By Michael Hernandez
NEWBURY PARK—”You are being cowards. You are pleasing man and not pleasing God,” said Calvary Chapel Bangor (Maine) Pastor Ken Graves during Fireside Chat 199. “There are many (pastors) who justify their fear, their cowardice. God says woe unto the shepherds that the flock was scattered and they didn’t go after them (Jeremiah 23).” Pastor Graves asked: Are we “man pleasers?” We need “to give up standing with man, if we are going to maintain standing with God.
“The Church supported the underground church in China for decades; who met in defiance of the law. Those Christians were not obeying the government. They would gather in the name of Christ, despite the government.
“What our governors and world leaders are doing; has never been done before. It is insanity to put the public under house arrest. In the name of protecting some, they are killing many. They’re destroying livelihoods and fortunes and whole economies. They are destroying whole cities and nations economically.”
Pastor Graves when asked about pastors who have their churches closed, said: “Pray for that man; let him know you are there. You will stand behind him. Encourage him by the word of God. Let him know that if you won’t lead, you will go find leadership. You are losing me. I will only follow you, as you follow Christ. A time is approaching that I will conclude that you are not leading and that relationship will come to an end.”
Graves pastors a church of 1,200 (one of the largest churches in Maine; which he founded) with a residential men’s and women’s discipleship program. Pastor Graves spoke at the in-person services at Godspeak Calvary (Sunday, Oct. 18) and at Frank Sontag’s (KKLA) Kingdom Men’s Conference held at Godspeak (Saturday, Oct. 17).
(Editor’s Note: To see Pastor Ken Graves message from Fireside Chat 199 go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0y1g8Svizk and Sunday morning message go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyeac14wuYM.)
Pastor Graves was echoing comments made by Calvary Chapel Chino Hills Bishop Jack Hibbs from the Oct. 11 Freedom Service attended by 3,000 and watched nationwide.
”Open your doors,” said Calvary Chapel Chino Hills Pastor Jack Hibbs, challenging U.S. pastors quoting from Rev. 3:8. “The people of God want to go to their churches. We are giving this official declaration tonight from coast to coast that on Oct. 25th every pastor in the United States in unison opens their doors to let the people—the sheep (believers) come in. Jesus said: My sheep hear My voice and it is the shepherd’s responsibility ‘to set before them an open door, (that) no one can shut.’
“Now is the time to stand. Pastors, I plead with you, this is an opportunity to join. We need you to open up. I have a challenge for the pastors of America. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25 ‘not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.’”
(Editor’s Note: To see the Citizens Journal story on Freedom Sunday go to:
Meanwhile, South Bay United Pentecostal Church Pastor Art Hodges, called Sunday, Oct. 25th National “Go to Church” Day as he called for all “people of faith” to attend an in-person church service while talking on a statewide Election ‘2020 phone call (Tuesday, Oct. 20th).
(Editor’s Note: To see Citizens Journal coverage of Sunday, Oct. 18th’s Non-Essential event watched by millions with more than 5,000 attending at Chino Hills Calvary go to:
https://www.citizensjournal.us/over-five-thousand-attend-millions-watch-non-essential-event/ and to read Christian leaders sharing their COVID-19 response go to:
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service; editor of the History Makers Report and founder of History Makers International—a community nonprofit serving youth and families in Ventura County, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. He worked 25 years as a middle school teacher in Monrovia and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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