The Essential Church, rated PG-13
****

This documentary follows three pastors – John MacArthur from Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, and James Coates and Tim Stephens from Canada – as they refuse to suspend worship services during the COVID pandemic, and as a result face consequences from their respective governments (fines, imprisonment, legal action). The film was written and directed by Shannon Halliday.
The film shows that God, not the state (King, etc.) is the head of the church. It shows the hypocrisy of state and local officials ordering houses of worship to shut their doors while permitting – and at times participating in – destructive riots to sweep through major cities unchecked.
The film focuses on why Grace Community Church initially complied with the restrictions, and how Martyn-Lloyd Jones’ commentary on Romans 13 helped lead the elders to change course, and re-open. It follows the lawsuits leading to the church’s ultimate legal vindication. The film explores the struggle between the church and government throughout history, such as the Scottish Covenanters of the 17^th century and the Great Ejection of 1662), and some of the people who sacrificed their lives for what they believed in.

The film is well made and features Ian Hamilton, Voddie Baucham, Scott Atlas, a number of Elders from Grace Community Church and others.
Themes include standing firm against persecution, religious liberty, cultural Marxism, and hypocrisy.
As an elder in my church, I watched closely as the film showed how the Grace Community Church elders handled this situation. I recall going through the same decisions with my fellow elders – even as my brother was clinging to life on a ventilator from COVID – as we live in a state that had similar lockdown mandates as California had. It was a very difficult time as we worked through whether to open, at what capacity, would masks be required, etc..
The Essential Church is an important film about whether to obey the directives of government or submit to a higher authority.
For more information about the film, including where it is showing, go to the film’s website.