Lt. Gov. Dan Forest told Christian pastors in a video conference Thursday that the political left is using COVID-19 restrictions to hurt the church and that the last chance to fight back is rapidly approaching.

Forest, a Republican running this year for governor, cast stay-at-home restrictions limiting indoor church gatherings in North Carolina as part of a larger, escalating culture war against religious freedom.

"There is no doubt that there are people that are on the left that are using this to pull certain levers to see how far that they can go," Forest said. "How far are they able to push? How long can they keep churches shut down? How long will Christians be silent on this matter before they stand up?"