Rodney Howard-Browne

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Rodney Howard-Browne
Port Elizabeth
, South Africa
NationalitySouth African
Spouse
Adonica Weyers
​
(m. 1989)​
WebsiteRevival Ministries International

Rodney Morgan Howard-Browne (born June 12, 1961

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[7] and Azusa Street Revival.[8]
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

East London, South Africa. His father, Frank Mervyn Derric Howard-Browne (1924–2005),[9] was a cleric. Howard-Browne became a Christian at age five.[10] In 1981, he met and married his wife Adonica (née Weyers).[11] 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,

Tampa Bay, Florida area in 1994. Rodney's eldest brother Gil[9] went on to operate Times of Refreshing Ministries, an online evangelical ministry.[17] 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.[18]
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.[19] Howard-Browne and his wife also founded Revival Ministries International in 1997, as well as River Bible Institute and River School of Worship.[20]

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.[21][10][22][11][23][24][excessive citations] He refers to himself as "God's bartender" and the "holy ghost bartender".[22][21]

Howard-Browne is credited with introducing holy laughter to

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.[25][26][14] 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.[27][28][29][30]

Howard-Browne first came to national prominence in the US in 1999 when his Revival Ministries organization rented

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.[10][21]

Howard-Browne's daughter Kelly died of cystic fibrosis on Christmas Day 2002, at the age of 18.[31] He then vowed to "to win 100 million souls to Jesus and to put $1 billion into world missions".[32]

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".[10]

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.[33]

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'."[10] The Christian Research Institute labelled his operation a "cult" and called him "a good stage hypnotist" who has made millions from vulnerable believers.[10] "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."[10] 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."[21] 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")[34] that he is not 'a mass-hypnotist, charlatan or a cultist'.[35][36] 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."[35]

The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal Charismatic Movements compares Howard-Browne meetings to great revivals under Whitefield, Wesley, and Finney.[37]

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.[38]

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".[21][39][40][41]

Multi-level marketing: Monavie and Jeunesse

Howard-Browne and his wife Adonica were top-ranking ("Black Diamond executive level") distributors for

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.[42][43][44] As of 2016, Howard-Browne also served as a "North America Emerald Director" for the multi-level marketing company Jeunesse.[45]

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.[46] 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".[47] 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.[48] Howard-Browne praised God for giving America a 'Rambo'.[49]

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.[50]

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".[51]

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.[52][53][54]

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".[55][56][57]

Conspiracy theories on InfoWars

In March 2018, Howard-Browne made an appearance on

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.[58]

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!"[59]

Iqaluit sermon

On August 27, 2019, Howard-Browne delivered a sermon in the

extremist.[24]

Coronavirus pandemic

See also:
Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Howard-Browne kept his church open during the

The Rockefeller Foundation and Global Business Network.[60][61][62] Several weeks prior, Howard-Browne claimed in a video that he would cure Florida of coronavirus,[63] and in a 2019 video he had falsely claimed that he and other worshipers at his church had cleansed Florida of Zika virus.[64][63][65][66]

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.[67][68] 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.[69][6][70][71] 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."[68]

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.[6][69] 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]

References

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  2. ^ "Hernando County Inmate Booking Information: Rodney Howard Browne". Hernando County Detention Center. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  3. ^ Wilson, Jason (4 April 2020). "The rightwing Christian preachers in deep denial over Covid-19's danger". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
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  9. ^ a b c "Frank Howard-Browne Obituary". Tampa Bay Times. 2 September 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Philp, Rowan (16 March 2012). "God's bartender in good spirits". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  11. ^ a b 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
  12. ^ "Profile: Evangelist Rodney Howard-Browne." Archived 27 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly, PBS, August 20, 1999
  13. ^ Billings, Kevin (17 March 2020). "Who Is Rodney Howard-Browne? Evangelical Pastor Won't Close Florida Church Amid Coronavirus Panic". International Business Times. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
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  15. ^ "History of Campmeetings". Revival Ministries International. Retrieved 6 April 2019. Through the summer of 1991, we held revival meetings in Louisville, Kentucky, and all over the surrounding…[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Rodney Howard Brown Evangelistic Association, Inc.: Annual Report 1994". Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Times of Refreshing Ministries:The Internet Ministry of Evangelists Gil & Loraine Howard-Browne – About Us". Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  18. ^ "What you need to know about Bazil Howard-Browne". 26 May 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  19. ^ Graham, Kevin (10 January 2005). "Church's Hummer prize too worldly?". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  20. ^ Howard-Browne, Rodney "About us" Revival.com
  21. ^ a b c d e f Bearden, Michelle (28 June 1999). "The Holy Ghost Bartender". The Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  22. ^ a b c Carnes, Tony. "Howard-Browne Takes New York." Christianity Today, August 9, 1999
  23. ^ Socolovsky, Jerome (9 July 2014). "African-born Pastor Brings 'Holy Laughter' Revival to Washington". Voice of America. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  24. ^ a b c Rohner, Thomas (5 September 2019). "Conspiracy-theorizing megachurch preacher visits Nunavut". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved 4 January 2020. Howard-Browne also spoke in tongues, which he claimed was once understood in the obscure native dialect of a Papua New Guinea pastor
  25. ^ a b Pinsky, Mark I (1 September 1996). "When Holy Laughter Starts, Some Find It Hard To Stop". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  26. ^ a b McMullen, Cary (18 May 2008). "Florida Outpouring: Internet Draws Thousands to Lakeland Revival". The Ledger. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
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  28. ^ Bradley Hagerty, Barbara (5 September 2008). "Examining Palin's Pentecostal Background". NPR. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  29. ^ Silverstein, Ken (30 August 2008). "Palin and Her Pastors: "Those that die without Christ have a horrible, horrible surprise"". Harper's Magazine. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  30. ^ Miller, Lisa (27 October 2008). "What Are Sarah Palin's Religious Beliefs?". Newsweek. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  31. ^ "Preaching conspiracies: Coronavirus puts Tampa pastor's beliefs into mainstream spotlight". Tampa Bay Times. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2023. Their daughter Kelly died of cystic fibrosis in 2002
  32. ^ Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. (12 April 2020). "Tampa pastor live-streams sermon as coronavirus forces Americans to worship differently on Easter Sunday". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  33. Dickinson Press
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  34. ^ Mock, R.L. (5 November 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).
  35. ^ a b Oropeza, B.J. (1995). A Time to Laugh: The Holy Laughter Phenomenon Examined. Hendrickson. pp. 43–44.
  36. ^ Oropeza, B.J. "A Time to Laugh".
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  39. ^ Kowalski, David (2012). ""Name it and Frame it" — Phony Doctorates in the Church". Apologetics Index. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  40. ^ Stokes, Jerry. Joseph Smith and Word of Faith Movement. p. 21. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  41. ^ Kambulow, Walter (1 June 2003). The Best of the Kambulows. p. 879. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  42. ^ "MV Three Sixty Five Magazine" (PDF). p. 86. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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  45. ^ "Legacy Powered by Jeunesse" (PDF). Jeunesse Global Holdings, LLC. 2016. p. 41. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  46. ^ Gutierrez, Lisa (12 July 2017). "'Great spiritual awakening': Pastors lay hands on Donald Trump in the Oval Office". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  47. ^ Mantyla, Kyle (17 July 2017). "Rodney Howard-Browne Prayed Over Trump In Order To Avert 'A Planned Attack On Our President'". Right Wing Watch. People for the American Way. Retrieved 21 December 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."
  48. ^ Mantyla, Kyle (31 July 2017). "Pastor Who Claimed His Prayers Averted Anti-Trump Attack Refuses To Provide Details To Secret Service Because It's 'Not My Problem'". Right Wing Watch. Retrieved 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.
  49. ^ "Rodney Howard-Browne Thanks God For Giving America 'A Rambo' In Trump". 18 May 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  50. ^ Weaver, Hilary (12 July 2017). "Donald Trump's Oval Office Prayer Circle, Explained". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  51. ^ Gaffey, Conor (12 September 2017). "Hurricane Irma Was A Nothingburger, Says Pastor Who Prayed Over Trump At White House". Newsweek. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  52. ^ Justice, Jessilyn (20 October 2017). "Rodney Howard Browne: Hollywood Execs Are 'Full of the Devil,' 'Drink the Blood of Young Kids'". Charisma News. Charisma Media. Retrieved 21 December 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
  53. ^ Mazza, Ed (20 October 2017). "Trump-Linked Pastor: Hollywood Is Full Of Satanists Who Drink Children's Blood". Huffpost. Oath Inc. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  54. ^ Macintyre, James (20 October 2017). "Pastor who prayed over Donald Trump says Hollywood is full of devil worshippers who drink children's blood". Christian Today. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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  56. ^ Denker, Angela (18 April 2018). "We Are Heavily Armed – The Pastors". Sojourners. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  57. ^ Aaron, Charlene (20 November 2017). "After Deadly Church Shooting, Rodney Howard-Browne's Church Warns 'We Are Heavily Armed'". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
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  59. ^ Reed, Brad (15 March 2019). "Megachurch pastor who was invited to Trump's White House declares New Zealand terror attack a 'false flag'". Raw Story.
  60. ^ Palmer, Evan (16 March 2020). "Conservative pastor says his church 'will never close' because of coronavirus: 'we're raising up revivalists, not pansies'". Newsweek. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  61. ^ Naughtie, Andrew (16 March 2020). "Coronavirus: US conservatives spark backlash after socialising against official health advice". The Independent. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  62. ^ Mantyla, Kyle (16 March 2020). "Rodney Howard-Browne: Coronavirus Pandemic Is a Globalist Plot to Kill People With Vaccines". Right Wing Watch. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  63. ^ a b Wolf, Colin (26 February 2020). "Tampa pastor who claimed to cure Zika now says he will cure Florida of coronavirus". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  64. ^ "Christians Protest the River at Tampa Bay Church for Risking the Spread of COVID-19, Including Pastor's False Promise to Cure the Coronavirus". Boca Raton Tribune. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  65. ^ Fearnow, Benjamin (30 March 2020). "Tampa megachurch draws hundreds despite social distancing order, pastor defends holding service". Newsweek. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  66. ^ Lanning, Jason (31 March 2020). "Pastor Arrested on Public Health Violation: "Church is an Essential Business"". Bay News 9. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  67. ^ "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". 30 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  68. ^ a b Li, David K (20 March 2020). "Florida pastor arrested after holding church services despite coronavirus orders". NBC News. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
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  72. ^ Sommer, Will; Connor, Tracy (30 March 2020). "Rodney Howard-Browne, Megachurch Pastor Who Flouted Virus Rules, Arrested". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  73. ^ a b Wolf, Colin (3 April 2020). "Orlando lawyer for pastor who held services during coronavirus outbreak says church lost its insurance". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  74. ^ a b Siemaszko, Corky (10 April 2020). "Florida megachurch pastor caves after defying coronavirus rules". NBC News. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  75. ^ Marrero, Tony (15 May 2020). "Charges dropped against Tampa pastor who held services during stay-at-home order". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  76. ^ "The Stand – with Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne".

External links

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