Despite wildfires and a pandemic, a Christian ‘protest’ draws huge crowd to Pismo Beach
In signature cut-off jeans and bare feet, Christian rock singer/evangelist/politician Sean Feucht stepped up to a microphone on a makeshift stage in the sand and bellowed to his audience: “You guys ready?”
Were they ever.
They had come by the carload — many from as far away as the Central Valley — to attend a Friday night show in Pismo Beach that was a combination concert, pep rally, social gathering and old-fashioned revival meeting, minus the big white tent.
Crowd estimates ranged from 800 on the conservative side to well over 1,000.
It was a mixed group of old and young united by one desire: to worship together at a time when opportunities to gather are limited by coronavirus restrictions.
People brought dogs, jogging strollers, beach chairs, blankets — but there weren’t many face masks in sight. Nor was there strict social distancing. At one point, a group waiting for the event to begin linked arms and did a circle dance.
The scene almost looked pre-COVID, which is typical for Feucht’s multi-city “Let Us Worship” tour.
That’s been a source of controversy. Health officials worry his shows could turn into superspreader events, but Feucht believes church services are being unfairly targeted and has found ways to get around restrictions.
Most fans who gathered on Friday night did not appear to be at all worried about catching cornovirus.
“It doesn’t bother me too much. I don’t really want to live my life in fear,” said 15-year-old Owen Thompson. He came from Visalia with a group of about 100 people from his church.
Feucht’s concerts, including the one in Pismo Beach, are sometimes billed as protests to get around COVID restrictions — something he alluded to on Friday night.
“If anyone asks, ‘How’s this legal?’ ... we’re protesting heaven,” he said.
While outdoor services are permitted in watch list counties like San Luis Obispo, they typically follow a strict protocol that includes mandatory masking and social distancing.
Some churches require worshipers to preregister for services; others take names and phone numbers at the time of the service, so they can alert their members in case someone at the service becomes infected.
Feucht’s events are much less structured.
Friday’s included singing, clapping, picture taking, dancing and baptisms. By Feucht’s count, there were more than 100 baptisms, “in FREEZING cold water,” he posted on Twitter.
Mike Sparrow, pastor of Agape Church in San Luis Obispo, said members from dozens of Central Coast churches were in attendance.
“I’m pleasantly surprised this many would come, in spite of the smoke,” he said.
He also was impressed by Feucht: “He’s politically involved, he’s young, he’s an out-of-the-box thinker.”
Feucht, a Republican, ran for Congress in Northern California in the March primary, but did not advance to the general election. He’s been a frequent guest on Fox News, and once visited the White House to pray with Donald Trump.
But it was religion, not politics, that interested Friday night’s crowd.
Diego Peinado, a 25-year-old school employee from Santa Maria, summed up what he and his friends were after: “Being around people who love Christ.”
This story was originally published August 22, 2020 at 8:57 AM.
