Being foolish is not a demonstration of faith. It is also not "following God" not be wise. Why not skip giving your infants the measles vaccine? After all, just leave it up to faith! Seat belts? Nah. Speed limit? Why bother? God is in control of everything right? This kind of faith illogic simply does not work. Notice that Judy Fuoco tells us that the church suddenly went political in 2019, the groundwork for this anti-knowledge campaign. This death most definitely could have been avoided! Her pastor and her church killed her. The church has a culture of vaccine hesitancy, pushed by church leadership! In 2021 they violated local law by meeting, another staple of hireling behavior during the time of COVID. Even Pastor Gesualdi's faux concern about increased suicides and depression are straight from the political playbook at that time. The reality is that as a pastor, he could have been regularly checking in on his sheep and cut off any potential mental health issues but all he was concerned about was meeting every Sunday.
Since then, those opinions have been incorporated into his sermons, many of which were posted to social media but appear to have since been deleted. As rumours spread through the community that the virus was taking hold, and calls from within the congregation to close the church grew louder, Gesualdi told his followers in at least one now-deleted video posted to the Good News Chapel's Instagram page that he believed the doors must not close. "There are a few people who have called and said they have the symptoms of COVID-19, and they've gotten tested," he said. "The thing is, it has nothing to do with the church" we've seen God's hand of protection on our church." Days later, on Sunday, November 28, while Diana was intubated in hospital, a defiant Gesualdi stood at his pulpit in front of a full congregation. "There can be no order given," he proclaimed to loud cheers, "that can ever shut down the church of Jesus Christ."
If your stance on vaccines and the virus were so righteous then why delete the sermons? Even in sight of death and illness, Gesualdi insisted on still meeting. The denial is classic and pathetic. You have seen God's hand of protection upon your church Pastor Steve? Seriously? How was that hand of protection for Diana and her family? Then a few days later, as Diana lay dying in a local hospital, Steve Gesualdi continued to show not an ounce of care or even remorse. Proudly defiant, Gesualdi declared that no order can shut down the church. Do not lose sight of the fact that this is a secular news site. Beside the tragic loss of life there are kingdom consequences. How many unbelievers see this abuse and may never choose to seek out a church or God again? The bible commands us to use our time wisely with unbelievers and to redeem that time because the hours are short. Thumbing your nose at authority while causing a COVID outbreak, killing at least one, is not a wise use of the time.
Gesualdi told his congregation that if they are not ready for a battle, they should stay home -- before wondering aloud if he was being irresponsible. His conclusion was that he was not. "'You know, you should use your pulpit to tell people to get vaccinated,'" he said, imitating his critics.
"It's none of my business," he retorted. "The one who keeps you safe is none other than the one that sits on the throne, Himself." In an earlier Instagram video, Gesualdi referenced a previous online sermon, which is also no longer visible online but which CTV News has viewed, showing him leading a communion service. During the sermon, he said, he had gotten several messages from followers who reported overcoming symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as lack of taste. "'As I was eating the bread, I could [once again] taste the bread and the juice,'" he said, reciting a message. "They were very definite things: 'My taste got restored, my sinuses opened up" I was cold and shivering -- by the time we took communion, my temperature went back to normal.'" Turning his attention to those "who have fallen ill in these past couple of weeks," he said in the sermon, "no one is going to go," he said. "God is going to lift them all up." Shortly after, he turned to prayer. "Father. I pray for Diana, as she's in the hospital, Lord, and I thank you because things are changing on a daily basis," he said. "I thank you, Father, that things are improving, Father, that they're weaning her off the medication." Gesualdi did not respond to specific questions from CTV News, but said that an article published Tuesday by Le Devoir about the outbreak was "full of falsities."
Wow. Mocking those trying to show him the right way. His summation that he has no business in the well being of his sheep reveals that he is a hireling. All of the phony anecdotal stories will not save Pastor Steve Gesualdi. Diana's blood is upon his head. He will answer one day when he stands before Christ. During this outbreak ten cases were traced back to his church building. Three of those ten were admitted to the hospital and at least one was in ICU, which we may assume was Diana. Fuoco believes the outbreak number is as high as 50. That is fifty people that did not need to get sick. Some might have permanent damage. Some may not have survived. I do not want us to gloss over this or bury the lead of this story. A man charged with tending to the sheep of the Lord made purposeful and willful decisions that led to one of their deaths. How many more have died already from similar pastoral ignorance and NAR dominionist adherence? God designed church to be so much more than that hour and a half on Sundays. Good News Chapel is not THE church. Neither is John MacArthur's church. Neither is yours. You would think it would be obvious that maybe as the first commandment of being a pastor is to not assist in killing your sheep. You would think but you would be wrong. How profoundly sad indeed.
Reverend Anthony Wade - February 22, 2022
