I stand with James Coates, first Canadian pastor to be imprisoned for gathering his congregation to worship God
“While all things are quiet and comfortable, we live by sense rather than faith. But the worth of a soldier is never known in times of peace.”
James Coates is a pastor in Edmonton Alberta arrested and currently in prison for gathering his congregation for worship.
James' wife shared the following:
"James has been in isolation in a cell block since yesterday morning. His hearing didn't go very well. The Crown went for the jugular. The JP say he didn't want to detain him, he wasn't interested in making a martyr of him. He could walk if he just sets aside his God-given pastoral duties but he can't do that. He has a hearing today to set a court date for his charges. It's very possible that they will remand him until his court case. The Crown has called him a danger to the health and safety of Albertans. May God have mercy on our nation. I read to my children the work the Lord is doing in peoples [lives] through James so they can see the sacrifice of their father is not in vain. My prayer is that men will stand! They can't see that if they shut us down on this issue they will shut us down on any issue they deem to be "a danger to the health and safety of Albertans."
In another post she wrote:
"My heart is broken. They tried him in secret. The officers lied to us and told us he wasn't there. They tried to hide him and sneak him out the back door. In the providence of God one of our men was there. The officer only allowed him to tell him that he loved him and were here with him. They pulled him away. They have remanded him as our lawyer seeks the appeal. The conditions of his release are that he would not pastor anymore. I cannot visit him."
This is Canada, a nation I was once proud to call home. Today I am ashamed and angry. Our government has badly betrayed its citizens.
But what angers me most is the silence of the pastors and elders. The complicity of so many church leaders in the evils committed by our provincial and federal governments is surely a symptom of a greater problem, but it is itself a denial and a betrayal of the Saviour who bought us.
What about you? Will you stand up for Jesus? Will you stand with a brother and fellow-citizen, the first Canadian pastor in our history to be imprisoned for gathering with his congregation for worship. Maybe you wonder, "how?" "How can I stand up for a minister in Alberta?"
Here are some simple suggestions:
- By doing as he has done, whether you are pastor, elder or layperson.
- By putting the crown back on Christ's head!
- By obeying God rather than man. In other words, complying with the laws of King Jesus rather than the laws of a godless idolatrous government.
- By gathering for worship and telling the government "never again." In other words, opening the doors of the church (whether a church building, home or barn) and never closing again.
- By publicly defending James every chance you get.
- By counting the cost of following Jesus and then paying that cost.
- By telling the government that you are with James, and if they will imprison Christians who gather they will have to arrest you too.
For my part I am with James.
Today I called his MLA and then wrote to my MP. I wish there was much more I could have done, but I did what I could. The email - see below - was written out of grief and (I trust) righteous indignation. It was my way of saying, "I am with James." I offer it here for your consideration, with the following disclaimer:
* Our primary struggle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. I believe there is a place for letters like these. There is a place for political protest. But ultimately this is God's judgment on a backslidden Church. And the only way out is by prayer and fasting with repentance.
Here, then, is the email.
Amen! We stand with you both!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI'm with our brother James, fighting the good fight of faith.
ReplyDeleteLet me echo what the Apostle Paul said to the Philippians saints; " Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake, @PHILIPPIANS 1:27-29
Amen.
DeleteGod will Be Present During All these Trials n Tribulations.. Stay with Your Faith James.. The Strong Will Survive n Meet God in Glory.. God did not give us a Spirit of Fear.. He Gave us One of Power, Love, Sound Mind.. You are loved James In Christ Jesus Name..
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
DeleteYes, brother we must be praying earnestly for this dear brother and his family.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wise words and brilliant position, Pr. Steve. I am a missionary here in Canada and firmly believe that God has sent me to your land to join the faithful remnant of His Church here. I arrived here a year ago and have been so sad how the Bride of Jesus in this nation has lived; in my opinion, we live here the period of the Church of Laodicea as the book of Revelation teaches us. Count on my prayers and actions in this fight, which is not against flesh and blood. From here, I am crying out for the Lord's mercy for the church in Canada that He, in His infinite grace and mercy, will allow us to move forward in the little time we have left until His glorious coming to get us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this note. Yes, let us be praying for revival!
DeleteI stand with you both🙏
ReplyDeleteThank you and AMEN!!!!! I'm out on the west coast and there are NO churches meeting here. Thank you for standing strong. These are very dark days.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate these words. Dark days indeed. Let us be praying. Let us give God no rest!
DeleteOh dear God almighty see your servant and his sacrifice Jesus and bless him with your hand of protection and mighty anointing father ! And Father it it be your will please let him be released from the hands of the enemy in Jesus name !
ReplyDeleteYes! Amen.
DeleteThere is only one way to go, and this is to stand for the Lord whatever the cost. He will honor those who honor Him. So sad to see that people do not have the courage even to sign their messages, but write "unknown" messages.
ReplyDeleteAmen. Thanks Florin.
DeleteMy hope and belief is that those who have commented anonymously have done so because they don't have Google accounts. I expect it isn't a deliberate attempt to conceal their identity.
DeleteI hope so, brother. Thank you for your reply. For your encouragement:
Delete“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank” (Daniel 1:8).
Observe that it doesn't say that all 4 young men purposed in their hearts not to defile themselves. Everything started with the purpose of one! Daniel was that man who purposed not to defile himself, not to trample under his feet the Word of the Lord. The other three young men were influenced and encouraged by Daniel’s example. What I found here very encouraging is that their need ONE MAN to purpose in his heart to stay for the Lord. And his example will be followed by others.
I'm in the U.S., where different liberal states have been trying to shut down churches. Though I have faced little pressure here, I have resisted what pressure I did face. If they ban gatherings here, I will continue meeting for church, as we did for two weeks back in April. I stand with my Canadian brother. The authorities in Canada and the U.S. and everywhere had better learn to "kiss the Son", lest He be angry and they perish in the way.
ReplyDeleteI don't care that he's a pastor and I don't care what activity he was doing when he was arrested. That's not the reason he was arrested. He was arrested for not following the covid response measures, which are unlawful because they weren't reached by legislative process. He's in jail for exercising his Charter rights and I care very much about that.
ReplyDeleteHello beloved brother, I live in Quebec. Do know that everything you post are very encouraging to me. I know not any French churches who will not comply (for the third time) in our third lockdowm here...
ReplyDeleteI really need advice. By the grace of God, since March 2020, like you I want to worship Jesus Christ in corporate assembly until death, whatever the cost. I tried since the beginning, like you do (do know that you have very much encouraged me since I discovered your articles last week!), to persuade with open letters by the clear teaching of Scripture to encourage the people of God to bow the knees before King Jesus and worship Him according to His Word alone, but without any visible effect on the leaders until this very spiritual dark day... only unscriptural rebuke from them... I am a preacher, but only a lay person preacher.
Here is my tourmenting question since a few months : what should I do? To assemble all the few people who want to worship God "illegally" in my home from diverses churches (who come back to lockdown), even if I am not a pastor? And if so, I am not sure if we could take the Lord's Supper, because I am not a minister established by a church for pastoring and serving the Lord's Table. Do you think that, in these special circonstances, we could take the Lord's Supper even if we would not be (yet) an perfectly institued church? My goal is only to direct people to worship and obey our great and infinitely worthy God. Or do you think I should still wait and wait until a French church becomes obedient?...
-- A fellow servant of Jesus Christ
Hello beloved brother, I live in Quebec. Do know that everything you post are very encouraging to me. I know not any French churches who will not comply (for the third time) in our third lockdowm here...
ReplyDeleteI really need advice. By the grace of God, since March 2020, like you I want to worship Jesus Christ in corporate assembly until death, whatever the cost. I tried since the beginning, like you do (do know that you have very much encouraged me since I discovered your articles last week!), to persuade with open letters by the clear teaching of Scripture to encourage the people of God to bow the knees before King Jesus and worship Him according to His Word alone, but without any visible effect on the leaders until this very spiritual dark day... only unscriptural rebuke from them... I am a preacher, but only a lay person preacher.
Here is my tourmenting question since a few months : what should I do? To assemble all the few people who want to worship God "illegally" in my home from diverses churches (who come back to lockdown), even if I am not a pastor? And if so, I am not sure if we could take the Lord's Supper, because I am not a minister established by a church for pastoring and serving the Lord's Table. Do you think that, in these special circonstances, we could take the Lord's Supper even if we would not be (yet) an perfectly institued church? My goal is only to direct people to worship and obey our great and infinitely worthy God. Or do you think I should still wait and wait until a French church becomes obedient?...
-- A fellow servant of Jesus Christ
Brother, thank you for comment. Could you email me? My email is stevefpc@protonmail.com.
Delete