A Pastor was arrested this week; we all need to be concerned
Like you, I am all ready to get back to normal, if there will ever be such a thing. But I also take the coronavirus seriously and you should to. Those who scoff at the seriousness of the situation need to think about this: Do you really think the NBA, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, the NCAA, the Masters and all other sports would shut down and lose billions of dollars if not for a real pandemic threat? Would entire nations impose absolute quarantines? Would major corporations close their doors? And would the President urge a virtual shutdown of our nation’s previously thriving economy during an election year if this weren’t deadly serious?

In adherence to “shelter in place,” most churches in the nation have closed their on-campus services to conduct services online. A few have remained open, but have taken extraordinary measures to try and protect the attenders.

My pastor of my own small church of less than 20 people is doing services online. Personally, I think that we should still be meeting because the Bible tells us that God has given us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control and that for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But alas, there are others to think of like my pastor’s wife who has COPD, others in our church whose health is compromised, my wife, people in the communities we live, and my obedience to God to listen to my pastor. So, I think that he has made a prudent choice and I will abide by it. God will understand that.

But one such church that remained open is The River at Tampa Bay Church. To maintain an atmosphere that mitigates spreading the coronavirus – similar to the essential business that I work for supplying forklift truck parts – it required attendees to separate 6-10 feet from others, supplied hand sanitizer at every door for every attendee, spent $100,000 for a hospital quality air-flow system, and had every staff member wearing gloves.

This week, Sheriff Chad Chronister of Hillsborough County, FL actually arrested Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne for having conducted church services. Think about that. A pastor was arrested for having a church service. He didn’t sneeze or cough on people. He didn’t deny the virus was real and in fact, took great precautions to maintain social distancing. But he was arrested and taken to jail for opening his church. No one was forced to attend. The attendees arrived on their own and one wonders why those who attended weren’t arrested also? This case will set up a colossal legal battle as to whether the government at any level can tell a church, synagogue or mosque it cannot provide what to many, are essential religious services to its members. Think of it as there are essential products and services that feed our bodies. And there are essential church services that feed our souls with word, prayer, and fellowship.

But should the government actually arrest a pastor for having church? And if government can shut down a church now, when will some government decide that a church is dangerous because it believes what the government deems is wrong. If a church who believes the Biblical pattern of marriage of one man/one woman is considered discriminatory, will the pastor be arrested? If a church believes that men and women should have separate restrooms and dressing rooms and gender-separate dorms and showers at youth camp, will the pastor be arrested and jailed for not following what the government deems right?

While I believe the risks to public safety and life are real from the coronavirus, I also believe that we cannot and must not sacrifice our first amendment guarantees of freedom of religion, free speech, and freedom to assemble. I urge you to protect your family during these times, but be equally vigilant that government doesn’t become a deadly virus to kill our liberties and turn us into a police state.

Consider bodily needs and spiritual needs. What you say suggests some things are essential to bodily needs. What I suggest is that Sunday worship of word, prayer, and fellowship is essential to a Christian's spiritual needs. Which is more important? Bodily essentials or spiritual essentials? My present and future are not of this world so I consider that spiritual essentials are more important. My essential bodily needs are temporal but essential spiritual needs are forever.

And if where I worship is adhering to the same or better protocols as an essential business, why can't my church meet?

The business are considered necessary to keep the line of supplies going I have 2 son at this time still working they are required to have ID in their car and on their person showing the government approves them being out and on the job, me I'm on workers comp at this time or I'd be working at my job as a nurse in a nursing home. I have asthma/ high b/p/kidney disease I am 69 a prime target for this disease so I would probably be able to stay off the job the Governor of Georgia has officially shut this state down EXCEPT for the needed areas to keep the chain of supplies coming in and I pray this viruses life is short

I have missed you, too!! You have often been in my thoughts. The present "upheaval".....so blessed to live in the woods I am. I am being EXTRA careful these days, after not succumbing to an aggressive form of cancer 3 years ago, this May. My surgeon says it is a miracle that I am here (and healthy, I might add), having originally been given a 0-1% of survival. It was not pretty. Faith and Grace, attitude with gratitude.

I'll try and not be a stranger. You be really careful out there.....

Consider bodily needs and spiritual needs. What you say suggests some things are essential to bodily needs. What I suggest is that Sunday worship of word, prayer, and fellowship is essential to a Christian's spiritual needs. Which is more important? Bodily essentials or spiritual essentials? My present and future are not of this world so I consider that spiritual essentials are more important. My essential bodily needs are temporal but essential spiritual needs are forever.

And if where I worship is adhering to the same or better protocols as an essential business, why can't my church meet?

What a story here in that battle I am sure and ever elated over the results!!! Blessing answered!!! I so admire you...

Also very nice knowing you are more secluded living where you do... Not in the woods here but also not in main stream housing either..Our county has 536 confirmed cases with 3 deaths.. For this reason I have taken on an in home project between building my garden for the flowers to come and removing a wall go expand the room in size with an outside decking to follow when the room is complete..

Its fun and preoccupies me well enough.. plus am still able to work but certainly at a reduced case load right now... Don’t mind the break...🙋🏻‍♀️ << get more of this...😊

While it is indeed a slippery slope when we start arresting pastors, for many of the devout, they heed their pastor's call, regardless of whether it might put them at risk or not. They don't question it because they feel it is an affirmation of faith. Just my opinion, mind you, but it seems almost as if these pastors who call upon their flock to attend church services, are more basking in the power they have over them, rather than for the purpose of gathering to worship. Essential, as you put it, is not the same as expendable. If you are part of those considered essential, then without your presence, there is a distinct possibility that should something go wrong, that service would no longer exist. On the other hand, attending services, expendable, because if you are strong in your faith, you don't necessarily need to be among others who believe as you do. It's a comfort to, but in the current pandemic climate, best to protect one another by not being in each other's presence. Just sayin'.....

I hate the ignorant audacity that allows you to feel you have any right to endanger others over this vanity notion of yours. It is clearly not a mainstream, informed or intelligent religious viewpoint.

Dude, as far back as the effing OLD TESTAMENT it is clear that contagiously diseased individuals, like lepers, or guys with unusual or messed up genitalia for some reason, were not allowed at worship services and that Godly persons would engage in hand washing and purity standards regarding personal contact with others.... Or be ritually restricted from worship services.

It seems the most crucial technical meaning of abomination is something like, "in need of washing...."