Tapping the Brakes

Hello ladies and gentlemen, my name is Justin Peters. I hope that you and your family are doing well today. I want to thank you very much for joining me for this program. And I'm doing this program because in the interview that I did with James Coates last week.

That I put on my youtube channel and notice that some people in the comments were really pushing back against me for The caution I suppose you could say that I had with Arthur Povlovsky or art Povlovsky.

He is the one of the other now three pastors in Canada of whom I'm aware that have been arrested for holding church and I talked about the direct contrast between how art handled the police and the authorities there in Canada and how James Coates in his church has handled them and Some people really pushed back on me saying oh, well, you've got to understand that art comes from a Background in Poland where he has experience with Nazis and Communism and that kind of excuses.

The way that he talked to them and and I don't agree with that at all. And so I'm going to I'm going to say why I don't and I wanted to give you basically in this video two reasons two reasons that I think all of us need to we need to we need to tap the brakes a little bit here with pastor art Povlovsky, okay one of them is the tone of course and we're gonna look at some of that video and Contrast it with James and grace life church, but also not just his tone, but also his theology okay, so we're gonna look at his tone and Theology, all right, so This is video from some weeks back when the police first came into Pastor arts church in Canada.

Watch this.

Please get out get out of this property immediately. Get out. Get out of this property. Immediately out. I don't want to hear anything out of this property immediately. I don't want to hear a word out out out of this property.

Immediately until you come back with a warrant. Out out. Out out of this property immediately out. Immediately. Go out and don't come back. Don't want to talk to you. No, don't move out of this. Put out of this property immediately out.

I don't care what you have to say. Out out. Out of this property. You Nazis out out. Gestapo is not allowed here. Immediately. Gestapo is not allowed out. Do you understand English. Get out of this property?

Go so go go. Out Nazi out out. You understand Nazis are not welcome here. Out and Don't come back without a warrant. Do not come back without a warrant. You understand that you're not welcome here. Nazis are not welcome here.

Gestapo is not welcome here. Do not come back. You Nazi psychopaths. Unbelievable sick evil people. Intimidating people in a church during the Passover. You Gestapo Nazi communists fascists. Don't you dare coming back here?

Can you imagine those? Psychopaths. Passover the holiest Christian Festival in a year and they're coming to intimidate Christians during the holiest festival. Unbelievable. What is wrong with those sick?

Psychopaths, it's beyond me. So there you saw pastor art calling those Canadian police officers Nazis Gestapo yelling at them berating them calling them psychopaths yelling at the top of his lungs. That's how he handled it.

So I want to show you now how Pastor James Coates and his church handled the same situation. First I'm going to show you a brief clip from the interview that I did with James and listen carefully to what he says about how his church Handled the Canadian officers the authorities when when they came to grace life.

Watch this.

Into December things began to heat up where media is just outside our church and and Videoing what's happening in our parking lot as people go into the church and Hs is coming to our services with the RCMP, which is our police service in our region of this province and and so we've got the RCMP and Hs in our building for our services to basically see what's taking place and gather evidence that's gonna be used against us and.

And you know we Did our best efforts to honor the RCMP as they came into our facility? And so we would actually stand and applaud them for their their services to our Our community and We realized that they've got a tough job to do.

Even though what they're doing right now in my estimation is outside the scope of what they ought to be doing. They shouldn't really be enforcing health orders. It should be.

Enforcing against crime. So instead of yelling at them and berating them and calling them Nazis and Gestapo and psychopaths They when the Canadian officials came into Grace Life Church Everyone stood in a in applauded them.

This was back in December. They applauded them even though they disagreed For the the reason for which they were there. They still applauded them and showed them their Appreciation for the service that law enforcement does.

So now watch this clip. This is when the police and a health official came To the service at Grace Life Church and tried to gain entrance into the service while the service was in operation. This was after Pastor James had been released so watch this.

By you guys going inside you would be saying That you're guilty of interrupting a worship service. No, I'm not saying that. No, but you're saying that you're that the public health orders override. But that's why we can't let you in then because the code 176 makes it illegal for you to interrupt a worship service.

And our worship service has begun and we're stating that to you very clearly that your presence in this building Will be interrupting our worship service. Also because your presence Intimidates our people that's your perception.

So, are you saying so. It'll be obstruction if it does come down to that.

Yeah, no, we understand what we're saying. The worship services started in your presence is an interruption in our worship service.

We're not gonna go into the pulpit. Yeah, no.

Even like I said you guys it is a great intimidation to women and children, which isn't which is a disruption. And again, that's your perception. Are you telling us that the public health orders override criminal code 176 here to debate that?

Okay I'm here to do a job under. But you entering the building would determine that that is over right now. See we're getting into a debate. No. No, I'm asking.

Again, I'm not here to debate those things. Those are things that can be debated in court.

Okay, so and I'll let the lawyers and the judges make that call. So I guess though by you guys going inside you would be saying That you're guilty of interrupting worship. No, I'm not saying that no, but you're saying that you're that the public health orders override criminal.

But that's why we can't let you in then because the code 176 makes it illegal for you to interrupt a worship service.

So in case you're wondering why in December Pastor James said that everyone stood and applauded the law enforcement officials when they came to the church, but now They're not allowing them to enter into the church.

Well very simply because back in December this was well before Pastor James arrest and before things got as serious as they did. So what we're watching now, this is after pastor James arrest and immediately after his release so so the reality of Actually being arrested in actually spending time in jail behind bars Simply for having church that reality had set in and so immediately after pastor James arrest I believe this was a first Sunday after his release and you see Law enforcement officials coming back to the church.

Obviously, you're gonna be Very nervous about that but Canadian law actually stipulates that a worship service cannot be interrupted in Progress and their worship service was in progress. And so and so Scott Tucker and Rob Chomiak.

Scott is a deacon. They are Rob is an elder in training Rob is the gentleman with a tie and Rob if I mispronounced your last name brother I'm so very sorry for watching this but these two brothers in the leadership there at Grace Life Church.

They stopped the police officers in the health Official from coming into the church and they cited the proper Canadian law and so they had every legal right to do that but notice the respectful manner In which the these two brothers dealt with the police officers and the health official.

They were very respectful. There's no name-calling. They did not even raise their voices. They were very very respectful.

And our worship service has begun and we're stating that to you very clearly that your presence in this building Will be interrupting our worship service. Also because your presence Intimidates our people that's your perception.

Well, no, no, no, and again, it's not about perception. Our people understand that you guys and again, we respect the work that you do in the community. We respect you as police officers but in our worship service right now people are praying people are singing people are listening to the Word of God be preached and They can't do that with your presence in the building and with all due respect.

The law has now put our pastor in prison. And so for the RCMP to come into the service It is absolutely a disruption. We have seen the arm of law enforcement Come against us. So to come in our building is Absolutely intimidation at this point.

That's why we can't let you in. We have is that there's prayer they're singing there's no the moment people show up the service has started.

I know the dynamic has changed a little bit. So I understand I understand where the where the dynamic has changed because yes, I respect and I want to be very clear.

Like we're when we say no welcome. It's the interruption of a chest interrupting our service. It's not a personal thing. It's so our biggest thing is that you know. Our church of a worship gathering consists of singing prayer preaching of the word Hearing about Jesus Christ and the death and his death for sins for those that need to be saved.

Yeah. And fellowship Sacraments and those things those are all part of Our worship service. And the moment people enter this building that services start.

Did you notice how Rob kind of slipped the gospel in there real quick? Well done Rob. Well done.

Yeah, it's not good. All right guys, well, thank you so much I've again appreciate your willingness to listen and do yourself.

And that dear ones is how it is done I was so very impressed by these two brothers Scott and Rob. They handled themselves so very well in a Christ honoring way. They were firm. They stood on sound legal ground.

They stood on sound biblical ground. They did not allow those police officers and that health official to come in and interrupt the worship service. Well done. They did exactly what they needed to do and they were respectful.

They showed these men Respect they were kind. No voices were raised. In fact, you see at the end they they did the you know, the kovat elbow bump, I guess it is replaced a handshake and on many occasions, but very very well done and those Two police officers and the health official they left and they had absolutely no reason to be offended whatsoever.

In fact, you got I think you could tell they were not at all offended. So very very well done. Sadly there was another opportunity for this kind of exemplary Christian Conduct to be put on display and I say sadly because there was yet another Canadian pastor arrested Yesterday as of this recording on May the 16th 2021 and this is pastor Tim Stevens.

He is pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary. And he was also arrested for the exact same thing for which James Coates was arrested Being a pastor and shepherding his flock and having his flock come together in corporate worship on the Lord's Day.

That's why he was arrested and I do not know Tim. I've never spoken with him but James Coates does know him and actually spoke on the phone with James Coates just a few minutes ago and James tells me that pastor Tim is a very good faithful Pastor speaks very highly of him and sadly he was arrested for the same thing as James Coates was and Tim is Married and he has eight children eight children and there's video of this and so I want you to see this and again note just the The manner of the conduct and watch and see how how in such a tragic Event sad event.

They still glorify Christ.

It's not the civil magistrates job the government's job to regulate or restrict our worship. And so we're freely coming together peaceful citizens to worship Christ because he is worthy in terms of what that means now.

I don't really know. The government has obviously Turned up the heat on churches trying to discourage them from gathering together. I think they don't understand that Christians are committed to follow the Lord Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences.

I'm so scared for rebel news with a troubling update. Pastor Tim Stevens of Fairview Baptist Church has Been arrested for proceeding with worship today. For those of you not familiar with pastor Tim Stevens He's nothing like pastor Artur Pavlovsky.

He's a quiet reserved man who is simply leading his congregation in worship. He didn't make this a large political deal. He wasn't an outspoken opponent to the authorities. He simply wanted to proceed with worship while in Alberta in this day and age.

Apparently that is not to be tolerated. So he was cornered today after worship by a large police force. He and his family. I just got off the line with our videographer K2 who was on the scene and he told me it was the hardest thing He has ever seen the family of pastors.

Tim Stevens was weeping as he was hauled away in cuffs like some. Devastating and heartbreaking development that is three pastors arrested in Alberta. Absolutely unbelievable.

You know, no worries.

It's not the civil magistrates job the government's job to regulate or restrict our worship. And so we're freely coming together peaceful citizens to worship Christ because he is worthy in terms of what that means now.

I don't really know. The government has obviously Turned up the heat on churches trying to discourage them from gathering together. I think they don't understand that Christians are committed to follow the Lord Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences.

Regardless of the consequences indeed and As I told pastor James in our interview last week if you haven't seen that interview I'll put a link down below in the description so you can watch that I told pastor James that your your children will never have your two boys will never have to wonder if Mom and dad really believe what they profess to believe because they have seen it in action and sadly now for Tim's children eight of them, and I'm not sure of his wife's name, but Their children will never have to wonder if mom and dad really believe what they say.

They believe because they have. They've seen that belief fleshed out in action in a in a very painful way but Good on these brothers. They have conducted themselves in a manner that is that reflects well on their master reflects well on Christ and You know you may I know some have pushed back.

Well. You don't understand that pastor art has been through some very Difficult things and he's from Poland and he's seen Nazis in these say well He's not old enough to have seen actually seen Nazis, but whatever but you know his family has experience with Nazis.

His family has experience with communism. I don't doubt that that is the case and and I take a backseat to no one in disdained for Nazi ideology and Communism their godless ideologies are horrific, and they've killed millions literally killed millions of people.

But dear ones that does not give him or anyone else an excuse. To ignore the clear teaching of Scripture. Let me share with you just a couple of verses and we could cite more. But let me share with you a couple of verses the first of these is Colossians chapter 4 5 through 6 and I'll be reading from the Legacy Standard Bible.

The Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says walk in wisdom toward Outsiders redeeming the time. Let your words always be with grace. Seasoned with salt so that you will know how you should answer each person.

What a beautiful picture of obedience example of obedience. To this text these two men have provided and more men, you know the everyone from Pastor James and Pastor Tim to the leadership of their church.

They've done a beautiful Provided us a beautiful example of living this out that they are they they walk in wisdom toward outsiders and that's who these police officers and health officials are they're outsiders and Paul says let your words always be with grace seasoned with salt.

Their words were with grace and so a beautiful example for us in of obedience to this text. 2nd Timothy chapter 2 24 through 25. Apostle Paul writes in the Lord's slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all able to teach patient when wronged.

With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition if perhaps God may give them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth. Paul says that the Lord's slave must not be quarrelsome kind to all patient when wronged and I'm sorry dear ones, but pastor art Was none of those things he was quarrelsome.

He was not kind to all and he was not patient when wronged. Was he wronged. Yes, he was wronged. Was he patient? Anything but and I would I would ask you this question of The of the three different groups of police officers that came to arrest each of these three pastors.

Pastor James Coates pastor Tim Stevens and then pastor art Pavlovsky. Which of those three groups of police officers Do you think will leave these situations and remember these encounters with these? Christians in which which of those three groups of police officers Do you think we'll have a more favorable?

View of the gospel and a more favorable view of Christians in general and we'll we'll see a true example of Christ and obedience to Christ and speaking the truth and love. I Guarantee, it's not gonna be the police officers that came to get Art Pavlovsky or the officers that came to his church that day.

It's not the day. He was arrested that came later. But I guarantee you those police officers They would have no reason to think very highly of Christians because art Pavlovsky Did not follow Colossians chapter 4 2nd Timothy chapter 2 at all and in his family.

Experiences from their days back in Poland doesn't give him an excuse to ignore these plain commands from Scripture so All of this to say that is that is one concern and I know people can get too hung up on being the tone Police and all that but friends we have commands from Scripture.

There there are ways in which we as believers are to engage outsiders and even to engage false teachers. Paul says in Ephesians 4 15 we are to be speaking the truth in love and Some of you may have heard me say this before and I'll say it again when Paul says we're to be speaking the truth in love that in love part is Just as inspired and just as authoritative as the speaking the truth part.

And if you can't speak the truth in love Then do God a favor and don't speak the truth until you can figure out how to do it. Because they're equally inspired now speaking the truth and love does not mean watering down the truth.

It does not mean we dilute the truth. We don't apologize for the truth. We're not sheepish and Sheepish about the truth or act like we're somehow embarrassed by the truth. No, we speak the truth. We speak the whole truth and we speak it firmly yet in love and we have two really good examples of Christians under persecution doing this and one example of a professing Christian utterly failing out it.

Now I say professing Christian because that leads me to the second concern I have with pastor art. And that is a theological concern his theology. Well It appears as though he is word of faith now, I've heard he's Pentecostal but he is theology is is word faith theology.

Look at this post he had on Facebook. It says about a year ago I don't know the exact date of it, but Art Pavlovsky says what a day 21 souls came to the Lord. I'm always skeptical about counting such things because that strongly implies of raising your hand praying the prayer kind of thing that I Do not agree with but that's another video subject matter for another video.

He says we had a number of healings and Jesus was tangible present you could feel him. He was walking around us touching all that came with his mercy grace and love. Huh. Friends that's straight-up word faith theology a Number of healings look I believe that God can and still does on occasion heal people today.

But only when it is his sovereign will to do so it is not a common thing. I'm sorry. It's just not and so whenever I see something we had a number of healings just kind of like yeah. Yeah, we had another a number of healings today.

It looks like it's just kind of a you know an expected type thing. That's a big red flag. You know, that's you're dealing with word faith theology and he says Jesus was tangible present. You could feel him.

That's weird. Yeah, you could feel him he was walking around us Friends Jesus is in heaven. Okay, Jesus in heaven that that is straight-up mystical word faith. Charismatics slash possibly in AR kind of stuff.

So that is a massive red flag regarding this guy's Theology massive red flag if he is word of faith and it appears as though he certainly is then that that puts him outside of the bounds of doctrinal orthodoxy.

That's not the only reason though. I have to think that he is word of faith. I've seen a couple other things not the least of which is that just a few days ago as of this recording Pastor art went on the victory channel.

Now the victory channel is Kenneth Copeland's YouTube channel, it's it is owned and operated by Kenneth Copeland ministries Kenneth Copeland. Well, some of you may have heard me say before I genuinely believe without an ounce of hyperbole I genuinely believe that Kenneth Copeland is demon-possessed and so I am.

To say that I am highly skeptical of anyone who would go on Kenneth Copeland's YouTube channel would be an understatement. That having been said would I go on it? Oh, yeah. Now I would never be invited but if I was invited yes, I would go on Kenneth Copeland's YouTube channel.

But it would be the first and last time I would be on there because I would call him out as the wolf and charlatan. That he is but of course pastor art did not do this. There was apparently no problems at all on pastor arts part.

So that is that's a big red flag. In fact, interestingly in my conversation with pastor James earlier today James told me that the Victory Channel Kenneth Copeland actually reached out to him, too. They wanted to interview pastor James and pastor James Passed he said no, I'm not going to do that.

And when he told me that earlier today, I thought now that's interesting. So pastor art did because they're cut from the same theological cloth. But James no James passed on that as he should have so.

Well done so dear friends my concern what you know, I've seen a lot of a lot of accolades for all three of these men. Two of them deservedly so but I've seen some folks in in my theological circles doctrinally sound Theological circles commending all three of these men and I really believe that that's Least by the folks and in my theological camp.

It's done in ignorance of Who pastor art really is and and what he believes? So this is not someone that we need to be commending now. Do I disagree with how he was treated? Yes, do I disagree with him being arrested?

Yes, I do I do not believe he should have been arrested but Before we start singing this man's praises. We need to tap the brakes here. Okay. For a good reason. Not only is his conduct in his speech in direct violation of Scripture.

His theology is bonkers too. If you think you can feel Jesus in a tangible way walking around your little meet-and-greet and if you're hanging out with the likes of Kenneth Copeland and Having fellowship with someone like him or anyone in his ministry.

That's not a good thing. Okay, dear ones. I think the contrast is pretty clear. Is it not between pastor James? Pastor Tim and then pastor art. All right. Well dear ones. Thank you very much for watching until our next time together.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the fellowship of his Holy Spirit be with you all.