HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — The nation has hit 900,000 deaths from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, but that has not stopped a Tennessee pastor from banning the wearing of masks in his church. He was in the Wiregrass on Friday to spread his often controversial messages.

Despite the rain and cold, Pastor Greg Locke was welcomed by a crowd of over 100 people in Gordon, Alabama. The controversial Tennessee pastor has made national headlines and was kicked off Twitter for spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He is a false prophet,” Pastor Locke said about himself. “Did y’all see that Google said he is worth $129,000,000, Google says men can get pregnant so get over yourself! Google is in bed with the rest of them.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Greg Locke has made many controversial comments regarding the virus, even declaring his congregation a mask-free church.

“If they go through round two and you start showing up all these masks and all this nonsense I will ask you to leave,” Locke said last summer during a sermon at his church. “I am not playing these Democrats games up in this church.”

Despite his rhetoric, the crowd at Mt. Zion Church in Gordon screamed and yelled rejoicements for every word he said.

“And many of them said Pastor Greg Locke is the most hated pastor in America,” Locke said. “That just makes me want to get a cup of Dunkin Donuts and shout out to the Lord.”

In September, Locke was banned from Twitter for spreading misinformation about COVID-19. However, despite that ban, the pastor has received much support beyond his church. This includes followers around the county which includes people in Alabama.

“We have had more witches show up at our I’m talking about full-grown witches. I ain’t talking about no Wizard of Oz nonsense,” Locke said. “I am talking about full-blown witches showing up at our church with crystals, hexes, and vexes and spells.”

WDHN tried to speak with the pastor at the Faith Over Fear Revival, despite being invited to attend the event we were asked to leave by Locke who was trying to pray and heal someone who was having a medical issue.

“I never had so many people hate me in all my life but let me tell you something: I am not worried about it because I am not going until I have been taken up by the glory of God,” he said.

Chants of “Amen” and “Hallelujah” for Locke were heard among the crowd, which came from all over the southeast.

“CNN has been to our church seven times, you think after dating that long, we would get married. Them liberal devils, they malign us,” Locke said.

Despite his often-controversial message, each churchgoer stood in the rain and cold to hear from Locke that day with most saying they would continue to follow him no matter what he preaches.

“Vice News called today, News Week misquoted me, Time Magazine, The Independent, Reddit, everybody you can imagine, everybody you can imagine. Did you see that Pastor Greg Locke is hosting a book burning? Who else burned books but Hilter?”