Today, I am writing two letters.
The first is to our county Sheriff, thanking him and his deputies for stellar service during our Easter “drive-in” services yesterday. Since we held our last “in-person” worship service on March 15, our church had gone almost completely online—live corporate worship at 5 online channels, small groups meeting via Zoom, and social distancing and other protective measures instituted for any on-campus ministry (food distribution and a coming “lunch to go” for the unemployed) necessary for meeting the needs of our community and region—all under the advice of local health officials.
But on Easter Sunday, we temporarily went back to two live services—one online and one “drive-in.” The Lord gave us perfect weather yesterday, and of the more than 1600 people joining us in various ways for Easter services, 237 of them made the trip to our south parking lot to greet each other from a distance, see our staff greet them with big smiles [from at least 6 feet away of course], be greeted by their lead pastor, who approached each vehicle wearing a protective mask [I got a lot of fashion compliments for that one!] and listen to worship and a message through an FM frequency in their vehicles. Law enforcement were present for the entire service, serving and protecting as the vast majority of law enforcement officers do every day all over our nation. And when the service concluded, the lot was cleared in less than 10 minutes thanks to county officials helping direct traffic.
On returning home, I read a piece from my friend Russell Moore entitled Churches and Governments are Cooperating: Let’s Keep it That Way, and I thought to myself that what Russ was expressing was precisely what our people had just experienced, and I was thankful. People freely worshipped Jesus on Resurrection Sunday in West Virginia. And because no one exited their vehicle and our staff took protective measures and kept their distance, the chance of any viral transmission was roughly the same as if we had been in a clean Operating Room—far less than if we had been at Wal-Mart to be sure!
Liberty and safety can—and did—coexist.
So I’m writing our Sheriff today expressing thanks, not only for the service of his deputies yesterday, but also for his ongoing willingness to cooperate with communities of faith during these uncertain times. I’m guessing most of you reading are in jurisdictions around the country that are like mine. I would encourage everyone in such areas to express deep appreciation to authorities, as well as your intention to continue cooperating as they work to keep people safe.
Since this crisis began, I’ve assured our people that in our area, there is no legitimate threat to religious liberty. Those in authority desire to work with us rather than lord over us. I’ve additionally urged our people to take the measures those authorities have recommended for their own safety. It has never occurred to me in my area that there would be a conflict between religious liberty and our church’s cooperation with authorities during a global pandemic. Quite the contrary, I’m thankful for those in authority, and our church is a willing partner with them.
Unfortunately, there are apparently a few spots in our country where this is not the case. So I’m also writing a second letter today to Pastors Arthur Scott (Temple Baptist Church) and James Hamilton (King James Bible Baptist Church), both of Greenville, Mississippi. Over Passion weekend, these two small churches became the target of Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons, whose recent executive order went beyond that of Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves to ban drive-in services as well as “in-person” worship inside church facilities. In particular, Pastor Scott has stated that most of his members are older, and either do not have internet access or are not equipped for participating in an online worship experience. But regardless of ability, there is virtually a zero chance of viral transmission during a drive-in service in which participants do not leave their vehicles. The Mayor’s response was to send his police department to both churches and issue $500 fines to each attendee.
Put simply, authorities charged with serving and protecting were instead ordered by their Mayor to prosecute, and recklessly endanger a peaceable and completely safe assembly of worshippers.
There have been multiple reports and opinions on these issues already. But at the end of the day, these accounts have a simple narrative and a simple solution.
With the exception of a few village idiots, Christian and other religious leaders all over the country have understood the need for these recent restrictions, and have cooperated fully. Authorities likewise have, for the most part, sought to accommodate as much as possible the faith convictions of the populace. Even in a global pandemic, safety and liberty need not be mutually exclusive enterprises.
But when there is an apparent conflict, the burden for demonstrating the need for restrictions rests on the shoulders of government. Where the dangers of COVID-19 transmission are concerned, authorities have made their case, informed the public as to how we can protect ourselves and our neighbors, and applied restrictions evenly without singling out any particular group. But in the cases now unfolding in Mississippi, Mayor Simmons has demonstrated a level of incompetence and irresponsibility in three areas. First, he has abjectly failed to demonstrate why “drive-in” services—deemed to be acceptable by the standards of the CDC—should be banned along with “in-person” worship services, especially in an environment where drive-in restaurants are neither cited nor even mentioned. In a Constitutional Republic, “because I said so” is never a sufficient reason for any authority to announce and enforce restrictions on liberty. Second, Mayor Simmons has singled out churches in clear disregard for the free exercise clause of the Constitution. And finally, in seeking to “make an example” of these two congregations, Mayor Simmons recklessly endangered members of the public he is charged with protecting by having police force them to lower their windows, and share common pens and ticket books with officers who were not wearing protective gloves. An event that was perfectly safe was endangered by government over-reach.
Those officers should not have been writing tickets. They should have been helping direct traffic.
My second letter will contain an apology to these two pastors that though we live in the same nation, they did not receive the rightly deserved service from authorities that I and my congregation received yesterday. This is completely unacceptable. I will also communicate my full support of their civil disobedience toward these inane measures driven by paranoid fear and authoritarianism rather than by sound scientific knowledge and empowerment. The only clear path forward in my view involves a retraction of the Mayor’s executive order, the “squashing” of those draconian tickets, and a public apology by the Mayor for his abuse of power. Anything less should result in his eventual removal from office.
I encourage you to do the same. If you are in a locality like mine in which the authorities have informed, empowered, and clarified, write to express your deep appreciation and willingness to continue being a partner and advocate. But be sure also to send your support south to fellow pastors who don’t currently enjoy that kind of environment. And I encourage you to do so because Jesus alone is Lord of the conscience. Whether it is a Muslim minority under Hindu persecution in India, Christian persecution at the hands of racial Islam, anti-Semitic marginalization and violence against our Jewish neighbors, or government over-reach against any community of faith anywhere on the planet, Christians are for religious freedom everywhere, for everyone. I’m not concerned for me or my church. I’m thankful I was able to say to our leadership this weekend that “we live in Jefferson County West Virginia, not Greenville, Mississippi.” But let’s stand in solidarity with these pastors who now find themselves on the front line of a battle for religious liberty. Next time, it could be one of us.
Safety and religious liberty are not mutually exclusive.
Joel Rainey is the lead pastor of Covenant Church in Shepherdstown, WV.
A couple of things. The CDC does not run our country. Each local has it’s own local government and everything begins at the local level, not the national level. This is something that isn’t taught in school anymore, apparently.
Second. Where and why are Christians getting ideas that anyone in a government authority is attempting to quash religious liberties? Conspiracy theories?
Mike Pence is a Christian, is he not? He’s the vice president, is he not? Does it really sound as if he is the leader of taking away our 1st Amendment right to religious freedom? As a matter of fact, he related that “When 2 or more are GATHERED in my name, there I am also”. So, WHY do churches think that they need a huge gathering?
Does anyone remember the very first Passover? DON’T GO OUTSIDE. It didn’t matter if there was blood on the door post. If you went outside, you died.
Does anyone remember in Deuteronomy and Leviticus that the infectious people had to be quarentined outside the camp, and they were not allowed to GATHER with anyone in the camp until they were clean? Why is that? Could it be that God did not want them to infect HEALTHY people?
Does anyone remember Lot’s wife, when she LOOKED BACK?
Why do Christians today think that God will save and heal them from all diseases and protect them from getting deadly diseases, by faith, of course? God never promised us TOMORROW, did he? If we don’t do what God states, WE ARE GONNA DIE of our own stupidity, wrongly asserting that the government is taking away our rights.
Now, I don’t know about Ya’all (I’m from the North, so we don’t use “ya’all”, and we say, pop, not soda…I don’t need government officials to tell me to STAY HOME if there is a deadly disease going on outside, cuz to me, it’s just plain common sense to stay home. The White House doesn’t need to inform me that, and Church’s can do FINE without my presence because all it takes is 2 to gather for Jesus to be there. If you are married, THAT’S THE TICKET. Two.
But I’m quite sure that people has Jesus in the Word of God without gathering at all. Please, let’s not get into a tizzy fit with the local government of someone else’s church. Local government is where law enforcement begins, not at the national level. The government is not the enemy here. A virus is.
Ed Chapman
Ed, I’ve gotta few people. One has smallpox, one Ebola, another has SARS. I’m sending them to your church.
William,
Ya, sure, that’s real smart. Stay home is what i was saying. Common sense. I was not advocating that anyone go to any church during a pandemic. But we got Christians defying common sense, potentially putting people’s lives in danger,
then creating conspiracy theories about the government taking away rights, and encouraging civil disobedience. All for what? Lives are at stake. Pro life if its for an unborn child, but your right to gather overrides the life of your neighbor that you are supposed to love as yourself? I don’t get that mentality. Please obey local law enforcement.
Ed Chapman
Man, you have definitely been trained. It is so interesting to see the way folks have attempted to co-op Pro Life language to apply it to this pandemic. Thank you for comparing apples and rabbits.
William I think you misread Ed’s comment and owe him an apology.
Actually government authority in this country lies fundamentally as defined in the constitution, which indicates that authority flows upward and downward from the state level. The quick summary of relevant material here is that the 1st amendment and 14th amendments together prevent any government from wrongfully preventing any citizens from practicing their religion. The Kentucky Supreme Court already struck down a similar order from the Louisville mayor, stating: “The Mayor’s decision is stunning. And it is, ‘beyond all reason,’ unconstitutional.” I suspect we will see a court say something similar about the mayor in Mississippi soon.
I agree and the amazing thing is the very high degree of church cooperation with the health and welfare rules.
As an aside, it should be noted that the SBC instantly multiplied the number of mega churches. That conclusion based on the pastors who are gleefully reporting online numbers. The ACP should see dramatic improvement when reported.
Joel, this is “spot on,” as our British cousins would say. What churches “could” do according to the Constitution and what they “should” do in consideration of public health are two different things.
Thanks Joel, I appreciate hearing your story and that your church is having success in West Virginia. Unfortunately, that is not the case in every situation. It is encouraging to read an affirming report of the church and civil authorities working together in a crisis.
FYI the mayor of Greenville MS doubled down in a press conference on April 13. Politicians don’t seem to mind the church when it serves their purpose and it seems that they don’t mind shutting it down when it serves their purpose, whatever that might be. Both parties included.
Mayor Simmons has been served already by attorneys representing the two churches. This will not end well for him–nor should it–until he, what is that word he should be using as a professed Christian? Oh yes, “repents.”
I don’t think the mayor has anything to repent from. Christians made up their own rules, without any respect to even asking the mayor, “Can we…?”. They took the law into their own hands. That’s a disgrace, not something to be applauded.
Ed Chapman
The Mayor of Greenville Mississippi, Errick Simmons, is a smart man. He has a degree in Economics, a Masters in Economics and a law degree from Howard College. His twin brother is the Minority Leader in the State Senate. He won his current office by the widest margin in Greenville’s history. He is currently running unopposed for reelection. My point is that Simmons is no fool but is a politician.
The mayor has no observable antipathy to faith. In fact his track record is quite the opposite.
He is a Democrat and an African American.
While bans on gatherings of more than 10 people have been upheld by federal judges across the country, bans on worship, specifically drive in worship have been stuck down. Most particularly a federal judge in KY struck down as unconstitutional a ban on drive in worship when the worshippers were in their cars with the windows rolled up.
About 200 feet away from the Temple Church in Greenville is a Sonic drive-in where patrons are coming and going as I write this to eat with their windows rolled down and are not bothered by the mayor or hassled en masse by the police. The police are not concerned with the people in their cars at the discount grocery store or the home improvement store.
Simmons has rescinded the fines levied on the Temple worshippers. He was rebuked by the governor and the attorney general of his state. He is now facing a lawsuit in federal court. Simmons is blaming the governor but it seems to me this is his mess and he will have to clean it up himself or let the court do it for him.
In my view the Mayor stepped over the line of protecting his citizens and entered territory of abridging the freedom of religion. He has a lot to both repent of and answer for.
An inability to see the difference in an across the board ban on gathering of more than ten people in close proximity to each other an a specific ban on religious gatherings with rolled up car windows selectively enforced only against churches veers toward willfulness.
Most churches ought to be live streaming their services. Mine is. I would be outraged if my pastor were trying to have in person meetings. In person worship is not how we best love our neighbors or advance the cause of Christ at this moment. We should follow the orders of the governor to restrict meetings of ten or more.
But as the article says there is room for both . Some churches have no good alternative and drive in meetings with the windows rolled up does not pose a health risk and is not the legitimate purview of this Mayor or any other government official.
Thanks for filling in some details. Don’t think this one is defensible.
The Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi, Errick Simmons has now withdrawn his order preventing drive in church gatherings. He chose not to fight the issue in federal court.
It’s pretty clear that the government has no legitimate interest in preventing church gatherings as long as the participants remain in their cars with the windows rolled up. It is also clear that various jurisdictions may not single out church gatherings for special regulations that do not apply to other similar gatherings.
Joel’s article nailed it.
With that said, I doubt that my church will be meeting face to face before July 4 if then. It’s going to be a long time before we think that large scale gatherings are safe or appropriate.
BTW…Simmons sent one half of the town’s entire police force to a single church to give out $500 tickets to worshippers sitting in their vehicles with their windows rolled up. The only recorded worshippers with windows rolled down were the ones who received tickets from ungloved officers who required the worshippers to sign their tickets with.a common pen.
I have no idea of what the Mayor’s agenda was but he had one. And it does not seem to have been public safety.