BONNERS FERRY — Since Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s March 25 issuing of the statewide stay-home order that prohibits all non-essential gatherings of any number of individuals, the churches in Bonners Ferry have complied, moving to alternative services, such as online attendance.

One church has not.

The Lordship Church, located at 6606 Highway 95 in Bonners Ferry, led by Pastor Warren M. Campbell has continued to hold services on Sunday.

Although the Lordship Church was not available to comment as of press time, they state on their website: “A Lordship church is a church that seeks to give Jesus Christ the preeminence in all things. Its orthodoxy and orthopraxy are consistent, in that it is not a creature of the civil government through state incorporation, or 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status. What the state (civil government) creates, it regulates.”

In a sermon given on March 29 by Campbell, that is available on their website and hosted by YouTube, Campbell speaks about why they were gathered together to hold services.

“What we are doing, we believe is extremely important today, and it is also a mandate of our Heavenly Father, so we actually have no option,” said Campbell.

With the Stay-Home order in place to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the noncompliance of the governor’s order and the gathering of people, is a concern for Bonners Ferry Police Chief Brian Zimmerman.

“We don’t have a confirmed case (of COVID-19) in this county yet. There aren’t many places that can say that,” said Zimmerman. “I think it is because people are using common sense. But when we have a church that refuses to comply and we have members coming from Libby and Priest River, and Kootenai County and Bonner County — where there are confirmed cases as well as fatalities as a result of the coronavirus — we are putting everyone in this area at risk with that defiance of the governor’s order.”

Zimmerman also expressed how impressed he was with the community, as a whole, for complying with the governor’s orders, trying to distance, trying to limit their travel, and trying to limit their interaction with other people.

“It is impressive because I know that in parts of the country, that is not the case,” said Zimmerman. “It is a great community with great people here, and we appreciate what they are doing. Everyone is trying to do the right thing and I think it has really helped.”

But the concern remains that if a group of people, some from out of town, continue to meet, they risk bringing and spreading the COVID-19 pandemic in Boundary County.

“This is all about just common sense and thinking about others, and not being selfish,” said Zimmerman. “Our whole objective is to try and keep the community safe.”