The Essential Church

When governments use Covid emergency act edicts to restrict the gathering and worship of the Church, three pastors facing the risk of imprisonment take a courageous stand.

“The Essential Church,” a documentary about Grace Community Church’s (GCC) fight against California’s government to remain open during the pandemic, released today (July 28) across the nation in approximately 1,000 theaters.

The documentary was produced by GCC’s Grace Productions, a ministry within the church that “produces God-honoring, media content for our church and the Church worldwide.” Grace Productions states that its mission is to “spread the gospel and honor our Lord, Jesus Christ through engaging video content and storytelling.”

GCC is led by 36 elders, most notably among them the church’s pastor-teacher, John MacArthur.

The synopsis of “The Essential Church” reads, “When governments use Covid edicts to restrict the gathering and worship of the Church, three pastors facing the risk of imprisonment re-open their churches in the face of a world that has chosen to comply.”