I was asked these questions by a reporter recently and thought it helpful to share my responses publicly and in their entirety.
Will you be holding in-person service(s) this Sunday? For how much longer?
Yes. We have resumed our regular services and will continue them indefinitely.
How many people attend or will attend the service? Do you intend to adhere to the 15% capacity rule? Masking?
We had a full church on Sunday and expect attendance to increase each week. We cannot abide by the 15% capacity rule and stay faithful to our commitment to God and to one another as a church. We leave masking up to attendees and their own conscience before the Lord.
You held an in-person service last weekend. Were enforcement personnel present?
Yes. Bylaw, AHS, and CPS were present at the beginning of our 11am service and left as we began.
Have you adapted in any way to these public health restrictions?
Yes. We have a risk mitigation strategy that we’ve sent to our congregation and AHS. We ask attendees to self-screen before attending, we have signs posted, provide masks, hand sanitizer, do not pass offering plates, have no children or nursery services, and livestream our services for those who choose to remain at home. We also have a space in the building setup for people who wish greater physical distancing. We seek to follow the public health restrictions until they interfere with how we understand the Bible’s commands to worship God.
Have you received any summons in the past couple of weeks for alleged violations of health restrictions? How many have you received thus far? What total fine amounts are you facing?
I have not yet received any enforcement action the last few weeks. In January, I received one fine for $1200, and a week later a court summons where I could face a penalty of up to $100,000.
Do you consider this enforcement persecution, or religious persecution?
I do not believe either the government or law enforcement are targeting churches or people of faith. The reason we are meeting is out of obedience to Christ and how he calls us to worship. It is that obedience to Christ that has brought this enforcement.
Have any members of your congregation tested positive for COVID-19?
No. None. The assertion that churches are superspreaders is merely an assertion and is not based on evidence. Our church, GraceLife Church near Edmonton, and the multiple thousands of people that have gathered at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church in California for month after month bear witness against the oft-repeated narrative.
I understand you’ve held in-person services in other places before returning to your church last month. What kind of venue was used and how many people attended? Was that done to avoid surveillance?
We did meet at an alternate location. We are commanded by God to gather and so we did.
How much of your congregation doesn’t attend in-person services? How many are opposed to these being held?
We have a small group of our members who stay home and watch online. We love and support our members who choose to stay home for various reasons.
What level of enforcement would convince you to halt these services?
We are aware of the potential costs–imprisonment and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines–yet a price cannot be set on loyalty to God. God has given his own Son to purchase a people for himself and he is worthy of worship, even at a high cost.
Most houses of worship have opted to use virtual services and many believe this is the Christian thing to do in light of the pandemic. What’s your response to that?
As Christians, we have a book that contains the very words of God. God alone has the authority to instruct how he wants to be worshiped. In the Old Testament, Nadab and Abihu were struck down with fire from heaven for not worshiping God as he prescribed. Neither I, nor any Christian, has the authority to change how God calls us to come together as a church. We’re commanded to practice hospitality, to love one another in ways that masks and distancing make impossible, and to gather together as a family of faith. The problem today is that we have professionalized the church where people come to listen to the band and hear an inspirational talk. In Scripture, the people are the band, and the sermon is a spiritual event that necessitates a congregation. In short, the gathering of the whole church is essential to what it means to be a church.
It appears 9 other Alberta churches have signed up to the Liberty Coalition Canada (libertycoalitioncanada.com). Are all of those now holding in-person services (and possibly beyond the 15% limit)? Will more be joining?
I was aware of ten churches in Alberta that were publicly and fully open last Sunday. I expect 14 to be publicly open this Sunday with others joining each week. In Manitoba, a similar movement (backtochurchmb.com) also has 14 churches that will be fully open in that province this Sunday.
How do you view the detention of Pastor Coates? Is his refusal to meet his bail conditions in any way an act of martyrdom?
His refusal to agree to his bail conditions is not surprising. He’s a man of conviction and integrity. He was not looking to be detained, he is only seeking to be faithful to Christ. The Bible is very clear that ministers of the gospel will give an account to God for how they have led the church. Both James and I take that reality with the utmost seriousness. The heavenly court is of far greater concern than any earthly court.
What effect has his detention had on your congregation or other faithful?
His detention has made our church count the cost for following God in obedience to our religious convictions. It has served to encourage Christians of similar convictions to be faithful no matter the cost. Philippians 1:14 is relevant here, “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Have you been in touch with Pastor Coates in recent days? If so, what has he said to you?
No.
What do you say to your church’s neighbours who’ve been lodging complaints about in-person services?
Complaints stem from a narrative which claims that we are a danger to the community. After 11 months, those claims are unfounded. In addition, for all the negative reactions we’ve received from the community, we’ve received a similar number of positive reactions. In fact, multiple people from the community have started attending our services after seeing us in the news. They’ve found us to be caring and have been helped by the church. The Bible says the church is the pillar and support of the truth, so we must proclaim that truth even when it is unpopular. That is the most loving thing we can do for our neighbors.
We are more than physical bodies and there are more dangers than COVID-19. As a church we care for both the soul and the body. How people can be right with God through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our greatest concern and expression of love. In Christ, fear of death is put into proper perspective. At the same time, we are not careless about dangers to our bodies. However, I’m convinced that the COVID restrictions have done great harm to many people in our society. We must allow people to be responsible for their own lives, medical choices, and livelihoods. In a Christian society based upon the supremacy of God and the rule of law, we recognize that people have fundamental freedoms as men and women made in God’s image. If we restrict or violate those freedoms, it will be the downfall of our society. Jason Kenney said so himself in a speech delivered in 2014 (https://www.convivium.ca/articles/conscience-versus-the-spirit-of-the-age).
Tim Stephens