Watch this interview with a very loving man, a professing Christian and a trained National Rifle Association instructor, who, with his AR-15 high-powered rifle, was able — he credits the Holy Spirit — to pierce the Texas church mass murderer’s body armor with two bullets: EXCLUSIVE: Texas Massacre Hero, Stephen Willeford, Describes Stopping Gunman | Louder With Crowder

This is perhaps the most important message I’ve ever written about the Church. Specifically, my message is about how to prevent murders on church property.

How do you prevent murders on your church’s property? I’m calling on all pastors who love children and families in their congregation to recruit a trained, armed man or two to guard every church meeting.

Argument from American history

At the very beginning of what eventually became the United States of America, the Plymouth Colony Christians in the 1620’s knew there was no conflict between biblical Christianity and self-defense. Much holier than today’s professing Christians, they knew that New Testament love isn’t only about saving souls but is also about saving lives within Jesus Christ’s commandment to “love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Here’s historical evidence that these Christians knew life is not only spiritual but physical, which is why they armed themselves to ward off a surprise attack.

See this eye-opening account from an old book, The Illustrated Pilgrim Memorial:

THE PILGRIM MEETING-HOUSE

On one of the most elevated parts of Burying Hill, in Plymouth, the Pilgrim Forefathers of New England erected their first place of religious worship. The exact position of this rudely built structure can be easily pointed out to the visitor who makes his pilgrimage to this hallowed spot. Only a few steps, in an easterly direction, from the tall granite memorial standing over the grave of Elder Cushman may be seen a slightly rising mound, and here tradition places the first site of the Pilgrims’ Meeting House. The following allusion to this interesting building, if such it may be called, appeared in the issue of the Pilgrim Almanac for 1860: —

“Close beside the green hillock subsequently selected as the grave lot of the venerable Elder, the fathers in earlier days built their humble sanctuary — small, indeed, but then the only one in New England, and that one their own, and untrammelled by the yoke of antichristian bondage. They did not place it obscurely, shaded and hidden from sight, as if afraid or ashamed that their house of God should be seen, but upon the hill top, a guide for the wayfarer, a mark for all, — the first object to attract and welcome the eye of the Pilgrim outcast, seeking shelter and repose in the land where the most abject and lowly might worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience, uncontrolled by the dogmas of an established church and the intolerance of a blasting hierarchy. Here, still earlier, stood the scanty fortification of the peaceful little band of puritans, — a simple platform, with slender roof and unpretending battlements, hewn from native forests. Slight as was the structure, it served well to protect them from the sudden inroads of savage beasts, and as a defense against the more wily and barbarous Indian foe. It served another and a holier purpose — it was the place of prayer and the place of worship — the first rudiments of the first building of the first church of the Pilgrim Fathers.”

From a letter of Isaac DeRasieres, evidently a French Protestant, written, probably, in 1627, the following mention is made respecting the same structure of the forefathers: — “Upon the hill they have a large square house with a flat roof, made of thick sawn planks, stayed with oak beams, upon the top of which they have six cannons, which shoot iron balls of four and five pounds, and command the surrounding country. The lower part they use for their church, where they preach on Sundays and the usual holidays. They assemble by beat of drum, each with his musket or firelock, in front of the captain’s door; they have their cloaks on, and place themselves in order, three abreast, and are led by a sergeant without beat of drum. Behind comes the governor in a long robe; beside him, on the right hand, comes the preacher, with his cloak on, and on the left hand the captain with his sidearms and cloak on, and with a small cane in his hand; and so they march in good order, and each sets his arms down near him. Thus they are constantly on their guard night and day.”

Argument from the Old Testament

• God, through Moses, prophesied that repentant Jews would be brought back from captivity.
• God commissioned a holy man, Nehemiah, to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and gates.
• Nehemiah heard and saw the murderous threats from unholy people against God’s work.
• Nehemiah armed his workers so they could repel any attack against their mission.

Nehemiah 4:7-23

Now it happened,when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.” And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.” So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.”

Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.”

Bible scholar Adam Clarke, a protege of Methodist Church founder John Wesley (back when it was biblical and holy), wrote these notes about Nehemiah arming his workers in order to protect and advance God’s mission:

Verse 9
We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch – The strongest confidence in the protection and favor of God does not preclude the use of all or any of the means of self-preservation and defense which his providence has put in our power. While God works in us to will and to do, we should proceed to willing, through the power he has given us to will; and we should proceed to action, through the power he has given us to act. We cannot will, but through God’s power; we cannot act, but through God’s strength. The power, and the use of it, are two distinct things. We may have the power to will, and not will; and we may have the power to do, and not act: therefore, says the apostle, seeing God has wrought in you these powers, see that You Work Out Your Own salvation, with fear and trembling.

Verse 14
Be not ye afraid of them – Are they more terrible or stronger than God?

Fight for your brethren – Your own countrymen, who worship the same God, and are come from the same stock; your sons, whom they wish to slay or lead into captivity; your daughters and wives, whom they wish to deflower and defile; and your houses, which they wish to seize and occupy as their own. They had every thing at stake; and therefore they must fight for their religion, their lives, and their property. A people thus interested, who once take up the sword, can never be conquered.

Verse 17
With one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon – That is, he had his arms at hand, and was as fully prepared to fight as to work.

Argument from the New Testament

Evil is real, and demonic forces hate true Christians. It’s high time for loving pastors to acknowledge this and prevent murder by having armed congregants stationed both outside and inside during church meetings. Because people who are influenced by demons hate and even target Christians.

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)

Here are the facts as I see them:

At this time in America, Christians are being religiously oppressed. Our culture, which has largely rejected God, has transitioned from verbal opposition to the actual taking of religious persons’ property (anyone in the wedding business can fall victim to homosexual activists and their politicians and judges).

Church shootings in Sutherland Springs, Texas (26 murdered, 20 shot but lived), Antioch, Tennessee (1 killed, 7 shot but lived) and Charleston, South Carolina (9 murdered) show how no congregation is safe.

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18)

Application? A local church’s congregation needs protection. True shepherds will recognize this real life need of their brothers and sisters. To not recognize and accept the need for one or two trained, armed men at congregational meetings and events is equivalent to fleeing when the wolf arrives because a hireling “does not care about the sheep.”

• You can harden all the doors to make them kick-proof.
• You can install security cameras to aid you.
• But the way to beat an armed bad guy is with an armed good guy.
• And if the bad guy is wearing body armor, you need a high-powerful rifle.

Already, some loving pastors are taking action:

Texas church shooting underscores security concerns for houses of worship
Many churches have already been proactive in bolstering security. Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Miss., a Memphis suburb, has an emergency response team that helps monitor activities at the 10,000-member church, about half of whom regularly attend services. The team was instrumental last year in helping local police apprehend a man who church personnel had spotted in the parking lot. His motives were unclear, but firearms and explosives were found in his car. Brown Pastor Bartholomew Orr said the church’s extensive security team includes members who are armed.

Knoxville churches juggle security, openness after Texas shooting
Doug Stauffer is the pastor of Antioch Baptist Church on North Broadway in North Knoxville. He said the church has been proactive in protecting its members and has had members with concealed carry permits as security for 15-20 years. The small group goes through a security training class as well, he said. “The idea is the security of the facility … we sort of saw the handwriting on the wall that society is getting much more violent,” he said.

And security experts are urging caring pastors to take preventative action now:

Calls for Armed Security in Churches After Texas Massacre
After the horrific shooting at a Texas church that left 26 people dead and 20 injured, there are growing calls for increased security at houses of worship. Chuck Chadwick, president of the National Organization of Church Security and Safety Management, provides churches with security services personnel through a church volunteer “Gatekeepers Program,” contract security services, consultations and assessments. On “The Daily Briefing,” Chadwick said his first thought when he heard about Sunday’s massacre was, “I sure wish they had had a ‘Gatekeeper’ there.”

Texas AG Ken Paxton: All Churches Need Armed Security
Paxton said his own church in North Texas pays for professional armed security, and suggests all churches, big and small, do the same. “If you can’t afford that, maybe it’s a decent idea to get some people in your congregation trained and ready to respond,” he said. “Had there been people in that building, ready to respond, it could have made a huge difference.” Under Texas’ concealed carry law, churches can forbid people from taking guns inside by simply posting their policy on the door. But Paxton said churches that don’t allow even parishioners to carry guns are making a big mistake. “You’ve got to have people ready and able to respond to these situations,” he said. “We just have to do a better job of being prepared, ready and able to respond, and not just law enforcement.”

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.”
Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, in John 10:11-13

Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
Psalm 144:1