The Essential Church

Wow! Just wow! Grace Productions drove it home, revealing truth that the whole world obliviously ignored. Jesus is going to use this documentary to change lives, however small or large the group of people impacted, it will be used. And already is. Delivering truth about the "pandemic", and revealing the necessity of having church. The Church will bow only to Christ, not the State, not a king, not any governing authority. It has helped my understanding on Church gathering, and the need for fellowship, no matter the circumstance, because the Church has always been essential. Christ, not caesar, is the Head of the Church! Believers must be ready to give everything up for the Lord, the Gospel, and the Church. Thank you! This documentary was well made, with an amazing intro, an amazing concept and it brought truth together so powerfully that you just know the Hand of God was involved in this. May people see and hear the truth.

The main proposition of the documentary, that mandatory closures during the first months of the covid emergency were a satanic attempt to oppress the church is misguided, but probably intended to rally the faithful more than three years after the pandemic rather than to try to convince other people. It paints the pastors who remained open in defiance of local ordinances as heroes along the lines of those persecuted during the Reformation. During the early days of the restriction, those businesses deemed necessary for survival or to support remote work were allowed to remain open. Organizations of all kinds found ways to carry one remotely or to do things in other manners such as via videoconferencing or in-car church with FM transmission. Some denominations, such as the Episcopalians even adopted new methods of delivering communion and new prayers related to the inability to take it. There is little evidence to support the film's thesis.

It becomes increasingly evident the dividing line that Jesus spoke about regarding true believers and false believers when you watch this movie. Many people will gladly say they are a Christian when it's beneficial and easy.

Jesus said if you do not love him more than mother and father, even your own life, you're not worthy of him. Those who are truly following him will do so at all costs.

You go into this really thinking you're going to get an anti-VAX conspiracy documentary and get something completely different. It's rarely if ever political and instead focuses on the history of the church and its relationship to government in different time periods.

One of the most eye-opening things of the documentary is seeing how different governments have tried the exact same thing again, and again to shut down the church. And there is a time and a place for physical safety. If a hurricane is coming, you close the church and sent everyone home. It but after months of waiting for the hurricane and there's a few gusts of wind, and nothing more you don't keep people locked in their homes anymore.

We absolutely witnessed an abuse of government power, and attention hungry media and the unjust and unconstitutional treatment of institutions of face during the pandemic. There is no argument. There is no wiggling out, there was no trying to say that's not what happened. It is so irrefutably clear. This is exactly what happened, and I love that this documentary shines a spotlight directly on what happened with data, biblical support, and very credible medical and virology personelle.

The government does not have the right to mandate, alter or restrict worship. Ever. The church is essential and will continue to be until the end of the age.

People scoring this with 1's or low reviews are doing so because they're the Covid maniacs that are still wearing a mask today, while they drive alone and probably when they shower. It's been scientifically and medically proven (a simple google search will show you) that masks, social distancing and lockdowns not only were ineffective but had negative impacts. And the jab, well, another simple google search will show you that these big corps are getting sued through the nose. This documentary is fantastic and a must watch and only exemplifies truth and it does it in an engaging way. Well done Grace Community Church! One of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

Before you see this movie that paints one church as being under siege during the pandemic, think about the thousands of other churches that didn't feel threatened by the health mandates. Think about the churches that still managed to deal with the situation via virtual services and even community outreach programs. Think about the movie's bias in favor of John MacArthur and his church.

Jim Hinch, senior editor of the Christian Guideposts magazine, wrote an excellent article "How the Pandemic Radicalized Evangelicals" (Los Angeles Review of Books, August 15, 2021). He points out that John MacArthur had a long history well before the pandemic of wanting to maintain absolute control over Grace Community Church and its seminary. A former seminary administrator said that MacArthur ""does not like anyone telling him what he can or cannot do." A former deacon described the church as a toxic environment. MacArthur's responses to the pandemic were just another episode of his wanting to hold on to power.

Hinch also described how other churches, including Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, dealt with the pandemic without defying the health restrictions.

The movie is a propaganda piece that contains no information that would refute MacArthur's claims.