Faith Leaders to Open Churches Despite Coronavirus Lockdowns

Kentucky pastor Brian Gibson urges religious leaders to “step up and roar” for the right to worship despite coronavirus lockdowns. He was joined by at least 50 other churches.

“I believe that every day a church is closed, a bit of liberty dies,” Gibson said. “We need people to stand up and roar. There is a time to be quiet, a time to be the lamb, but today is the day to be the lion.”

Gibson is a pastor of His Church – a megachurch with locations in Owensboro, Ky., and Amarillo, Texas.

“Restrictions eased up on everyone around us but we couldn't do business as normal as the church,” he said on “Fox & Friends.”

“We're looking across the road at fast-food places handing out french fries. Liquor stores are serving patrons – but the church is the bad guy. It is time for us to stand up for our First Amendment rights,” Gibson continued. “We have religious freedom in this nation. We're not gonna lay that down on our watch.”

Campaigns to Reopen Churches

According to a report by 14 News, the church is launching “Peaceably Gather,” as per Gibson. It's an online campaign to reopen churches nationwide.

“What Peaceably Gather is all about is that we believe that the governor of Kentucky, and not just the governor of Kentucky, but governors all over this nation, have overstepped their constitutional bounds and they’re infringing upon Americans’ religious freedoms,” Gibson said.

Gibson commended other megachurch pastors who joined his initiative to reopen church doors responsibly – with guidelines such as reducing occupancy, social distancing, requiring staff to wear masks and gloves, dismissing attendees aisle by aisle, and increasing sanitation – as reported by Fox News.

“I really believe momentum is starting right now,” Gibson said.

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