Pastor Coalition in Georgia: We’ve Seen Too Many Deaths, It’s Too Soon To Reopen

Amidst all the Christian obstinacy, the posturing, and the law-breaking, there are also pastors who have this take on the COVID-19 crisis: Life is precious, let’s not waste another one. Let’s not reopen yet. Let’s wait and see before we gather again. Safety first.

They’re not merely complying with state orders. We’re talking about Georgia, of all places, where Governor Brian Kemp is seeing horrible poll result after choosing to reopen the state weeks before numbers from the Centers for Disease Control indicated it was wise. Even fellow Republican Donald Trump was unhappy with Kemp’s decision (or was he?). Most Georgians are too.

The church leaders I mentioned (a loose coalition of about 30 pastors) are free to throw their church doors wide open, but they’re doing the responsible thing: staying closed, for now.

It’s all in this video report from the New York Times:

The pastors in question have seen the COVID devastation up-close. In late March and early April, hundreds of new cases emerged in the Albany area; they’d originated at a couple of local funerals. After way too many new burials, the ministers are gun-shy about returning to normalcy, afraid they’ll unleash a second wave. The most they’re doing right now by way of church services is streaming sermons or preaching at Sunday morning drive-ins where social distancing is observed.

It’s a prudent and refreshing decision.