Looking at the video and pictures from the gatherings, relatively few people were wearing face masks and didn’t appear to be following social distancing guidelines. This has drawn a lot of attention on social media, where negative comments are rampant.
Green addressed the concerns that people have raised on the group’s Facebook page. She said that while they are encouraging people to wear masks, “we won’t cross the boundaries of free will.” She also questioned the motives of people criticizing the group:
If you’re a Christian and you’re seeing photos of the old + young being saved and baptized in a revival and your first response is “where are the masks?” It may be a good time to sincerely ask God to fill you with His thoughts.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting people to stay “safe”, wear masks, practice social distancing, etc. However, if that’s the first thing you think looking at a child give their life to Jesus – it’s a really good fruit check. 😢
I ask God every morning – search me oh Lord! Reveal to me anything that offends you. Daily repentance is hard but I believe God is allowing the Church to be offended to reveal what’s really in us.
Luke 9:23 says:
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
As a Christian – today – your cross may look like giving up fear of man or fear of disease. When I worked as a missionary, I had to cut off all my hair to take care of slum children infested with lice. I embraced the sick, the dying. Jesus touched the leper’s . I keep hearing so much false “theology” of what Jesus would do in Covid-19 – I can tell you.
John 5:19:
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
As a follower of Jesus and leader of @saturate_oc – each day I yield my will and do “only what I see the Father doing.” We have faced criticism, lost funds, and had to change plans 1,000 times. I thought we were going to run a conference, God wanted revival. We have encouraged people to wear masks, but we won’t cross the boundaries of free will.
Meanwhile, the group is ramping up for a final evangelism push scheduled for next weekend, July 24-26th. This is where the partnership with other local churches is critical. Asking for ministry leaders and volunteers to help with the revival, Jessi Green writes the plan is to collectively lead 50,000 people to salvation. Then, “we will end the weekend with a massive baptism party on the beach and connect people with discipleship in your churches!”
