By Debra Tash
In defiance of the County of Ventura, and with fines to be levied against them, congregants showed up in force for Sunday’s in person service at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park. They filled the sanctuary, lobby and overflow room with more waiting outside for the next service. Other pastors have faced legal action across the country for holding in person church services. However this is the first time that a government entity, the County of Ventura, attempted to prosecute church goers. On Friday August 7, 2020 Judge Matthew P. Guasco issued a Temporary Restraining Order against Pastor Rob McCoy and 1 to 1000 John Does to not hold in person indoor services. The county had filed the underlying lawsuit after the Board of Supervisors voted 3 to 2 in closed session on Tuesday to take action against violators of the County health order. Dr. Robert Levin, the County Health Officer, was the lead complainant in the lawsuit.
Pastor McCoy came out twenty minutes before the 9am service began to warn the attendees that there may be a disruption. But he was taking a stand and going with the flow like a twig on a mighty river. This would be the first time that our government went after church goers. Godspeak was packed, and the service began like any other service held there before it, with singing (which is also in defiance of Governor Newsom’s order) and with hugs and handshakes.
McCoy welcomed congregants who were there to worship. He was advised by counsel not to say that word, worship, but that to be honest, this was a worship service held to lift up the name of Christ. He has been a pastor for the last twenty years. “God is everything…Liberty is not man’s idea. It’s God’s idea.” Further that they were there to fight for truth, freedom and that God gave us our rights. Ceasar does not to take away any of God’s creation.
Local pastors, though most won’t be opening their churches, did call McCoy before services to express their support and told him they Caesar be praying for him. McCoy urged those who were there who didn’t regularly attend Godspeak to go back to their own churches when this is over. That there has to be an awakening in the country. He did take issue with Dr. Levin and what McCoy claimed was blatant hypocrisy on the part of the county health office. That The End of the Road Winery owned by Levin and his wife in Ojai had remained open during the ordered shutdown. When we did call The End of the Road we were told that the tasting room was presently closed.
McCoy said that the stream of liberty was being dried up by government. That they kept moving the goal posts while people lost their businesses and kids couldn’t go to school. He received a standing ovation when he reminded the gathering that the first three words of the constitution are, “We the People.” He said, “You are accountable to God.” And further that only a moral people can govern a republic. We have been enslaved and have seen every bit of God removed from our secular progressive education. McCoy emphasized that Christ came to set the captives free.
On Friday, “We lost the case, but you heard, you came.”
The church studied Acts chapter 8 verses 26 to 40. It centered on being asked by God to leave a comfortable place and travel through a desert for His purpose.
Judging by the turnout people have heard and will travel through that desert even as their government threatens to come after them.
Photos: There were protesters and counter protesters and even an atheist who came to support the church:
Media was everywhere:
Photo credits: Debra Tash
Watch the 9AM service:
Debra Tash is Editor-in-Chief of Citizensjournal.us, past president for Citizens Alliance for Property Rights, business executive and award-winning author, residing in Somis.
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I was there and after service had great conversations with the “atheists” and other ‘non-church people’ in the parking lot. They understand that the attack on our liberties as to worship and assembly is an attack on all our liberties. We had great laughs as to it took this dictatorship to get them to come to church ( or at least in the parking lot hangn w Christians!
It was good to be back in the house of the Lord!
The virus just isn’t as threatening as the media wants you to believe.
Thank you for covering this and getting the story up so quickly.
I feel that people who hide behind their rights are selfish! You are less American when you shout “it’s my right” if you are a true American you do what’s best for the whole country and not what just fits in your world! WEAR A MASK and help stop the spread of Covid-19 When you support large crowds and not wearing a mask it screams……I’m a selfish SOB!
CMC
Are you hiding your name? Who are you referring to when you mention the”selfish”…..those who believe in constitutional rights or those who are vandals, looters and rioters?
I would not call it selfish. I prefer to call it unpatriotic. When you don’t help America win by kicking Covid what else can you call it?
Unpatriotic is what I call those who would give up their rights and freedoms for the sake of imagined safety. Seems to me that some old dead White guy said something about that a while back.
We need herd immunity. That’s not established by isolation.
You did a good job, Debra