Blackwell noted that the friends and families of the 8,400 who had died at the time of the interview likely wouldn't appreciate Spell's attitude. In a Facebook post on March 31, Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran stated in part: Instead of showing the strength and resilience of our community during this difficult time, Mr. Spell has chosen to embarrass us for his own self-promotion. Mr. Spell will have his day in court where he will be held responsible for his reckless and irresponsible decisions that endangered the health of his congregation and our community. Corcoran concluded: "This is not an issue over religious liberty, and it's not about politics. We are facing a public health crisis and expect our community's leaders to set a positive example and follow the law." Speaking with Reuters about upcoming Easter Sunday services, Pastor Spell said that the congregation isn't "afraid," that "Satan and a virus will not stop us," and "God will shield us from all harm and sickness."' -- Pastor Tony Spell
The police chief is 100% correct. This is not a matter of religious liberty. Asking churches to not meet in large gatherings temporarily is not infringing on our ability to freely worship. Only the depraved NAR mindset says that worship must be within the mega church model. This issue is not about politics as much as the NAR demands the debate be couched in those terms. The virus does not discriminate between red or blue, conservative or liberal, Christian or atheist. This is a matter of public health and following the law. I do not want Tony Spell of anyone else with utter ignorance to matters of public health deciding matters of public health. Not only are they incapable of such decisions but as Spell brilliantly displays, they do not care to make informed and wise decisions. The virus is not Satan. The devil is quite happy that hirelings such as Spell continue to risk the lives of the Lord's sheep. Each sheep removed from the battle field is that much less prayer, worship and evangelism for the Gospel. As for God shielding us from all harm, Spell needs only to look to Illinois and see a church that has a gathering 80 people on March 15th and now 43 of those folks are sick, with ten confirmed COVID cases. Or perhaps he needs to look at Pastor Spradlin from Virginia, who mocked the virus as a scheme to ruin Donald Trump. He then went to New Orleans to cleanse it from its sins and debauchery. Pastor Spradlin contracted COVID on that trip and died before he could get back home. This interview only further cements that Tony Spell and those like him do not care one bit about the lives of the sheep that have been entrusted to them. They are not pastors and they do not represent Christ or His teachings. He will end up with the blood of innocents upon his hands and will answer for every single drop when he stands before the Lord. Beloved, if your pastor is insisting that you need to gather publicly, he is a hireling. Run as fast as you can and find someone who will care for your spiritual and physical well-being. In Jesus name. Amen.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- April 12, 2020
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