Mendocino County in Northern California announced that they are restricting churches from streaming online worship unless the worship originates from individual residents.
The county bans worship teams until May 10, 2020 which includes, "venues, such as concert halls, auditoriums, churches, temples, and playhouses." The county stated, "no singing or use of wind instruments, harmonicas, or other instruments that could spread COVID-19 through projected droplets shall be permitted unless the recording of the event is done at one's residence."
Due to the risk of COVID-19, people in jail are restricted from worshiping God. Although the order was made before Easter Sunday, individuals are still working on another month of banned worship.
The president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says the order violates the integrity of Christian worship. He states, "churches respect and maintain physical distancing between all the very limited participants in a streamed worship service. It is an entirely different matter, however, to tell Christians that they cannot sing in praise and honor of God."
Mohler adds, "Indeed, these orders came out just days before Resurrection Sunday, orders saying that Christians, on the day where they celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, are prohibited from signing.
"Governmental authorities cannot intrude upon the integrity of Christian worship, which is exactly what these orders violate."
