Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that all events with 50 or more people be canceled for two months and that people avoid shaking hands in order to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a conservative evangelical pastor has vowed not to close his church and encouraged congregants to shake each other’s hands, Newsweek reported on Monday.
Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne said he would not close the Florida-based Revival Ministries International he leads, “because we're raising up revivalists, not pansies."
Speaking during his sermon to a large group at the River Tampa Bay Church over the weekend, -Browne said "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.
The pastor then told his congegants, according to the website Right Wing Watch, "Well I know they don't want us to do this, but just turn around and greet two, three people. Tell them you love them, Jesus loves them. Listen, this has to be the safest place. If you cannot be saved in church, you in serious trouble."
Three years ago, Howard-Brown visited the White House along with several other pastors, in order to "lay hands" on President Donald Trump, according to Newseek.
Last month, the pastor claimed he has plans to halt the coronavirus in the United States after having previously "cursed" Zika from Florida.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.