 Good afternoon, Pastor David, John. I'm just checking the camera. It looks good. So do I Not you don't put my face in there Viewership will drop want to welcome everybody to unfiltered a random moment with Pastor David and thank you guys for tuning in You know as we discuss on Tuesdays We're talking more about current events and then on Thursdays We like to tease and draw out your message that you're gonna share on Sundays And so you know looking back at this whole pandemic that we've going through I don't know in what position we're tailing in middle of it But we look back at it and you know you mentioned a little bit on Sunday in your message regarding People coming back in so in hindsight pastor Would would you say I want to ask you how has the pandemic? affected the church overall not just attendance but affected the entire church I've been looking at the pandemic as being one of the One of the ways that the Lord shakes up the church a bit I think Where he has given the church meaning the body of Christ at large especially as it pertains to The United States and then localizing it to various congregations including our own I think that the the way that I've come to look at the pandemic and how it's affected has been simply by Looking at how it's affected us as a congregation I think it sifted us. I think it sifted the church, but I think it sifted us. I believe that part of what we saw take place with the pandemic was People's fears that were unveiled Not only did we see people's fears unveiled, you know fear of death and illnesses and all But we also saw the response of pastors to how they were going to How they were going to minister through this time of Fear that the churches had and so I think that we've seen different different expressions of ministry vision or different expressions of People's concepts of what the church is and who they are as a pastor and so some have said I'm going to be the warrior who's going to lead you through this battle and and they kind of hyped up everything and And even encouraged people to in some ways become a bit arrogant and then you have others who have Who have closed the doors for the churches because they're afraid In an unreasonable way there they certainly seem to be exposing a lack of faith and so you had kind of like a Spectrum of I don't believe a thing to I believe everything and so the church Being made up of a here in the States being made up of an American population Is going to reflect pretty much the way Americans feel so It's hard to make a general statement related to that in that or a specific statement because we all have our own Makeup in our own way of seeing how we should lead in times of trouble John So here the way we handled it is with caution at the beginning because I'm not a doctor, I'm not a scientist by any means and And like all Americans I I want to I want to trust those who say they they love us. I want to trust those Who say they're concerned for our health. So naturally the medical Community is going to be a community I listen to my son my son Joseph is a is a an RN and and an administrator over a a Hospital and I looked to him for his advice and direction in many of the things because I didn't want to I Didn't want to make decisions without at least asking those who are involved in the fight What's going on and and how can I handle this best? So for us, I began to feel that what was taking place was at first There was sincerity. I think that you really did have people who wanted the best for us But then over time I couldn't help but begin to believe that it was a way of controlling There were as all of us have heard there have been many disclosures concerning information that was held back from the public and various things that actually We're done under the under the table that That was a way of continuing to control the American population and once you give a politician Authority, they don't want to give it back and so we saw all of that take place So the way I handled it here in the church was I took care of those who were showing up I encouraged them through the word of God and through prayer and I encouraged them to put into practice the things that they're learning from the word and To live by faith and to trust the Lord and not to be unwise and presume upon him and I tried to remain at the at the helm tried to steer the ship of this church Into a safe harbor. That's what I tried to do and I believe that in the Lord. I was successful Our church went through the storm our church Suffered in many ways. I never could understand a pastor who would say come to the church and who cares With that attitude and when we had a number of members whom I loved very much Die from COVID and my wife and I and you and others in our staff. We went through it twice and I Didn't take it lightly But I at the same time didn't feel that I was supposed to presume upon the grace of God and and pretend that It's not going to affect me because I've got this magnificent faith, you know I was never afraid and even going through that valley I knew that the Lord was with me and going through both of the The bouts with COVID the first one more extreme than the second my son Joseph told me That he was monitoring me and he was he was coming to see make sure I was okay And he said dad you were very close to hospitalization. He said you he said we're just Just just a hair's breadth from going into the hospital I was actually concerned that's how sick you were and I said I didn't I didn't sense any illness at all Son, he says no, I was monitoring you and you were very ill see so I Just I just felt that the church was going through a trial and we're going through it together I tried to as a pastor I tried to love my sheep and and bring them through this and I remain calm through the midst of it We had we had a number of those who went to heaven in this church quite a number of people were affected terribly by it but We've seen that we've we've come through and and our church right now speaking only of our our local congregation is Coming is coming through and we're beginning to once again Thrive, you know, we're seeing the Lord Bringing new people. We're seeing people who are getting saved. We're We're seeing a new a new moment with the Lord and so I believe that When it's all said and done that the Lord has brought us through and that we're we see the other side now and We're moving in that direction and and our church is doing very well. You know, it's interesting as you're sharing this I'm thinking back to the Sundays that you and Marie were here faithfully every Sunday, and if anybody needed prayer Sometimes people came from most type people would drive by they'd see us open And then you'd see you make the U-turn right they come in and they would and they'd see you there They'd ask for prayer, but remember one particular couple that came and they came just to drop off their gift and That you prayed with them and remember they were they cried. Yeah Yeah, I think about I think back to those times where it was uncertain and there was a little bit of difficulty like okay Lord, what are you doing to where the church is at today? It's amazing to see those we look back at those those are sweet times even though as a Storm as you mentioned and we look back now. We say wow, Lord You were faithful and bringing this to where we're at today and and I think about your faithfulness You're out here every Sunday nobody and then people started giving wind of it And then they seem to know we haven't a parade, you know, we had I had somebody who I Had it's funny you'd say that it makes me remember somebody Posted and said there's no brave pastors in Chino except for one you know and and the pastors in Chino are cowards and and I I Wrote back to the person and I said, you know, I've been here every Sunday. I'm just not trumpeting it I'm just not doing it so that people see what I'm doing But no we've been here and we opened our church to Church services long before other churches were opening theirs We just were not talking about it because I'm one of these people who believes that my left hand shouldn't know what my right hand is Doing that you're not to be doing something to be seen by men And so as a pastor my concern was to care for the sheep. That's what I do so yeah, you were here with us John and We came because I have sheep and just because the the sanctuary at one time wasn't being used Doesn't mean we can't minister the grace of God to those who show up and people were showing up And yeah, they were surprised and then we had that big old caravan and and we all went into the chapel And I gave a devotion and we worshiped with Jared our worship leader And they came back the next week and the next week and the next week So before this missive was sent out everybody open up on on Pentecost We'd already been open for three weeks, you know But I'm just I just don't believe that you're supposed to You're supposed to Put yourself in front of people. I think that that it's wiser to You know just just to do what God calls you to do and and not to post on Facebook or have people calling you Mr. Hero or Mr. Brave because God knows that there's only one who's a hero and that's Jesus Christ The rest of us are supposed to be faithful to our calling. So I was here you were here Others in my staff were here Because Because we wanted to care for the people. That's what we do and in the end, you know There are those who are calling me basically a coward because I wasn't following the lead of the superstar and this and that But the bottom line is as I follow the lead of the only superstar and that's Christ and and I don't say that lightly I say that with sincerity I want to I want to follow what the Spirit says not with somebody who Wants to lead me. I know I followed the shepherd not somebody who wants to be Known for being something important. That's just a fact I didn't you know looking back at that we would see people make u-turns Yeah, you see them looking they're looking at We're here to minister to you again, it's not the accolades You're here you remember we were here from day one. We love this church John, you know, I I was I've been here from day one you know including COVID including everything because At the end of the day, we love our our our fellowship. I may not know everybody by name I never was able to and I won't be able to now but we care about them and And if our presence on this campus brought a little hope and encouragement and And all of that that's what we were here for and so God is good And that's what I saw through the code. Amen. Well, what thank you guys pastor Thank you for sharing your heart with us and and God bless you and as we as God continues to use you here And church family, thank you for tuning in want to invite you to our Wednesday evening services tomorrow as pastor has taken us through The book of Ephesians. Yeah, we're looking at the prayer of Paul and it's an amazing prayer That's a heavy duty. I'm looking forward to it. Invite your friends and family to come out and join us It's a great study. Love to worship with you being God's work together and then tune in again for Thursday as we Have another random moment with pastor David and pastor again, thank you for your time church family Thank you for tuning in and God bless you. Amen