California Church Defies State Gathering Mandate, Holds 3 Indoor Services Amid Pandemic

Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Ventura County, California, violated state and local mandates for hosting indoor services Sunday, even after it was sued and issued a restraining order, ABC News reported.

The church opened its doors on Sunday to three indoor services violating what the county called a “callous disregard of public health orders during a global pandemic,” according to the court filing obtained by ABC News.

Godspeak Calvary Chapel Pastor Rob McCoy called the lawsuit an attack on “religious freedom.”

California issued a ban on holding indoor church services on July 13 amid an increase in coronavirus cases. The state has over 559,000 positive coronavirus cases and over 10,000 COVID-19 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Godspeak Calvary Chapel is allowed to hold services outdoors under the state’s gathering mandate.

In the lawsuit filed Wednesday, the county claims the church “allowed and encouraged” attendees to violate the state’s face mask and social distancing orders. The suit continues by saying that the church’s actions will result in “great and irreparable injury” to the public by increasing the risk of the spread of the coronavirus in the community.

Following the lawsuit filing, a judge issued a two-week restraining order preventing the church from holding indoor services. Following the judge’s order, McCoy posted on YouTube that the church would be “violating the judge’s order” and would be open Sunday.

"We want to worship. And we're going to worship," McCoy said in the video.

The Sunday services proceeded with several hundred worshipers in attendance.

A hearing for the county’s lawsuit against Godspeak Calvary Chapel is set for Aug. 31.