Canadian pastor crosses the line regarding COVID and the government shuts him down correctly.

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And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

GraceLife Church of Edmonton

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Edmonton Alberta Canada is the new Ground Zero in the fictious Christian persecution at the hands of a supposedly "tyrannical" government that is trying to save our lives. For many months the government there has been trying desperately to convince GraceLife Church that they need to comply with the law, you know, as Romans 13 says we are supposed to. Pastor James Coates was arrested a few months back for his disobedience and stayed for 35 days after refusing to agree with court orders of released. As soon as he was released, he resumed thumbing his nose at society and government by holding packed services with none of the guidelines from the Health Department being adhered to. After two packed Easter services the government took the unprecedented step in building a physical fence around the church to prevent people from entering. Naturally, the apostate church has gone ballistic. The teachings of the purpose driven church have left so many in Christendom with cult of personality pastors who simply cannot fathom their value or existence outside of the hour and a half service they perform on Sundays. No western government has prohibited any church from helping people, ministering to people, counseling people, assisting in the community or even providing Sunday services virtually. In the case of Alberta Canada, they are even allowed to meet on Sundays at 15% fire code capacity as long as they wear masks ands socially distance. GraceLife has abided by none of these requirements and as such the government has decided to finally enforce their mandates. It is a sad, sad commentary on where the church of today is. I am not going to get bogged down in the weeds about the fencing but rather let us focus on how we got here because GraceLife in Alberta is the same as John MacArthur's Grace Church in California as well as countless others. Petulant churches run by petulant pastors who seemingly have utter disregard for the lives of the sheep entrusted to them. First, we will review the statement put out from GraceLife Church and then have a brief sermon review of Pastor Coates from last summer when he was first deciding to rebel. Both are linked above. They are quite revealing in that the NAR thought process has infected our neighbors north of the border as well. Let us reason once more together, starting with portions from the official statement.

'"Dear fellow Albertans, It goes without saying this has been an incredibly difficult 11 months. The effects and ramifications of COVID-19 on our precious province are not insignificant. We sympathize with everyone who has suffered loss in this time, whether it be the loss of a loved one, or loss stemming from government lockdowns (such as economic loss or suffering as a result of being denied necessary health care). Given the attention our church has received in recent days, we want to address the broader public on our reasons for gathering as a local church. What follows is not a theological defence. We have already addressed that (and it is primarily and predominantly obedience to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that has shaped our stance). Instead, what follows will shed light on our approach to what is being called a "pandemic." The reason we put "pandemic" in quotes is because the definition of a pandemic was changed about 10 years ago. At one time, a pandemic was defined as an infectious disease that resulted in a certain percentage of excess deaths over and above normal annual averages. The definition was changed in connection with H1N1 to remove this threshold. Ten years ago, COVID-19 would not have qualified as a pandemic. In fact, not even close.' - GraceLife Church

Right off the bat we see the agenda in action. The unmitigated gall to compare the loss of life through COVID to the material loss of money is not only unchristian but it is unseemly. That is the false equivalency being drawn, however. The notion that losing a business is somehow equal to dying on a ventilator gasping for air is absurdly ridiculous and insulting. It is in fact that argument I expect from a politician, not a pastor or church. The attention GraceLife has received is entirely chargeable to Pastor Coates who has decided he knows better than scientists and health experts. He chose to go to jail and he chose to disobey the government until they put the fence up. He has no theological defense (as we will see in the sermon review). As for the change in definition - who cares? Does the definition matter to the nearly three million people who have died so far worldwide? I do not need a pastor trying to play doctor. It is arrogant and presumptuous and the hypocrisy is not lost on the unsaved world. It damages the cause of the Gospel.

"Having engaged in an immense amount of research, interacting with both doctors and frontline healthcare workers, it is apparent that the negative effects of the government lockdown measures on society far surpass the effects of COVID-19. The science being used to justify lockdown measures is both suspect and selective. In fact, there is no empirical evidence that lockdowns are effective in mitigating the spread of the virus. We are gravely concerned that COVID-19 is being used to fundamentally alter society and strip us all of our civil liberties. By the time the so-called "pandemic" is over, if it is ever permitted to be over, Albertans will be utterly reliant on government, instead of free, prosperous, and independent. As such, we believe love for our neighbor demands that we exercise our civil liberties. We do not see our actions as perpetuating the longevity of COVID-19 or any other virus that will inevitably come along. If anything, we see our actions as contributing to its end - the end of destructive lockdowns and the end of the attempt to institutionalize the debilitating fear of viral infections. Our local church is clear evidence that governmental lockdowns are unnecessary. In fact, it is also evidence of how harmful they are. Without going into detail, we recently lost the life of one of our precious congregants who was denied necessary health care due to government lockdown measures.

Consider the following statistics. It is alleged that 129,075 Albertans have tested positive for the virus. That works out to just less than 3% of the population. However, it needs to be pointed out that the PCR test being used to test for COVID-19 is fraught with false positives. This is especially true, since at least until recently, Alberta was running the PCR test at 40 amplifications. As such, the number of Albertans who have actually contracted the virus is likely significantly less. It is also vital to highlight that more than 99% of those who contract the virus will fully recover." - GraceLife Church

Would you let your hairdresser perform your open-heart surgery? How about allowing your mechanic do a splenectomy on you? Why in the world would anyone listen to a pastor when it comes to life and death issues of this world? The statement of the science being used to justify lockdowns as being suspect and selective is known as an OPINION and one that is probably born out of complete ignorance. Coates' belief that his doing the opposite of the government's health recommendations contributed to the end of the pandemic is just plainly stupid. Within these specious views he manages to interweave some bonafide tinfoil hat conspiracy nonsense about the government secretly using this pandemic to steal your civil liberties. GraceLife is not alone as this is the exact position of the NAR in this country as well. According to this twisted logic it is perfectly acceptable to this church to lose 2-3% of their congregation to preventable death as long as it means they can meet on Sundays. That is nothing short of disgusting. As is his assumption that all who survive this virus have "recovered." The reports I read tell a different tale of people who have permanent lung scarring and lost of taste and smell.

"Alberta is currently reporting 1,782 COVID-related deaths. It is critically important to articulate it this way. There is a big difference between dying from COVID and dying with COVID. But it is also critical to note that these COVID-related deaths, as tragic as they are, have not resulted in a statistically significant increase in excess deaths (and the average age of those who have died related to COVID-19 is 82, consistent with life expectancy in Alberta). Sadly, most of these individuals would have likely died due to various other lethal co-morbidities (and it immensely grieves us that in many cases they were forced to die apart from their family unnecessarily). In addition, experts estimate that deaths, in the long run, resulting from government lockdown measures will surpass COVID-related deaths 10 to 1 (e.g. premature deaths resulting from not receiving necessary health care, suicides, drug overdoses, addictions, the development of chronic health conditions, total loss of income, family breakdown, etc.). In fact, it would seem that COVID-related deaths are being treated as though they are somehow more tragic than any and all other deaths." - GraceLife Church

Wow. The insensitivity is staggering. This notion that people die with COVID instead of from COVID is actually a political talking point here in the US and it is utter nonsense. Comorbidity simply means the person had another condition, which was exacerbated by contracting COVID. Someone may have asthma or diabetes but it is the contracting of COVID that leads to the death. Anyway of trying to massage this is not only medically moronic but it spits in the faces of the dead. No reputable expert believes the other deaths will surpass those of COVID. It is again a stale and inaccurate talking point. I expect to hear this from a Fox News anchor, not a pastor. Keep in mind that the pastor is going to all of this trouble simply to hold his hour and a half service each Sunday. It is not that deaths from COVID are more tragic. It is that they are more preventable if people who don't know what they are talking about would just shut up and stop playing God.

"Many Albertans are afraid and are convinced of the efficacy of government lockdowns for two reasons: misinformation and fearmongering. The media has so pounded the COVID-19 drum since the "pandemic" began, almost exclusively emphasizing caseload and deaths, that people are fearful. So fearful, in fact, they have been convinced that yielding up their civil liberties to the government is in their best interests. It is difficult to have not lost confidence in the mainstream media. It would seem as though journalism is on life-support in our province. The media should be made up of the most thorough, discerning, and investigative people in our society. Instead, many of them seem to be serving an ideological agenda. Now more than ever, it is vital that Albertans exercise discernment when listening to the mainstream media.

What do we believe people should do? We believe they should responsibly return to their lives. Churches should open, businesses should open, families and friends should come together around meals, and people should begin to exercise their civil liberties again. Otherwise we may not get them back. In fact, some say we are on the cusp of reaching the point of no return. Protect the vulnerable, exercise reasonable precautions, but begin to live your lives again.

That said, living life comes with risks. Every time we get behind the wheel of a car, we are assuming a degree of risk. We accept that risk due to the benefits of driving. Yes, though vastly overblown, there are associated risks with COVID-19, as there are with other infections. Human life, though precious, is fragile. As such, death looms over all of us. That is why we need a message of hope. One that addresses our greatest need. That message is found in Jesus Christ. It is found in Him because all of us have sinned and have fallen short of God's perfect standard of righteousness (Rom 3:23). To sin is to violate the holiness and righteousness of God. As our Creator, He is the one who will judge us according to our deeds and no one will stand on their own merit in that judgment. Therefore, we need a substitute. One who has both lived the life we could not and died the death we deserve." - GraceLife Church

This rant against the media may as well have been written by political forces in this country. Whenever faced with news they do not like they vilify the messenger. The media's job is to report the news. Is Coates really suggesting that COVID was not news? It is not surprising that he believes people should return responsibly to their lives but who is he to decide when it is safe for that to happen? Not to mention that the Alberta government tried visiting GraceLife 18 times for inspection and found violations every single time. What continues to just astound me is the utter disregard Coates has for his own sheep. Just look at the asinine comparison to driving. At some point, government decided that wearing a seat belt saved so many lives that it needed to be law that drivers wear them. What Coates fails to see is that he is not advocating a "pro-driving" message but rather an anti-seat belt message. To then marginalize the risks of COVID as being overblown is just criminal.

"Praise be to God, there is! God the Father commissioned His Son into the world, to take upon Himself human flesh (John 1:14), being true God and true man, whereby He lived under the Law of God (Gal 4:4), fulfilled it in every respect, was tempted in all things as we are, and yet was without sin (Heb 4:15). Then, in obedience to the Father, He went to the cross, drank the full cup of the Father's wrath for the sin of all who would ever believe on His name, died, and rose again! In this way, He proved He had conquered both sin and death, our two greatest enemies. He has ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Col 3:1), awaiting the time of His Second Coming. In the meantime, this message of salvation is to be proclaimed to all people (Matt 28:18-20). In fact, the church exists to proclaim this message! That if you would turn from your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, putting full trust in His finished work on the cross along with His resurrection from the dead, you will be saved! Not only will all of your sins be forgiven you, but you will also be credited with a perfect record of righteousness; the very righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21). And so, we would urge you to be reconciled to God through His Son this day. The very one who has given you life and breath. Should you do so, you will receive eternal life and will experience life after death (John 11:25). Death looms over all of us. But there is a message of concrete hope, in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." - GraceLife Church

Yeah, cobbling scripture together at the end of this putrid display of disregard for human life cannot save it. The church actually exists to grow the sheep into the measure of fullness in Christ. Yes the Gospel message is paramount for that growth and for the Holy Spirit to draw those who do not believe but do not be confused. Pastor James Coates' first and primary job is to tend to his sheep. Adopting false political talking points, conspiracy theories and scientific disdain in order to feed your sheep into the woodchipper is not in the job description. This is however the end product of generations of pastors following the Rick Warren purpose driven church growth schemes. I do not question James Coates' sincerity. As my pastor is fond of saying though you can be sincere and sincerely wrong. So now let us head to the second link, which is a sermon Pastor Coates gave in late June 2020 when GraceLife was deciding whether to violate the law and return to full time church services on Sundays. As you watch this sermon you realize he has already made his mind up. The title of the sermon was even "Putting government in its place." How arrogant. His premise here is that there will be times when being obedient to God means being disobedient to government because when the two are in conflict we must obey the Lord. To this I say amen! The problem for Coates is he has created the conflict where it did not need to exist.

He takes a bizarre turn in the middle and starts to criticize the United States by claiming our government has supported riots and closed churches. These are political talking points taken straight from our national discourse and they remain disingenuous at best and downright deceitful at worst. No one I ever saw supported riots. Protests yes, but riots? No way. Were churches closed? Not at all! They were asked to limit their gatherings. In fact, GraceLife was asked to limit gatherings to 15% of fire code capacity and follow mask wearing and social distancing. That was a bridge too far for Pastor Coates, however. Next, he says,

"There is no precedent for quarantining the healthy. I think it would have been better to let the virus run its course a bit and then see if stricter measures are needed." - Pastor James Coates

This is just dangerous. James Coates knows nothing about which he speaks. So as a pastor he believes it would be better to NOT try and save as many lives as possible. That is just so damning. He also knows nothing about this virus. Because there is a 14-day incubation period you do not know who is really sick and who is not. At this point in the sermon he turns towards his decision, and remember this is June of 2020, to return to full time service on Sundays. He states the following:

"Because there is less risk now it is time to obey God. When does not meeting become sinful? When does it become forsaking the brethren? When are we not meeting simply because we lack courage? - Pastor James Coates

While it was inaccurate to state the risk was down in June of 2020 notice how Coates ties this to being disobedient to God! What nonsense. The key verse today is the Hebrews verse Coates alludes to here about not forsaking the brethren. This verse is not intended to be above all else. What if there was a horrific blizzard on Sunday and the government advised that going out could cost you your life. Temperatures at sub-zero, wind gusts up to 50 MPH causing white out conditions. Would you be saddling up to church that day? Now imagine those conditions lasted three months; the amount of time Pastor Coates stayed virtual. Is there anyone in their right mind who thinks that God intended through this verse for us to hop in our car because you know, don't want to forsake the brethren! Obviously, this verse was intended for people who purposefully do not meet with the assembly. We have hurt Christians today who refuse to go to church. This verse was meant for them, not people obeying the proper authorities to protect themselves from a potentially lethal virus. Shame on you James Coates. To then blame the sheep by claiming they simply lack courage. No! You lack wisdom sir. Or maybe this is all a game to him as we see from this next quote:

"If we decide to meet some may think the risk is too great and we must be charitable with them." - Pastor James Coates

Charitable? I thought you said that not going meant you were a coward and living in sin? Which is it? I think we know the answer. Pastor James Coates is an agent provocateur far more than he is a shepherd. He was in jail because he refused to agree to follow the court orders. After being practically begged by the government to stop holding packed services they finally were pushed into building a fence around the church. This is not persecution beloved. It is one man who refuses to accept science if it hinders his ability to hold a church service for one and a half hours on a Sunday. A church should be so much more than that.

The church is so much more than that.

Reverend Anthony Wade - April 8, 2021

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.