The Essential Church

Unwavering conviction at its finest. A movie that will serve as a touchstone for the ages as the church faces greater persecution. BRAVO!

John MacArthur and the leaders of Grace Community Chuch in Los Angeles take a stand for God by keeping their church open in the face of threats of seven figure fines and imprisonment. This movie uncovers the motive of state, county, and city officials who were actively pursuing to control the churches for years to come. John MacArthur and the faithful elders come together by sending a message that the government has NO say in the affairs and ordinances of God.

The main proposition of the documentary, that mandatory closures during the first months of the covid emergency were a satanic attempt to oppress the church is misguided, but probably intended to rally the faithful more than three years after the pandemic rather than to try to convince other people. It paints the pastors who remained open in defiance of local ordinances as heroes along the lines of those persecuted during the Reformation. During the early days of the restriction, those businesses deemed necessary for survival or to support remote work were allowed to remain open. Organizations of all kinds found ways to carry one remotely or to do things in other manners such as via videoconferencing or in-car church with FM transmission. Some denominations, such as the Episcopalians even adopted new methods of delivering communion and new prayers related to the inability to take it. There is little evidence to support the film's thesis.

Before you see this movie that paints one church as being under siege during the pandemic, think about the thousands of other churches that didn't feel threatened by the health mandates. Think about the churches that still managed to deal with the situation via virtual services and even community outreach programs. Think about the movie's bias in favor of John MacArthur and his church.

Jim Hinch, senior editor of the Christian Guideposts magazine, wrote an excellent article "How the Pandemic Radicalized Evangelicals" (Los Angeles Review of Books, August 15, 2021). He points out that John MacArthur had a long history well before the pandemic of wanting to maintain absolute control over Grace Community Church and its seminary. A former seminary administrator said that MacArthur ""does not like anyone telling him what he can or cannot do." A former deacon described the church as a toxic environment. MacArthur's responses to the pandemic were just another episode of his wanting to hold on to power.

Hinch also described how other churches, including Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, dealt with the pandemic without defying the health restrictions.

The movie is a propaganda piece that contains no information that would refute MacArthur's claims.

The one-star reviews seem to be by people who've read summaries of the film, but haven't seen it, because it's FAR more complex -- historically and theologically -- than they indicate.

The film shows examples from Church history of Christian leaders, and church members (lady who threw a stool), who disagreed with human authorities.

The film then compares how the Church and State have related to each other differently over time -- incl. Roman Catholic and early Protestant ideas -- of the Church being over the State, and the Church and State being co-equal.

The bulk of the film then shows how recent leaders wrestled theologically with biblical commands to obey BOTH God and God-ordained human authorities. The solution is NOT always simple, and so requires case-by-case analysis and discernment, outside of an actual word from God to do something.

About MacArthur, decisions at his church are made by a 30+ member board of directors. The film shows their process of coming to agreement. The comment by another reviewer about his "ego", which cites an anti-Christian attack piece as an authority, is irrelevant.

If you want to think and live biblically, esp. Under tyranny, the film will deepen your understanding of how to do that.

For everyone else, the film will show the high degree of character, and intelligence, of some local church leaders as they respectfully disagree, and work toward consensus.

RECOMMENDED FILM to see afterward, like dessert after a main course: Superspreader (2022). The Essential Church is how local church leaders responded. Superspreader is how an individual church member, with a parachurch ministry, responded.

RELEVANT PASSAGES, not incl. Hebrew midwives (Exodus 1), Daniel praying, etc.:

(a) "submit... to... governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God" -- Paul; Romans 13:1

"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution" -- Peter; 1 Peter 2:13

(b) "But Peter and John replied, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than God'" -- Acts 4:19

"Peter and the other apostles replied, 'We must obey God rather than men.'" -- Acts 5:29

(c) "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's." -- Jesus; Matthew 22:21

"Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." -- Paul, Rom. 13:7

(d) "Christ is the head of the church... the church submits to Christ" -- Paul; Ephesians 5:23-24a.

I never understood why they just didn't do everything they could to protect the body of Christ. Why was it so hard to just put a mask on and distancing? It seems that would be showing care for each other. We are to be salt and light. How much damage was done to the unsaved who watched this whole thing unwind. What I heard from folks was why can't we all work together on this. Millions of lives are being lost. That is extremely concerning. The blatant refusal to not work with local authorities only tells me that this was more about control than a godly approach, how can we work together to keep everyone safe.