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While many churches across the country are forced to move their Easter services online on Sunday, Louisiana pastor Tony Spell says his church is expecting a crowd of 2,000 despite current CDC social distancing guidelines to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Via Reuters
“Satan and a virus will not stop us,” said the Reverend Tony Spell, 42, pastor of the evangelical Life Tabernacle Church near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He expects a crowd of more than 2,000 to gather in worship at his megachurch on Sunday.
“God will shield us from all harm and sickness,” Spell said in an interview. “We are not afraid. We are called by God to stand against the Antichrist creeping into America’s borders. We will spread the Gospel.”
Last week Spell told TMZ that true Christians wouldn’t mind dying of COVID-19.
The Bible teaches us to be absent from our bodies as to be present with the Lord,” said Spell, a Pentecostal preacher. “Like any zealot or like any pure religious person, death looks to them like a welcome friend. True Christians do not mind dying. They fear living in fear.”
It appears that the local police will not stop Spell from conducting services but will document the gathering and charge him at a later time.
Via TMZ
Despite that, Chief Corcoran tells us police will not interfere with the pastor’s scheduled Easter Sunday service, which is expected to draw more than 1,000 faithful — a clear violation of the state’s stay-at-home orders.
Instead, we’re told cops will document the gathering and present it as evidence to the District Attorney for future prosecution