Pastor Tony Spell says he fulfilled Scripture in beatdown of man who threatened family, church

June 26, 2026

Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, says he was acting in fulfillment of a New Testament scripture that references “placing hands” on sick people when he administered a beating to a man who repeatedly threatened to rape and murder his family and harm his congregation.

The Christian Post reports that Spell was arrested and charged with second-degree battery on Tuesday after he was recorded in a nearly one-minute video beating a 20-year-old neighbor who swung at him first near his church.

Spell addressed his congregation shortly after he was released from the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a $25,000 bond, telling them that his actions needed no repentance.

“This day began with the Scripture being fulfilled in the Gospel according to St. Mark, Chapter Number 16, and verse 18. There were some things, Bro. Meritt, that followed the New Testament church. The Bible said these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name, they shall speak with new tongues. We do that.  In my name, they shall lay hands on the sick. And they shall recover,” Spell explained.

Spell added, “So today, Bro. Meritt, all of you, I fulfilled the Scripture, I laid hands on the sick. I don’t know how much recovery they’re gonna have, but I laid hands on the sick. Hallelujah. Jesus. Lord, have mercy.”

According to the Christian Post, Spell held a press conference Wednesday in front of his church and explained that the man who received the beatdown is a part of a group that has been harassing Spell’s congregation for years.

Spell said he was accosted by the man on Tuesday morning while doing maintenance work on his church’s fleet of buses and that the man began to harass him.

Spell recalled, “He said, ‘Tony, I’m gonna rape your wife. I’m gonna rape all of your grandchildren.’ And he said, ‘The next time you go out of town, I’m going to kill them. And what the F are you going to do about it?’”

Following his arrest, Pastor Spell told his congregation that he was locked in a cell from about 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., but he used the time to pray and fellowship with the other inmates who were “very kind.”

The Christian Post reports that, later that evening, Spell had a vote of confidence in his leadership, and members responded with resounding approval of his beatdown of the man who threatened his family and church.

Photo: top, Credit: YouTube/Tony Spell