During COVID-19, out-of-control government bureaucrats used the pandemic as an excuse to shut down churches.
Some pastors went along with the mandates and closed their doors, but others like Pastor John MacArthur fought back – even facing arrest.
But now in a major victory for churches everywhere, both local and state officials are ordered to pay a total of $800,000 to MacArthur’s church – and just wait until you hear the official details.
It all started last year during the height of COVID-19 mandates.
LA County sued Grace Community Church, the church where John MacArthur is a pastor, for “violating” health and safety measures.
Basically – they were meeting in person during worship, and the county thought the church should remain closed.
Being the fierce fighter that he is, John MacArthur countersued claiming the county was violating the church’s freedom of speech and religion.
And in a massive victory, both LA County and the State of California have each agreed to pay $400,000 to the church for the massive amount in legal fees it was forced to spend just to defend the right for believers to freely gather and worship our Lord and Savior.
Jenna Ellis of the Thomas More Society represented John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church and took to Twitter to celebrate the massive victory for religious liberty.
The Christian Post reported:
“We are very pleased to see Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church’s First Amendment protections fully vindicated in this case,” read the statement.
“It has been a hard-fought battle to preserve religious liberty and we hope that this result will encourage Californians, and all Americans, to continue to stand firm that church is essential.”
Cheers to Pastor MacArthur for standing up to fight for the doors of his church to remain open.
Pastor MacArthur reminds us all we are not to fear man, but only God.
He could have been thrown in jail, and yet despite threats from authorities, he didn’t back down.
Other courageous pastors in California have also stood up to the overreaching government.
Hopefully California has learned an expensive lesson – churches are off limits.
They’ve been ordered to pay back millions for targeting churches and Christians during COVID-19.
Throughout the generations, God’s people have gathered together to worship Him.
There are always those who wish to stop His people from meeting, but gathering together in person to worship is important to Christians and a big tenant of our faith.
California kept open secular businesses and instead focused their efforts on trying to shut down churches.
But by the grace of God, so many pastors remained determined to fight on behalf of the flock they shepherd.
Let’s hope other states take note on what happened in California – and that all pastors remain encouraged if ever faced with a similar situation.
God is bigger – and He can make a way in what seems impossible.
All glory to Him, forever and ever!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” – John 3:16-17
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