PASADENA, California, August 16, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – California Governor Newsom has been forcing the churches in the state to stop all indoor worship services. But some pastors are saying ‘enough!’
Pastor Che Ahn of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California told LifeSite correspondent Lisa Stover that God did not give us ‘a spirit of fear,’ quoting 2 Timothy 1:7. In that mentality, the network of 162 churches called Harvest International Ministry filed a lawsuit against Governor Newsom, citing First Amendment rights are being violated. After talking with his attorney, Anh decided to open up for services in May.
During these last several months, they’ve battled the courts, as well as individuals calling the police, complaining about the large gatherings. Ahn mentions in the video that they’ve been meeting since May without a single case within their congregation. While their physical well-being is important, and they’re taking precautions, he’s very focused on their eternal well-being. “We want to win souls, see people come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior, and that’s much more of a value for us,” Ahn shares.
Ahn states that during this time, they’ve been able to raise $100,000 to give away to various businesses in LA, California to just say “we love you, we want to bless you.”
The church has also started One Race for Life, a pro-life ministry. They included “race” in the name for two reasons: first, to show the bringing together different ethnic groups together to set the example that there’s no racism in the Body of Christ. Secondly, to talk about how it’s a race against time to overturn Roe v. Wade. Their mission is to encourage everyone to register to vote, and to vote Biblically.
Ahn encourages other pastors around California and the United States that there comes a time when we have to exercise our First Amendment rights in this country, “I haven’t broken the law, but the governor has,” Ahn says.