Greg Locke

Gregory Duane Locke (born May 18, 1976) is an American non-denominational Charismatic preacher and pastor. He is the founder of Global Vision Bible Church in Lebanon, Tennessee. Locke became prominent on social media for making controversial statements, which included calling the COVID-19 pandemic a hoax and discouraging his congregation from wearing masks or being vaccinated. He was present at the 2021 United States Capitol attack and had encouraged his congregation to attend. In subsequent years, Locke became increasingly focused on exorcism and demonic possession, releasing a film on the topic, Come Out in Jesus Name, in 2023.

Early life Locke was born in Donelson Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1976. According to Locke, his father was imprisoned during his early childhood, and his mother remarried when he was five. Locke subsequently had a turbulent relationship with his stepfather. As a teenager, he preached on a local radio station. Locke has been described as having a "flair for the theatrical," which included a four-day stint in a scissor lift to solicit donations for homeless people, and releasing a rap song under the name "Rev Rymz" to raise awareness of child trafficking. Locke cultivated the image of an "old-school, over-the-top pastor with a country twang," with such stunts as fastening a bible to a baseball bat and demolishing a pink dollhouse onstage. He stated that those who wore masks to church services would be asked to leave, and discouraged vaccination among his congregation. His sermons during this period incorporated QAnon conspiracy theories and claims of an "unholy plot" by political figures against Christians. He also promoted the "Stop the Steal" campaign following the 2020 United States presidential election. Afterward, Locke condemned the violence but maintained, without evidence, that it had been instigated by antifa agitators. As of April 2022, Locke's combined social media following numbered in the millions. Locke has been a speaker at multiple stops on the pro-Trump ReAwaken America Tour, which promotes conspiracy theories about vaccines and the 2020 presidential election.

Focus on exorcism and demonic possession Following the end of the Trump administration, Locke shifted his public ministry's focus toward exorcism and demonic possession.

On February 2, 2022, Locke organized a burning of books and materials related to witchcraft and the occult, including novels from the Twilight and Harry Potter series. On February 13, 2022, during a subsequent sermon, Locke claimed to have identified six "witches" within his congregation during an exorcism and threatened to expose their names publicly.

Come Out in Jesus Name (2023) Locke served as executive producer and subject of the documentary film Come Out in Jesus Name, released in March 2023 through Fathom Events. The film chronicled the ministries of deliverance ministers including Alexander Pagani, Isaiah Saldivar, and Mike Signorelli, culminating at Locke's revival tent in Tennessee.

Burning Bible attack On March 31, 2024, on Easter Sunday, an unidentified man parked a trailer loaded with Bibles near an intersection adjacent to Locke's church and intentionally set it alight, according to the local sheriff's office. Locke stated that the act "was most assuredly directed at us" and characterized it as evidence that Christianity is "under attack more than ever before in the United States of America."

Alleged FBI raid In July 2026, Locke said that approximately 60 federal agents had raided his home and searched the offices of Locke Media as part of an investigation into allegations including the misappropriation of church funds. According to Locke, agents seized electronic devices and financial records, and he said that he had been told that he had been under investigation for about two years. He denied wrongdoing and said that he and Global Vision Bible Church had "nothing to hide". The Christian Post reported that the FBI's Tennessee field office did not immediately confirm whether it was involved in the investigation.

Personal life Locke met his first wife, Melissa Biggers, at Good Shepherd Children's Home, where he was a ward of the state and she was a staff member. The two became engaged in 1995. They have four children, two of whom are adopted. In January 2018, Locke announced via Facebook that he and Biggers had separated; their divorce was finalized in May 2018. Locke married Tai Cowan McGee later that same year; prior to their marriage, she had served as his administrative assistant. Locke has repeatedly denied any suggestions of infidelity.

On March 3, 2026, Locke was arrested in Lebanon, Tennessee, on a charge of driving with a suspended license and was released shortly thereafter. On May 8th 2026, Greg Locke announced on social media that his 20-year-old son Evanwho had struggled in the past with addictionhad died of an overdose.

Published works

Filmography Come Out in Jesus Name, documentary film, 2023 (executive producer)