Televangelist Bob Rodgers ‘Curses’ Those Who Voted on the ‘Wrong Side’ in ‘Stolen Election’
LOUISVILLE— This week televangelist Pastor Bob Rodgers, Leader of Evangel and Bob Rodgers Ministries, placed a “curse” on those who have “lied” and “stolen this election” by condemning them to “weakness in [their] bodies,” “poverty” and “the worst year [they’ve] ever had.”
Each curse was followed by screams and hollers from the crowd, with hands up and eyes closed. Members of the congregation affirmed his “curses,” agreeing that Joe Biden’s victory spells doom for the country.
Rodgers recently published “Don’t Vote Against God,” where he discussed that Christians are obligated to vote for the party that upholds “Christian principles in the United States of America.”
Rodgers is based out of Louisville, Ky., where he leads Evangel World Prayer Center, with much of his ministry spreading outside of the state through Bob Rodgers Ministries — a program that allows him to communicate with a wider group of evangelical Christians over the TV. Rodgers tends to follow the direction of the infamous prosperity gospel. This week he prayed with his congregation asking God to “bless our pocketbooks.”
The video posted on YouTube of the service by The Crew, a channel with 20,500 subscribers devoted to sharing their “unfiltered opinion on everything,” posted the video of Rodgers on Jan. 11. Since then, it has gotten over 1,000 views.
With over 75 comments, the video has captured attention from Christians and religious “nones” alike. Many accuse him of engaging with “witchcraft,” while others express disbelief and shock.
Kyle Manning commented on the video stating that it was hypocritical and similar to the idea of the “false prophet” mentioned in Matthew 7.
“What happened to praying for your enemies and blessing your enemies? The sad thing is, those curses he is issuing out can actually fall on him,” Manning commented. “He probably also was one of those false prophets who predicted that Trump would win because God told him so.”
Mychal-Gregory LaCombe commented on the same video saying, “Has he read the gospels, and know the Jesus written about in them? He does not exemplify the Jesus found in Holy Scripture.”
On Evangel Prayer Ministries’ Facebook page, hundreds of parishioners came to comment during Pastor Bob Rodger’s service — praising him for his candid “guidance by the Holy Spirit.”
Debbie McClinton, a woman who commented over five times during the service, said during the “curse,” that “God is preparing those for battle for these days,” and that she “[keeps] praying for president Trump and this nation.”
Joseph Hough, a man based out of Melrose, Fla., also commented on the Ministries’ Facebook page, requesting, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered!”
Evangel’s ministry reaches far past Louisville, Ky. where Rodgers is based. A woman from New York who studied at Brooklyn College and now lives in Queens, Paula Maricante, also expressed her regard for Rodgers on the Facebook page during the sermon.
“I live almost 800 miles north of Louisville, but I feel like I have been to church,” Maricante said. “I am so grateful to be a participant in this service.”
Mattie Townson is an editorial intern for Religion Unplugged and a journalism student at The King's College in New York City. She is the Campus Editor for her school newspaper, The Empire State Tribune.