- In California, COVID-19 restrictions

have prompted the governorto order churches to cease

in person assembly indefinitely.

Grace Community Churchbased in Los Angeles says

they have been the target

of unconstitutionalreligious discrimination

and are continuing to hold services

citing their religious freedom protections

of the United States andCalifornia Constitutions.

And joining us now with more

is one of the attorneysrepresenting the church,

Jenna Ellis.

Jenna tell us a little bit more about

what's going on specifically in this case.

Break it down for us.

- Yeah. Well, the first thingthat you need to know Mark

is that it's not thechurch that's defining

the constitution, it'sthe State of California

and the health officials there.

So the constitutions ofboth the United States

and the State of Californiaprotect the right

of free exercise of religion

as well as freedom of assembling.

And so for the State of California

and any of theirofficials to tell a church

that you cannot perform what is integral

to exercising your faith interms of gathering together,

singing and holding yourservices indefinitely

is not only unreasonableand inappropriate,

but it's not a compelling interest

and it's certainly unconstitutional.

There is no law in Californiathat would allow this

and it's absolutely unconstitutional.

So the church here is simply standing firm

saying we will be open,we are free to exercise

our sincerely held religious beliefs

that are fundamentalrights that are protected

and preserved by the constitution.

That by the way,

the State of California is obligated

to protect and preserve forthe church and instead of that,

they're targeting and persecuting,

harassing and discriminatingagainst the church.

- The order for churchesto halt in person services

it is statewide as you know.

Our other churches like Grace Community

are also standing up against it.

- They are and thereare a few other churches

in the State of Californiathat I have received similar

cease and desist notifications.

In fact, just this morning,

I learned that there's another church

in the California area that'sgotten a specific notice

and that's what pastor John MacArthur

is hoping to do through the statement

that's provided that you can

look at gracecommunitychurch.org.

Which is a statement thatwas unanimously ratified

by his entire elder board.

That's encouraging pastorsto simply stand firm

for the truth.

This church has beenstanding firm on the truth

of the word of God for the past 63 years

and the New Testament Church of Christ

for the past 2000 plusyears as the Church of God.

And so what he is hopingto encourage others through

his stands is thatpastors across the nation

would simply stand firmon truth and stand up

for our sincerely protectedreligious beliefs.

- And overall Jenna,

what are you hoping is theoutcome here from this case?

- Well, I would hope that California

and all of the governorsacross the country recognize

that church is essential

and that we need to be ableto have our church services.

And what no one is talking about Mark

is that there is actualharm that's being occurring

to not only parishioners,but to the church congregants

and to the communities byforcing these church closures.

And that harm isn't just anunconstitutional infringement,

but it's actually a community health harm.

And so what I'm hoping isthat through the awareness

of what the servicesthat are being offered

by the church and recognizing what

an unconstitutional infringement this is,

that the State ofCalifornia will recognize

that this is wrong and thatthey will simply back off

and allow the churcheswithout a fight to continue.

- And quickly, we've onlygot about a minute left,

but this has been an issue since

the beginning of COVID closures.

Why are we still seeingstates pick and choose

what to restrict?

- That's what's remarkable about this

is because you've seenthat governors and states

think that they're the arbiters of

what is and is not anessential business or service

or church.

And they don't have that authority now.

In the very beginning churches,

even like pastorMacArthur's were willing to

for a very brief and limited time,

close their doors and comply with orders.

We want to be good citizens,but as this pandemic continues,

it's unreasonable andit's frankly unwarranted

to say that a church wouldneed to close its doors

for up to a year, like someare already volunteering.

So for the government to thinkthat it can be the arbiter

of what is and is not an essential service

is unconstitutionaland we would stand firm

on the truth that church as essential.

- All right.

Constitutional law attorney, Jenna Ellis.

Thank you Jenna, for your time today.

- Thank you.