Rob McCoy: America “has lost its identity; the pulpits are responsible”
By Michael Hernandez
NEWBURY PARK—“We are now in a country that has lost its identity. The pulpits are responsible, said Pastor Rob McCoy at the Foundations Luncheon hosted Thursday by Newbury Park First Christian Church and Godspeak Calvary Chapel. “If the pulpits are silent, we will lose the Constitutional Republic. How will they know the truth, unless somebody tells them.
“God commands that the governed must participate in the government. Apathy is not an option.
“I was elected to the City Council” and swore an oath “to defend the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic. But what is the Constitution?” The Constitution today has seven articles and 27 amendments.
McCoy, the “political pastor” elected to the Thousand Oaks City Council who has talked to over 15,000 pastors now challenges them with this question: “Do you agree with the pastoral epistle written by Paul to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 4) where we are commanded to ‘pray for all who are in authority?’ If so, can you please name your five city council members or five school board members?
“We don’t engage in government because we are lazy and ignorant. That was me. We have become illiterate.”
“We have had 241 years (since the Declaration of Independence) of unprecedented freedom—an openness to the word of God without any fear of retribution. We are the oldest country living under one article of incorporation (U.S. Constitution). But, we don’t understand the gift we have been given.
“Only one of nine fought in the Revolutionary War. But we all enjoy the benefits.
“Yes, I am a pastor and the gospel is the most important thing. But the second most important thing is protecting our country.
“In the Noahic Covenant, God ordained government for the protection of man. We are governed by laws, whether the laws are good or not.
“The founders established our government in the Constitution based on Isaiah 33:2: ‘For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King: He will save us’ which represent the three branches of government (judicial, legislature, executive).
“Our founders were impacted by John Locke, who quote the Bible more than any other source.
“Our founders knew Exodus 18:21: ‘Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.’
“Our founders (in ratifying the Declaration of Independence) understood the law of nature and God’s law. They knew that rights didn’t come from man (from a king) but from God.
“Equality for them was based on dignity, not in capacity.”
McCoy spoke on several historic dates including:
- 1604: The King James Version of the Bible (begun in 1604 and completed in 1611) which was an attempt to replace the Geneva Bible—the Bible of the Reformation—that has a commentary of civil law in its margins which became the inspiration for the Revolutionary Bible;
- 1620: The Mayflower Compact (signed aboard ship on Nov. 11, 1620 by the Pilgrims) which declared that the trip across the Atlantic Ocean was “undertaken for the glory of God; for the advancement of the Christian faith”; and
- 1642: The First Public Schools Act (Massachusetts Bay Colony School Laws of 1642, 1647, and 1648 also known as the Old Deluder Satan Law) which sought to have children learn “to read and understand the principles of religion and the capital laws of this country.”
McCoy, a Calvary Chapel pastor, referenced how California has slipped these last 50 plus years since Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa was started by Pastor Chuck Smith. “We have had 10,000 percent growth. There are over 350 Calvary Chapels south of Van Nuys, 1,800 nationwide (in all 50 states), and more internationally.
“Yet, California had the 5th largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) at that time and today we are the 9th largest GDP in the world. We have the highest sales tax, gas tax, income tax and no-fault divorce. We lead the country in abortions. We have the highest debt and Millennials can’t live here (because of costs).”
McCoy stated the slippage was due to our lack of knowledge and engagement in government.
“All mankind will never experience this liberty, unless we protect it,” said guest speaker Rob McCoy at the Foundations Luncheon hosted by Newbury Park First Christian Church. “This experiment in liberty is not over. To whom much is given; much is required. This mantle falls on us. We need to know about our freedoms. We need to educate our kids; or apathy will enslave us. We need to be free citizens—who know the truth; and the truth will set us free.
“This is not a left or right issue, not a liberal or conservative issue. It’s about freedom for all. It’s about dignity. It’s about the transformation of our community.”
Pastor Rob McCoy
Mr. Hernandez is dedicating himself to advance the 13 spheres – as a “City Upon A Hill”; developing an interactive California citizens news platform as an alternative to mainstream media; while building local school-community partnerships.)
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service, founder of History Makers International, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email: [email protected].
Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing –DONATE
I’m nearly 72 years old. I have voted at every election since the day I could vote. This is not meant as an applause to me. I do know that there were times I voted for a politician or a proposition when I really didn’t study the person or issue at hand.
I can also say that each election cycle made it clear to me that I have to study the credentials of politicians and the meaning behind propositions.
I say this to encourage young voters to be better than me by studying the issues before they vote. So much more is at stake today, than ever before.
It’s not enough to vote; you have to vote intelligently.
This article is NOT about a person’s religion although morality is at its core. It IS about religious leaders and the lethargy too many of them allow for, accept, and/or promote within their congregations. If a family in California has a hard time making ends meet and the family approaches their religious leader and that leader does NOT explain why costs are so high in California, that leader is not leading. That leader is following the path of NO RESISTANCE. Thus the vacuum created IS FILLED by those who caused the problem in the first place.
It is incumbent upon us not to remain sidelined by our ignorance or blinded by our “comfortable-enough” life. There’s a reason our nation is at risk and it begins with us!