Another pastor charged with violating government orders on social distancing, this time in Louisiana:

Louisiana Pastor Said He Violated Governor’s COVID-19 Order ‘Because the Lord Told Us to’ (Law and Crime)

I’ve seen several people ask “why don’t these guys just set up on-line donations?”

The issue is why a plate is passed in a church. All these guys already have on-line donations, as well as mail donations.

The point is applying guilt to someone who doesn’t donate. All churches do this to some degree: If the plate goes round the congregation and you don’t put money in it, other parishioners will see that, and to a greater or lesser degree the parishioners will shun you.

Those big megachurches cost a lot of money to run (never mind the Prosperity Gospel grift). They have to apply pressure to put money in the plate, far more than the little rural church in my town to keep the lights on.