Free Chapel’s Jentezen Franklin tests positive for COVID-19 The Rev. Jentezen Franklin, Free Chapel senior pastor, speaks during the Life is Beautiful service at Free Chapel on Saturday, April 13, 2019. - photo by Austin Steele
Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, according to an official announcement from the megachurch on Monday.
Franklin was exposed to “an associate of the congregation in the metro (Atlanta area) on Thursday, who turned out to be infected,” Free Chapel Executive Pastor Tracy Page said in the church’s statement.
Lakewood Baptist, Free Chapel cancel in-person Christmas Eve services
Lakewood Baptist Church and Free Chapel will not hold in-person Christmas Eve services.
Joy Willis, Lakewood Baptist Church s marketing director, told The Times on Monday that the 10 p.m. in-person function planned for Thursday, Dec. 24, has been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. Instead, the church will stream a virtual service at 4 p.m. Thursday. People can tune in through Lakewood Baptist’s Facebook page, YouTube channel or website.
Free Chapel also announced Monday that it would move its in-person East Coast Christmas Eve services online, after Senior Pastor Jentezen Franklin tested positive for COVID-19. People can view the virtual experience at 5 p.m. Thursday, at freechapel.org.