calvary chapel – Protestia

Calvary Chapel Pastor Resigns After Being Caught Secretly Trying To Sell $11.5M Church

(Ministry Watch) In late July, the congregation of Calvary Chapel Cary in Apex, North Carolina, was shocked to discover its own church listed for sale online for $11.5 million with a pending buyer. Then, as mysteriously as it appeared, the listing was canceled.

Less than a week later, fresh from a five-week sabbatical, Pastor Rodney Finch resigned as senior pastor.

“This is our last Sunday,” Finch announced on August 4 during his morning sermon, according to audio provided to MinistryWatch. “Effective today, I’ll be saying goodbye. I’ll be taking a backseat here at the church.”

Finch’s sermon concluded a tumultuous tenure marred by multiple scandals, a slew of staff resignations, a shrinking congregation, and an investigation by the leadership council of the Calvary Chapel Association.

Finch confessed to the church that he had secretly conspired with the board of elders as far back as January to find a buyer for the church building and nearby parking lot, keeping it secret until a deal was brokered. But before he could… to continue reading, click here:

This article was written by Tony Mator and published at Ministry Watch

California Church Approaching $400,000 in Fines for Defying Gov. and Having Services

Santa Clara County in California, known for having the most brutal and repressive lockdown policies in the Country, is suing a San Jose-based Church in an effort to prevent them from having indoor services after astronomical fines have proven ineffective.

Calvary Chapel San Jose, led by Senior Pastor Mike McMclure, has already garnered more than $350,000 in fines, with the number still growing at a rate of $5000 per day, for what Clara County is charging is a flagrant disavowing of public health and safety protocols. They allege the church is not socially distancing, wearing masks, and is singing in their indoor services – the same charge leveled against John MacArthur and Grace Community Church until they won a hard-fought legal reprieve until 2021.

This is the highest fine accrued by any church in the country for violating Lockdown-related regulations, with the previous being North Valley Baptist Church in the same county that were levied with over $110,000.

Despite the pressure of the fines, the church and pastor have not yielded or complied with these oppressive tactics, resulting in the County turning to the courts to put pressure on them to comply, with the complaint reading:

In light of the frequency and size of Defendants’ indoor gatherings, as well as the fact that COVID-19 spreads so easily and quickly from person to person indoors, Defendants’ conduct creates an immediate and serious risk to the health and safety of the people of the County and the State of California…

Calvary church closed down for a two-month stint between March and April, but has since reopened up and hosts up to 700 congregation members at a time. Though the megachurch can hold 1900, the restrictive policies would limit them to a mere 100.

A court hearing is scheduled for the case on Monday and we will update this story accordingly.