Rodney Howard-Browne Explained

Rodney Howard-Browne
Birth Name:Rodney Morgan Howard Browne[1]
Birth Date:12 June 1961
Birth Place:Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Nationality:South African
Website:Revival Ministries International

Rodney Morgan Howard-Browne (born June 12, 1961[2]) is a South African-born American evangelist and conspiracy theorist.[3] [4] [5] He has resided in Tampa, Florida since the mid-1990s and is pastor of The River Church in Tampa Bay. The River is considered both Pentecostal and Charismatic with revival meetings, led by Howard-Browne, known for those in the audience breaking into "holy laughter" and experiencing other phenomena similar to the Great Awakenings[6] and Azusa Street Revival.[7] Howard-Browne is the head of Revival Ministries International, a ministry he and his wife founded in 1997.

Biography

Howard-Browne and his three brothers (Mervyn, Bazil, and Gil) were raised in a Pentecostal family in the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London, South Africa. His father, Frank Mervyn Derric Howard-Browne (1924–2005),[8] was a cleric. Howard-Browne became a Christian at age five. In 1981, he met and married his wife Adonica (née Weyers).[9] In the 1980s, he volunteered to work for Youth for Christ before doing a teaching stint with Rhema Bible School in Johannesburg.

In December 1989, the family emigrated from South Africa to the United States,[10] [11] Howard-Browne opened his first U.S. church in Clifton Park, New York, in April 1989.[12] In 1991, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky where he began holding revival meetings.[8] [13] The Rodney Howard-Browne Evangelistic Association was incorporated in November 1993[14] and the family moved to the Tampa Bay, Florida area in 1994. Rodney's eldest brother Gil[8] went on to operate Times of Refreshing Ministries, an online evangelical ministry.[15] Likewise, his youngest brother Bazil established an eponymous evangelical ministry on 1 January 1994 with the professed aim of people achieving financial freedom through the special anointing of God.[16] Prior to this he had worked alongside his brother Rodney for a year.

In 1996, Howard-Browne founded a church he named "The River" at Tampa Bay Church in Tampa, Florida, serving as its pastor ever since.[17] Howard-Browne and his wife also founded Revival Ministries International in 1997, as well as River Bible Institute and River School of Worship.[18]

Howard-Browne's services are characterized by laying on of hands with worshipers giggling in apparent spiritual drunkenness, speaking in tongues, breaking into uncontrollable holy laughter, shaking, dancing in the aisles, or falling to the ground.[11] [9] [19] [20] He refers to himself as "God's bartender" and the "holy ghost bartender".[21] [22]

Howard-Browne is credited with introducing holy laughter to Carpenter's Home Church in Lakeland, Florida during a series of revival services with Karl Strader in 1993. The holy laughter revivals later spread to nearby churches in Melbourne, Titusville, Stuart and Vero Beach, Florida.[23] [24] Howard-Browne is credited with bringing holy laughter to the charismatic Toronto Airport Vineyard Church (soon after expelled by its parent Vineyard Church) at a 1994 revival in Toronto, Canada with evangelist Randy Clark, known as the "Toronto Blessing," and then a year later, to Assemblies of God (AOG) Brownsville Church in Pensacola, Florida with evangelist Steve Hill. The event became known in Christian circles as the Brownsville Revival.[23] [24] [25] Howard-Browne also ministered under pastor Mike Rose at the Juneau Christian Center (formerly known as the Bethel Assembly of God) in Juneau, Alaska, an AOG church that Sarah Palin later attended after becoming governor of Alaska.[26] [27] [28] [29]

Howard-Browne first came to national prominence in the US in 1999 when his Revival Ministries organization rented Madison Square Garden in New York City for six weeks. The event, called Good News New York, was described as "an effort to achieve a Billy Graham-style faith uprising", but was "derided in local media as a giant flop". It was estimated to cost up to $10 million but only 3,000 people were counted in attendance at the 19,000-seat arena.[11] [21] [22] Investigative journalists in his home town of Tampa reported at the time that since arriving from South Africa almost penniless in December 1989, his sudden wealth included a boat, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, a home in one of Tampa's exclusive gated communities and access to a private jet; however, they were unable to find evidence of financial wrongdoing.[11] [22]

Howard-Browne's daughter Kelly died of cystic fibrosis on Christmas Day 2002, at the age of 18.[30] He then vowed to "to win 100 million souls to Jesus and to put $1 billion into world missions".[31]

In 2012, it was reported that Howard-Browne's River Church had hosted political meetings for the Florida chapter of the Republican Party during the preceding two years, including a rally for then presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, at which Howard-Browne called for a national "rising" of Christian Americans "that will not sit idly by and allow the killing of unborn babies and allow Islam to take over this country". At the same event, he described Mormonism as a "cult" that, in the 19th century, "had death squads that would go around killing everybody that was not a Mormon". He later recanted, saying Mormons were "honourable people".[11]

Howard-Browne published The Killing of Uncle Sam: The Demise of the United States of America, which was scheduled to be released in May 2018, and announced that proceeds from sales of the book would go to the River School of Government, a degree granting program, operated by Howard-Browne and his wife under the auspices of Revival Ministries, that funds training for people seeking to run for political office.[32]

Howard-Browne's evangelical movement has been described by some as "a combination of brimstone and fire about God's power, sprinkled with hipster references and a conviction that church—like Disneyland—should be 'the happiest place on earth'."[11] The Christian Research Institute labelled his operation a "cult" and called him "a good stage hypnotist" who has made millions from vulnerable believers.[11] "Yet Howard-Browne is also widely credited with having one of the most racially and economically diverse congregations in Florida. It feeds hundreds of poor Tampa families weekly and at his televised Sunday services dishes out huge checks to members facing financial crises." According to The Tampa Tribune, critics have described him as "a manipulator leading followers into a cult; a circus ring leader making a good living."[22] On the other hand B.J. Oropeza (Ph.D., Durham University) concludes in his book A Time to Laugh (reviewed by Lloyd K. Pietersen, University of Sheffield and also by "The Pneuma Review. Journal of Ministry Resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries & Leaders" which stated that it is "well-documented and well-researched book")[33] that he is not 'a mass-hypnotist, charlatan or a cultist'.[34] [35] Dr. Oropeza (Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies at Azusa Pacific University and Seminary, Azusa, CA) further states about Howard-Browne that "Having read RHB's writings on financial stewardship and prosperity, I have concluded that he does not believe in a prosperity that promotes greed, materialism, or using God as a means to get rich. He denounces ministers who fleece the church through clever gimmicks."

The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal Charismatic Movements compares Howard-Browne meetings to great revivals under Whitefield, Wesley, and Finney.[36]

In the Special Centennial Edition of The Azusa Street Revival, The Holy Spirit in America, 100 Years, the revival meetings conducted by Howard-Browne are compared to the Azusa Street Revival.[37]

Statements and controversies

Diploma mill doctorate

Howard-Browne claimed to have earned a "doctorate of ministry degree" in 1992 from "The School of Bible Theology", a non-accredited Pentecostal correspondence school in San Jacinto, California that has been described as a "diploma mill".[22] [38] [39] [40]

Multi-level marketing: Monavie and Jeunesse

Howard-Browne and his wife Adonica were top-ranking ("Black Diamond executive level") distributors for Monavie, a multi-level marketing company that sold acai berry juice-based beverages until folding in 2014 subsequent to a $182 million loan default and allegations of pyramid scheming, fraudulent advertising, and patent infringement.[41] [42] [43] As of 2016, Howard-Browne also served as a "North America Emerald Director" for the multi-level marketing company Jeunesse.[44]

Allegation of plot to attack Donald Trump

In July 2017, Howard-Browne was one of 17 evangelical pastors who visited the White House to pray for and lay hands on President Donald Trump.[45] In a video several days later, Howard-Browne stated that "there is a planned attack on our president and that's all I can tell you about right now; I know what I'm talking about, I've spoken to high-ranking people in the government".[46] Howard-Browne later said that the Secret Service met with him to discover which congressman told him about the plot but he refused to say, citing pastoral privilege.[47] Howard-Browne praised God for giving America a 'Rambo'.[48]

In March 2016, Howard-Browne wrote a Facebook post titled "Donald Trump Is the New World Order's Worst Nightmare," where he detailed his choice to back Trump in the election as a check against a global conspiracy to destroy America.[49]

Hurricane Irma

In September 2017, Howard-Browne received media attention after referring to Hurricane Irma—a category 4 storm that caused the death of fifty people in the United States and Caribbean and resulted in power outages affecting 5.5 million people in Florida—as a "nothingburger". He further stated that "prayer took the teeth out of the storm".[50]

Alleging human sacrifice

In an October 2017 sermon at The River at Tampa Bay church, Howard-Browne alleged that "They sacrifice children at the highest levels in Hollywood. They drink blood of young kids. This is a fact", continuing, "The human sacrifice and the cannibalism has been going on for years" in Hollywood and Washington, D.C.[51] [52] [53]

Arming of the River at Tampa Bay church

Howard-Browne drew attention for a social media post in November 2017, two days after the Sutherland Springs church shooting, stating that his church was not a gun-free zone and that he and the church's pastors "are all heavily armed" and would use "deadly force".[54] [55] [56]

Conspiracy theories on InfoWars

In March 2018, Howard-Browne made an appearance on Alex Jones' InfoWars program during which he claimed: that a string of bombings in Austin, Texas were being used by "anarchist terrorists" in an attempt to bring "everything under control"; that churches and religious groups were being censored in the U.S.; and that "globalist gremlins" were attempting to thwart Donald Trump.[57]

Christchurch Mosque shootings

Shortly after the Christchurch mosque shootings in March 2019, Howard-Browne tweeted his opinion that it was a 'false flag' operation: "There is no doubt that what happened in New Zealand as horrific as it is, is a false flag that will be blamed on conservatives when it's all said and done! Only a total nutjob lunatic, insane demonized freak goes into a building and kills people, it's unacceptable on every level!"[58]

Iqaluit sermon

On August 27, 2019, Howard-Browne delivered a sermon in the Canadian Arctic territory of Nunavut as part of a 300-city tour. He preached for over an hour at an Iqaluit church to a mostly Inuit audience of more than 100 people. The event featured a call for donations, including a video of Howard-Browne claiming "God loves a generous giver," which Nunatsiaq News criticized on the basis that poverty is widespread in the city and nearly half of Nunavut's population relies on social assistance amidst long-standing crises in food security and housing.[20] The news outlet also noted that he "lashed out" at and "harangued" audience members who tried to leave before the end of the sermon. Commenting after the event, Anglican bishop for the Arctic, David Parsons, described Howard-Browne as an extremist.[20]

Coronavirus pandemic

See also: Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Howard-Browne kept his church open during the COVID-19 pandemic and on March 15, 2020, he told his congregants to continue shaking hands because they were "revivalists, not pansies". He dedicated most of the sermon to mocking fears about the spread of the coronavirus and calling it a "phantom plague" designed to shut down churches and terrify people into receiving a vaccine that would cause mass deaths as a population control scheme, which he claimed was part of a plan laid out in a 2010 document "Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development" produced by The Rockefeller Foundation and Global Business Network.[59] [60] [61] Several weeks prior, Howard-Browne claimed in a video that he would cure Florida of coronavirus,[62] and in a 2019 video he had falsely claimed that he and other worshipers at his church had cleansed Florida of Zika virus.[63] [62] [64] [65]

On March 29, 2020, Howard-Browne's congregation received a visit from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office warning about his violations of the county's safer-at-home order, which limited public gatherings to 10 people.[66] The next day, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced that he had issued an arrest warrant for unlawful assembly and for violating rules regarding public health emergencies after Howard-Browne continued to hold large church services in defiance of the public order.[67] [68] [69] [70] Chronister said he had no choice but to take action against Howard-Browne, stating "His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people from his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week."[71]

On March 30, 2020, Howard-Browne was arrested and jailed for unlawful assembly and for violating health and safety rules, with each charge carrying a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.[68] [67] He was released from jail after posting a $500 bond.[72] On April 1, Howard-Browne said that he would not open his church the following weekend over fear of his congregation's safety and to protect them from "government tyranny."[73] However, his lawyer, Mathew Staver of the law firm Liberty Counsel, said that Howard-Browne's arrest earlier in the week had led to the pastor's insurance policy being cancelled.[73] [74] Howard-Browne also claimed that he had received death threats. The pastor held open the possibility that the church would be open for Easter services but then announced on April 9 that it would instead be closed.[74] Prosecutors dropped the charges on May 15, deeming that Howard-Browne posed no ongoing risk to public health after he took steps to maintain responsible social distancing at the church.[75] Starting in May 2020, he reopened the church as TheStand20.[76]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Holy Laughter – Rodney Howard-Browne and the Toronto Blessing. jbeard.users.rapidnet.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20190307172723/http://jbeard.users.rapidnet.com/bdm/Psychology/holylaugh.htm. March 31, 2020. March 7, 2019. dead.
  2. Web site: Hernando County Inmate Booking Information: Rodney Howard Browne . Hernando County Detention Center . https://web.archive.org/web/20200331072650/https://www.hernandosheriff.org/jail/Applications/JailSearch/JailSearchDetails.aspx?BookNo=HCSO20JBN002084 . April 11, 2020 . March 30, 2020 . March 31, 2020 . dead.
  3. News: Wilson . Jason . The rightwing Christian preachers in deep denial over Covid-19's danger . April 12, 2020 . . April 4, 2020.
  4. News: Porterfield . Carlie . Florida Megachurch Pastor Arrested For Defying Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order And Holding Services . April 12, 2020 . . March 31, 2020.
  5. News: Williamson . Elizabeth . On the Political Right, Anger and Suspicion Over Virus Precautions . April 12, 2020 . . March 17, 2020.
  6. Book: Burgess, Stanley . The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal Charismatic Movements, Revised and Expanded Edition. . Grand Rapids: Zondervan. . 2002 . 0-310-22481-0 . Revised . 774.
  7. Book: Hyatt, Eddie . The Azusa Street Revival - Special Centennial Edition. . Lake Mary, Florida: Charisma House . 2006 . 1-59185-790-2 . 104.
  8. News: Frank Howard-Browne Obituary . April 6, 2019 . . September 2, 2005.
  9. Ravitz, Jessica. "Up for Godly giddiness: Pastor spreads the joy of salvation 'anywhere the Lord opens a door.'" The Salt Lake Tribune, March 22, 2007
  10. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week251/profile.html "Profile: Evangelist Rodney Howard-Browne."
  11. News: God's bartender in good spirits . Philp . Rowan . April 4, 2019 . . March 16, 2012.
  12. News: Billings . Kevin . Who Is Rodney Howard-Browne? Evangelical Pastor Won't Close Florida Church Amid Coronavirus Panic . April 12, 2020 . . March 17, 2020.
  13. Web site: History of Campmeetings . Revival Ministries International . April 6, 2019 . Through the summer of 1991, we held revival meetings in Louisville, Kentucky, and all over the surrounding… .
  14. Web site: Rodney Howard Brown Evangelistic Association, Inc.: Annual Report 1994 . Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations . January 4, 2020.
  15. Web site: Times of Refreshing Ministries:The Internet Ministry of Evangelists Gil & Loraine Howard-Browne – About Us . April 6, 2019.
  16. Web site: What you need to know about Bazil Howard-Browne. May 26, 2009. Mar 31, 2020.
  17. News: Graham . Kevin . Church's Hummer prize too worldly? . April 5, 2019 . . January 10, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326000430/http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/10/Hillsborough/Church_s_Hummer_prize.shtml . March 26, 2018.
  18. Howard-Browne, Rodney "About us" Revival.com
  19. News: Socolovsky . Jerome . African-born Pastor Brings 'Holy Laughter' Revival to Washington . April 5, 2019 . . July 9, 2014.
  20. News: Rohner . Thomas . Conspiracy-theorizing megachurch preacher visits Nunavut. January 4, 2020 . . September 5, 2019 . Howard-Browne also spoke in tongues, which he claimed was once understood in the obscure native dialect of a Papua New Guinea pastor.
  21. Carnes, Tony. "Howard-Browne Takes New York." Christianity Today, August 9, 1999
  22. News: The Holy Ghost Bartender. Bearden. Michelle. 1999-06-28. The Tampa Tribune. 2019-02-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20120707031815/http://tampabayonline.net/reports/minister/homealt.htm. 2012-07-07. dead.
  23. News: Pinsky . Mark I . When Holy Laughter Starts, Some Find It Hard To Stop . April 6, 2019 . . September 1, 1996.
  24. News: McMullen . Cary . Florida Outpouring: Internet Draws Thousands to Lakeland Revival . April 6, 2019 . . May 18, 2008 . 6 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190406225940/https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20080518/News/608117817/LL/ . dead .
  25. News: Ostling . Richard N . Laughing for the Lord . April 6, 2019 . . June 24, 2001.
  26. News: Wilson . Bruce . Palin and the Holy Laughter Anointing . April 6, 2019 . . October 12, 2008.
  27. News: Bradley Hagerty . Barbara . Examining Palin's Pentecostal Background . April 6, 2019 . . September 5, 2008.
  28. News: Silverstein . Ken . Palin and Her Pastors: "Those that die without Christ have a horrible, horrible surprise" . April 6, 2019 . . August 30, 2008.
  29. Web site: Miller . Lisa . What Are Sarah Palin's Religious Beliefs? . . April 6, 2019 . October 27, 2008.
  30. Web site: Preaching conspiracies: Coronavirus puts Tampa pastor's beliefs into mainstream spotlight . Tampa Bay Times . 2020-04-16 . 2023-08-09 . Their daughter Kelly died of cystic fibrosis in 2002.
  31. News: Wootson . Cleve R. Jr. . Tampa pastor live-streams sermon as coronavirus forces Americans to worship differently on Easter Sunday . Washington Post . 2020-04-12 . 2023-08-09.
  32. News: McGregor . Grady . Controversial pastor visits Dickinson: Rival pastor from Montana dragged from church after protesting . January 4, 2020 . . November 17, 2017.
  33. Mock . R.L. . November 5, 1998 . Review. B. J. Oropeza: A Time to Laugh . The Pneuma Review. Journal of Ministry Resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries & Leaders . Fall 1998.
  34. Book: Oropeza, B.J. . A Time to Laugh: The Holy Laughter Phenomenon Examined . Hendrickson . 1995 . 43–44.
  35. Web site: Oropeza . B.J. . A Time to Laugh .
  36. Book: Burgess, Stanley . The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal Charismatic Movements, Revised and Expanded Edition . Zondervan . 2002 . 0-310-22481-0 . Grand Rapids . 774 . English.
  37. Book: Hyatt, Eddie . The Azusa Street Revival - Special Centennial Edition . Charisma House . 2006 . 1-59185-790-2 . Lake Mary, Florida . 104 . English.
  38. News: Kowalski. David. "Name it and Frame it" — Phony Doctorates in the Church. May 3, 2018. Apologetics Index. 2012.
  39. Book: Joseph Smith and Word of Faith Movement . Stokes . Jerry . 21 . April 4, 2019.
  40. Book: Kambulow . Walter . The Best of the Kambulows . June 1, 2003 . 879 . April 4, 2019.
  41. Web site: MV Three Sixty Five Magazine . April 4, 2019 . 86 . 4 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190404153921/https://www.team-legacy.info/PDF/MV365_Magazine.pdf . dead .
  42. News: Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne MonaVie Black Diamond. May 2, 2018. YouTube. Monavie Corporate. March 18, 2009.
  43. Web site: Imagenetix, Inc. vs. Monavie LLC et al. . United States District Court for the Southern District of California . May 2, 2018 . 2008-09-20.
  44. Web site: Legacy Powered by Jeunesse . Jeunesse Global Holdings, LLC . April 4, 2019 . 41 . 2016 . 18 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190518023355/https://www.team-legacy.com/PDF/OurTeam-OurProducts.pdf . dead .
  45. News: Gutierrez. Lisa. 'Great spiritual awakening': Pastors lay hands on Donald Trump in the Oval Office. May 2, 2018. The Kansas City Star. July 12, 2017.
  46. Web site: Rodney Howard-Browne Prayed Over Trump In Order To Avert 'A Planned Attack On Our President' . Mantyla . Kyle . July 17, 2017 . Right Wing Watch . People for the American Way . December 21, 2017 . There is a planned attack on our president," he said, "and that's all I can tell you about right now; I know what I'm talking about, I've spoken to high-ranking people in the government and this is being planned by people that hate God, hate America, hate our president and we have to stop this, in Jesus name.".
  47. Web site: Pastor Who Claimed His Prayers Averted Anti-Trump Attack Refuses To Provide Details To Secret Service Because It's 'Not My Problem' . Mantyla . Kyle . July 31, 2017 . Right Wing Watch . 21 December 2017 . Somebody reported me to the Secret Service, so they came over" he claimed. "Three guys, we sat and talked; very nice people and they wanted to know who the congressman was. I said, 'I can't tell you that, it was pastoral privilege.' I said, 'I prayed for him' and he said, 'So, it was like a confession?' I said, 'Yeah, I can't tell you. I'm not going to tell you, I can't tell you, it's impossible.'" "If the Secret Service in Washington, D.C., don't know what's coming down, then why should somebody from Tampa?" Howard-Browne added. "This is a senior member of Congress. If he actually knew anything, he would inform the Secret Service himself. It's not my problem..
  48. News: Rodney Howard-Browne Thanks God For Giving America 'A Rambo' In Trump. 18 May 2018. 4 April 2019.
  49. News: Weaver . Hilary . Donald Trump's Oval Office Prayer Circle, Explained . Vanity Fair. April 4, 2019 . July 12, 2017.
  50. News: Gaffey . Conor . Hurricane Irma Was A Nothingburger, Says Pastor Who Prayed Over Trump At White House . April 4, 2019 . . September 12, 2017.
  51. Web site: Rodney Howard Browne: Hollywood Execs Are 'Full of the Devil,' 'Drink the Blood of Young Kids' . Justice . Jessilyn . October 20, 2017 . Charisma News . Charisma Media . December 21, 2017 . "They sacrifice children at the highest levels in Hollywood. They drink blood of young kids. This is a fact. That's why the next thing to be exposed will be all the pedophilia that is going to come out of Hollywood and come out of Washington, D.C. The human sacrifice and the cannibalism has been going on for years".
  52. Web site: Trump-Linked Pastor: Hollywood Is Full Of Satanists Who Drink Children's Blood . Mazza . Ed . October 20, 2017 . Huffpost . Oath Inc. . December 21, 2017 .
  53. News: Macintyre . James . Pastor who prayed over Donald Trump says Hollywood is full of devil worshippers who drink children's blood . April 4, 2019 . . October 20, 2017.
  54. News: Eltagouri . Marwa . This church has a warning for visitors: 'WE ARE HEAVILY ARMED — The Pastors' . April 4, 2019 . . November 21, 2017.
  55. News: Denker. Angela. We Are Heavily Armed – The Pastors. May 2, 2018. Sojourners. April 18, 2018.
  56. News: Aaron. Charlene. After Deadly Church Shooting, Rodney Howard-Browne's Church Warns 'We Are Heavily Armed'. May 2, 2018. Christian Broadcasting Network. November 20, 2017.
  57. News: Holt. Jared. Rodney Howard-Browne Says Only 'Divine Intervention' Can Save America. May 2, 2018. Right Wing Watch. March 20, 2018.
  58. Web site: Megachurch pastor who was invited to Trump's White House declares New Zealand terror attack a 'false flag'. Brad. Reed. Raw Story. 15 March 2019.
  59. News: Palmer . Evan . Conservative pastor says his church 'will never close' because of coronavirus: 'we're raising up revivalists, not pansies' . March 16, 2020 . . March 16, 2020.
  60. News: Naughtie . Andrew . Coronavirus: US conservatives spark backlash after socialising against official health advice . March 16, 2020 . . March 16, 2020.
  61. Web site: Rodney Howard-Browne: Coronavirus Pandemic Is a Globalist Plot to Kill People With Vaccines. Kyle . Mantyla . Right Wing Watch. 16 March 2020. March 31, 2020.
  62. News: Wolf . Colin . Tampa pastor who claimed to cure Zika now says he will cure Florida of coronavirus . March 16, 2020 . . February 26, 2020 . 14 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200314003625/https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2020/02/26/tampa-pastor-who-claimed-to-cure-zika-now-says-he-will-cure-florida-of-coronavirus . dead .
  63. News: Christians Protest the River at Tampa Bay Church for Risking the Spread of COVID-19, Including Pastor's False Promise to Cure the Coronavirus . April 12, 2020 . . March 31, 2020.
  64. News: Fearnow . Benjamin . Tampa megachurch draws hundreds despite social distancing order, pastor defends holding service. . April 12, 2020 . . March 30, 2020.
  65. News: Lanning . Jason . Pastor Arrested on Public Health Violation: "Church is an Essential Business" . April 12, 2020 . . March 31, 2020.
  66. Web site: Right-wing pastor Rodney Howard-Browne has repeatedly stated that he will never cancel services at his The River church in Tampa. Now it looks like he received a visit from the local sheriff's office after holding services yesterday.pic.twitter.com/ABFYq4RtCg. Mar 30, 2020. Mar 31, 2020.
  67. News: Mazzei . Patricia . Florida Pastor Arrested After Defying Virus Orders . April 1, 2020 . . March 30, 2020.
  68. News: Marrero . Tony . Pastor of Tampa church that held two large Sunday services arrested, jailed . April 1, 2020 . . March 30, 2020.
  69. Web site: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on Facebook Watch. Mar 31, 2020. Facebook.
  70. News: Mantyla. Kyle. Arrest Warrant Issued for Rodney Howard-Browne for Hosting Church Services Amid Coronavirus Pandemic. Right Wing Watch. March 30, 2020. March 30, 2020.
  71. News: Li . David K . Florida pastor arrested after holding church services despite coronavirus orders . April 1, 2020 . . March 20, 2020.
  72. News: Sommer. Will. Connor. Tracy. Rodney Howard-Browne, Megachurch Pastor Who Flouted Virus Rules, Arrested. The Daily Beast. March 30, 2020. March 30, 2020.
  73. News: Wolf . Colin . Orlando lawyer for pastor who held services during coronavirus outbreak says church lost its insurance . April 11, 2020 . . April 3, 2020.
  74. News: Siemaszko . Corky . Florida megachurch pastor caves after defying coronavirus rules . April 11, 2020 . . April 10, 2020.
  75. News: Marrero. Tony. Charges dropped against Tampa pastor who held services during stay-at-home order. Tampa Bay Times. May 15, 2020. May 27, 2020.
  76. Web site: The Stand – with Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.