As his fight with the state of California continues, John MacArthur has shown, unfortunately, a lack of understanding about how pandemics work, and in this case fails to see the distinction between necessary and unnecessary risk.
In the short video, MacArthur urges, "Go to church...go in the building, don't sit in your parking lot." The Church of Jesus Christ is NOT its building. If the people of God worship in a park, that is the Church. If the people of God worship in a parking lot, in a tent, or online, that too is the Church. I don't understand this insistence that only when the sanctuary is used can the Church be fulfilling its call to corporate worship. The text of Scripture makes no such distinction, Matthew 18:20 (NIV) "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Of course, the Early Church had no public buildings, but met in homes or in public squares, down by the river, wherever they could. The Church in China and other hostile countries is forced underground (The Early Church in Rome literally underground in the catacombs during periods of persecution) to survive, but that persecuted Church is certainly being faithful, even if they never meet in a public building.
"You're not going to kill grandma". Once again, John MacArthur minimizes the pandemic, insisting that the risk isn't real, as the death tolls climbs past 180,000, and that with less than 25% of Americans having been infected thus far, with the CDC reporting 5,799,046 cases, which is no doubt an under-count of the true total, but still leaves room for well over 200,000,000 infections if the virus were to run rampant in America. From this week's CDC report: Based on death certificate data, the percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19 (PIC) for week 33 is 7.8%. This is currently lower than the percentage during week 32 (12.6%); however, the percentage remains above the epidemic threshold and will likely increase as more death certificates are processed. Whether one agrees or disagrees about specific restrictions, whether from the local government or otherwise, it serves no useful purpose to build your position upon the false-hope that the pandemic isn't really a threat. I've responded to this misconception on his part before, when GCC first decided to meet in-person with no social distancing and no masks {John MacArthur jumps the shark with COVID-19 response}. Evidently, John MacArthur continues to refuse to believe the 'narrative' offered by the scientific community as a whole. This points to a larger issue within the Church in America, and Evangelicalism in particular, of hostility toward science, and a refusal to accept scientific evidence that is politically/culturally unappreciated. {Why I signed "A Christian Statement on Science for Pandemic Times" from BioLogos}
In addition, John MacArthur offers up a false analogy, one that others have used, equating the risk of the pandemic to the risk of car accidents. In the first place, they're not the same kind of risk. Exposure to the pandemic can be controlled, it can be mitigated, even if only partially, thus by choosing to increase that risk, in callous ways for yourself and for others, by ignoring scientific expertise regarding social distancing and masks wearing, one is taking an unnecessary risk. Automobile travel is a necessary risk, transportation needs to occur in some form or other. Car accidents only become unnecessary risks when those doing so text while driving, refuse to wear seat belts, drive too fast for the conditions, drink and drive, etc. Otherwise, car accidents are a risk that is already being minimized, as much as possible. It is not government tyranny to post speed limits, nor to require seat belts, nor to enforce the law through traffic stops. This entire analogy is a false one, meant to make the arguments in favor of minimizing COVID-19 risk seem ridiculous, but false analogy are just that, false.
Lastly, John MacArthur is viewing the pandemic through End Times tinted glasses, as the first round in an all out assault upon the Church by a government intent upon destroying it. He said, "More onerous attempts to lock the Church down in the future" are coming. The host readily agreed with this assessment. This is, of course, speculation; the future is unknown. This view is relatively common in the Church today, I often hear people speak as if the government is chomping at the bit to send us all to the gulag. There's just one problem with this 'sky is falling' mentality. It isn't based in reality. Are there elements within the government that are hostile to Christianity? Yes, but hardly enough to justify the hysteria. With nearly 70% of the country's population identifying as Christians, whom does John MacArthur think will be carrying out the crusade against the Church? Which army will enforce the closure of the roughly 315,000 churches in America, where will the several hundred thousand ministers be incarcerated as 'enemies of the state'? If you take the suggestion to its logical conclusions, the hype falls apart. Also, when compared to the persecution of our brothers and sisters in hostile countries in the world today, or with that of the Early Church at the hands of Rome, can we really justify Apocalyptic warnings? The Church in America has enjoyed for centuries, and enjoys still, a place of privilege. We are not martyrs, to claim that mantle is a disservice to those who have indeed suffered for the name of Christ.
In the end, the reality of the pandemic is not a 'narrative' that you can choose to believe or reject, it is scientific fact, it is reality. On the contrary, the narrative being advocated here by John MacArthur is one based in End Times anticipation, anti-government sentiment, and seemingly the influence of politics. We, the Church, can do better than this, no matter whether we are able to safely meet in-person at this time, or due to the reality of COVID-19, must continue to fellowship and worship outside of the sanctuary. We are the Church, those called by the Spirit to redemption by the Blood of the Lamb, not the building in which we meet.
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