A Christian evangelist has vowed to continue holding church services in defiance of Victoria's lockdown rules, despite already copping several large fines.
About 50 people attended Pastor Paul Furlong's service at the Christian Revival Church in Narre Warren on Sunday.
"There's no deadly pandemic virus out there, it's a guise to remove our rights," Pastor Furlong told AAP.
Despite the risk of catching the deadly virus, Mr Furlong confirmed he intended to hold another service next Sunday.
"I'm a caregiver... the doors of my church will remain open," he said.
The virus has so far killed 909 people in Australia and more than two million people worldwide.
Victoria's snap lockdown was imposed on Friday due to a fresh outbreak of the hyper-infectious UK virus strain.
Mr Furlong said police had already handed him two fines totalling more than $1600, and police officers visited his house this morning.
People attending the service on Sunday were not wearing masks or abiding by social distancing rules.
But police say they and patrons at a cafe next door left without incident when officers arrived, and they won't be fined.
Before the service, Mr Furlong told his followers on Facebook they should not follow government directives, which he described as evil.
"We will not submit to unconstitution (sic), evil and unlawful directives from a government that represents new world order Antichrist spirit," he said.
