Last Wednesday, Greenville police issued 20-30 $500 tickets to people in attendance of these drive in services at Temple Baptist Church in Greenville.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the church has tried to run a drive-in service using a radio frequency that is only heard within a block from the church building.
Mayor of Greenville, Errick Simmons, says that these types of services are health violations.
“You’re there for a 2-hour-period of time, folks want to use the bathroom, or go potty, and the little girls want to go use it. Now folks are in and out and they are facing this invisible giant called COVID-19,” Mayor Simmons reportedly said.
Another church just a few streets away has experienced a similar problem, King James Baptist Bible Church. Their pastor is taking steps further and suing the mayor under the representation of the First Liberty Institute.
Although the church was hoping to have Easter Sunday drive-in service, they were encouraged to hold the services via Zoom, Facebook Live, or by other streaming sites.
