ABC World News Tonight - Jackson TN..Church

[NLYP]

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4269932&page=2

Watch the video clip to the right....


How One Church Survived Tornado
Pastor Recalls a Decision That Kept Congregation Out of Harm's Way
In Jackson, the Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church sits empty and in ruins. The roof is collapsed, the pulpit is buried under debris, but Pastor Donald Lance says, "We don't have a tragedy here, I have a testimony."

Lance held Sunday services in space donated by the nearby Northside Assembly Church. In his sermon Lance said, "You can replace the building but you cannot replace families."

As he gave a tour of the remains of the church, Lance said he had regularly scheduled services on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m., the exact time the tornado struck. He said it may have been divine inspiration that caused him to cancel those services just hours before the storm hit the city.

But when the tornado hit Lighthouse Pentecostal Church, Lance, his wife and two children and a dozen friends were inside the large structure. They managed to find shelter and all survived by hiding in a concrete closet in the church's gymnasium.

"You could hear the roar and you could feel the wall shaking and you could hear the hail coming down and three seconds later it was over," he said.

Then he went into the sanctuary and saw his pulpit "was upside down, we actually pulled it out and I thank God that we were not inside."

At a time when funerals are being held for the victims of the torandos, Lance said,

"Somebody could be preaching my funeral or I could be preaching a lot of funerals in the next week or so and I am not," he said. "We just got to rebuild a building."
The church has insurance and volunteers have come from across the country to save pews, stained glass windows and Bibles.

Lance says it could take more than a year to rebuild, but says he has the support of the congregation. Members of the Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church know that their building is in ruins but say their church sits on sacred ground.

[NLYP]

BUMP

[CC1]

You would think if he thought it was important enough to cancel services he would not have had his family, a bunch of kids, and a dozen friends in the church building when the tornado hit! (unless of course it seemed a safer place than his home and it might have).

[Rico]

So, who did Brother Lance end up marrying? The last time I saw him he was a much in demand evangelist, looking for a wife.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Rico

So, who did Brother Lance end up marrying? The last time I saw him he was a much in demand evangelist, looking for a wife.

Sis. Lance

[Monkeyman]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Sis. Lance

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by CC1

You would think if he thought it was important enough to cancel services he would not have had his family, a bunch of kids, and a dozen friends in the church building when the tornado hit! (unless of course it seemed a safer place than his home and it might have).

Did it mention he canceled services because of the weather or for another reason?

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Sis. Lance

[AmazingGrace]

If I remember right one of the videos said he was already at the church... looked out and saw the storms and called and cancelled.. possibly him and his family were already all there and someone he couldnt contact???????

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by AmazingGrace

If I remember right one of the videos said he was already at the church... looked out and saw the storms and called and cancelled.. possibly him and his family were already all there and someone he couldnt contact???????

Okay that sounds like a lot of calling though. In a church that size it would be hard to do.