Changes Could Come To Tulsa’s Virus-Related Ordinance After Large Church Gathering

Changes could be coming to Tulsa’s virus-related ordinances, after a large church gathering this week raised concerns.

Video taken at the concert at Victory Church shows people standing closely together and not wearing masks. The crowd at Victory Church gathered to see the band “Bethel Music,” which shared videos of the concert on social media.  

Jamison Reed was at the event Tuesday and said he did not wear a mask because it was encouraged and not required. 

"My perspective on it, if the mask isn't required, I don't wear it. But if it is required than I'm gonna obey authority and I will wear my mask,” Reed said.  

He said he felt safe at the event. He said he sat with his family and had space around him.  

"They did take their precautions. There were signs of the six feet apart. They also did tape off every other row,” Reed said.

Victory Church Director of Operations Daniel Henshaw said the church is operating at 50% capacity and said he was not sure how many people were at the concert. Reed said he has no concerns this could be a "super spreader" event.  

"No absolutely not. Because the way I see it, is I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe in the Holy Spirit,” he said. “I believe that where the spirit is, God is a god of healing and not of sickness, so therefore when the spirit is there, I believe that there is no sickness there." 

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum at a press conference on Thursday said church leaders told him they were in compliance with The City of Tulsa ordinance. 

"Yet you see the pictures on social media of what occurred at that event. That clearly, to me, demonstrates the limitations of the rules we have in place now and the need to amend them,” Bynum said.  

Bynum said he will meet with the city council in a special meeting next week to discuss amending Tulsa's COVID related ordinance. Any changes could impact event sizes or penalties for not complying with the city's mask mandate.

The church's website said Victory Church has another event coming up, a "Friendsgiving" for this Sunday.