There was a great debate in the year of our Lord, Twenty-twenty. Many of you may not remember, but the esteemed John F. MacArthur stood tall among detractors for wishing to worship the Lord unhindered by meticulous pharisaical regulations seeking to strain out a gnat but swallowing camels in the process.
As of now, MacArthur’s congregation continues to meet despite the infelicities of Los Angeles County’s attempt for a restraining order against Grace Community Church. The city lost to an evangelical church not historically known for its Kuyperian zeal. But as I have said many times now, evangelicals can no longer remain luke-warm in these times. They either capitulate to distinct forms of weak pietism or they take to the halls and the streets to exercise that violent form of protest called singing. And while we are at it, we commend the saints in Moscow, ID for setting a healthy standard of the “NO MAS” rule. I am not talking about a “NO MASK” rule, but a “NO MAS” rule as a way of thinking. No more will we take the shenanigans and sophistry of local rulers who are generally barely more intellectual than my pipe tobacco. No more will the church think she cannot speak, even in places that mirror the Lower Abyss (L.A.). I pray we have learned enough lessons to stimulate our inner theonomist to action.
One of the encouraging signs also is to see churches that were adamantly closed during this season and whose voices said nothing in defense of the MacArthurs’ of this world, now saying, “Wait, what happened to civility, common sense, and the city’s cooperation with the church?” Even as Mark Dever realized, D.C. is on a selective war against churches banning even outdoor religious gatherings of more than a 100 people. The answer, of course, is to say that the city is being an equal opportunity offender. They are also not allowing other businesses to stay open. True enough, but according to an ancient prophet, the only true essential business is that holy city, Zion city of our God. Grateful to see Dever and others put the “No Mas” sign out!
What this has done is to force local pastors to consider whether permanently living in a state of purgatory is essential or not. If it is, we can live in this limbo happily and clappily, but if it isn’t, then we need to do something about it. Let’s sue the city, shall we? And behold, they did! Remember that these are the most lenient and patient of the evangelical class who eventually also said, “No mas.” We are not talking rabid postmillennialists who put vodka in their morning coffee; these are run-of-the-mill Calvinists and they are moving happily in our direction and we give thanks to God for their witness.
We should also pause our local broadcast to give thanks for all the local pastors who don’t have the luxury of a nation-wide platform to share their stories of blessings and faithfulness through this season. They have been steadfast, and I, as a fellow small-church pastor, have heard from many of them. God has blessed their flocks with growth and energy to persevere in this season. They are not seeking rebellious causes to pursue, but were simply early on (whether they closed down or not) ready to turn their “No Mas” signs on at the first sign of governmental disorientation. And boy, their signs blink 24 hours a day now.
If this blessed year of our Lord, twenty-twenty, has not taught us thankfulness for the local church, you have had blinders and powerful ear coverings for the last eight months. You are missing the revival of worship taking place in our day; you are missing the longing that children have to sing and play with one another; you are missing the holiness of saints telling jokes and stories and sitting around one another enjoying the freeing breeze. If you have not increased in gratitude in this year, pray that your misery increases so you can join in the “No Mas” choir mighty soon.
