.