Florida Pastor Refuses to Cancel Church despite CDC Recommendations of Social Distancing

Despite restrictions on large gatherings because of COVID-19, Florida Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne refuses to close his Tampa-based church, The River.

Newsweek reports that on Sunday, Howard-Browne encouraged his congregants to greet one another at the service despite social distancing.

“Well I know they don’t want us to do this, but just turn around and greet two, three people,” he said on Sunday.

“Tell them you love them, Jesus loves them,” he added as people shook hands and hugged one another.

‘Listen, this has to be the safest place … If you cannot be safe in church, you in serious trouble,” he continued.

Howard-Browne later asserted that he had no intention of closing his church, the New York Post reports.

“We are not stopping anything. I’ve got news for you, this church will never close. The only time the church will close is when the Rapture is taking place.”

Howard-Browne’s “Bible school”, Revival Ministries International, will also remain open.

“This Bible school is open because we’re raising up revivalists, not pansies,” he said on Sunday.

Right-wing pastor Rodney Howard-Browne is not about to cancel church or prevent congregants from shaking hands because they are not a bunch of “pansies.” pic.twitter.com/C36kBIEWqF

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) March 15, 2020

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