'How dare you': Pastor infected with coronavirus slams faith leaders who kept their churches open

A California pastor is urging other religious leaders to heed lockdown orders and keep their churches closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Reverend Johnnie Clark with Word Assembly Church in East Oakland says it's a matter of life and death -- something he's familiar with since he's now recovering from the virus.

Clark says he misses the church he's been preaching at for 15 years, which has been empty since March when the lockdown orders started, Fox 9 reports.

When Clark was sick with the virus, he said the pain was so unbearable that he contemplated suicide.

"I was in such horrible turmoil and ache," he said. "I actually wanted to take my life."

He was in the hospital for over a month and was on a ventilator for 10 days.

In a message to other pastors who insist on keeping their churches open, Clark's words were simple: "How dare you."

"Who are you to tell people to go to a place that's unsafe?" Clark said.

Watch Fox 9's report below: