Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

This story can be found at:
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/...H0101/90320016

Pastor, parishioner cited for shooting arrow during church service

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. (AP) — A pastor and parishioner have been cited by police for shooting an arrow during a church service in Sheboygan Falls.

Rev. John Putnam had Jason Wilke shoot the arrow across the front of the church during a recent service at Pentecostals of Sheboygan County. Putnam says it was a "teaching tool" used during his sermon.

As Wilke prepared to shoot the arrow with his bow, one man stood up and objected, telling Putnam it was unsafe and illegal. Parishioners say Putnam told the man to be quiet and sit down.

When the man objected a second time, Putnam asked him to leave. He did and called police.

Wilke was cited for using a missile indoors. Putnam was cited for aiding and abetting. Both were fined $109.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Man ya'll pentecostals need to chill out with all this excitment someones really going to get hurt all the head pushing and arrow shootong going on...LOL

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

When the spirit of the law is lost the letter of the law takes over and the result is bondage for everyone.

The verses below are what happens when the letter of the law is observed.

And that is what happened in this church too.

Mat 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against [their] parents, and cause them to be put to death.

Mar 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against [their] parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

It may well have been an unsafe exercise.

A proper response from the pastor may have been:

" I understand and appreciate your concern brother and I will respect it today.

Even though I feel this demonstration could be carried out safely we will error on the side of safety."

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Here's the reason the person objected.ROMANS 2
8 But unto them that are CONTENTIOUS, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Some people are lookin for an excuse to backslide, huh?

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

or....maybe his kid was sitting on the front row.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Wait are you saying it was ok for the pastor to shoot an arrow with people around or am I reading this wrong...I hope you were saying the man that told did the correct thing..

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

"yall pentecostals?"

why are you here?

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

The man was probably looking for trouble. As long as the arrow wasn't aimed at someone it was no big deal. I heard of a church that had some masked men come in at offering time and took the offering. The pastor was demonstrating the idea that men will rob God. Stunt went over like a lead balloon.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

There was a lady on the news that was hit by an arrow on Monday.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/41...Unciaec8O7EyUr

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Their website says he is the police Chaplain. That's awkward. I do believe that the demonstration could be done safely, but if it is against the law I guess it's not worth the trouble.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Ok sounworthy I am going to act like i did not hear that do you know that arrow could of lost a fletching and went off coarse and really hurt someone..

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Here's the whole story:

A Sheboygan Falls pastor and parishioner were issued municipal citations Thursday for firing an arrow during Sunday's service as part of a sermon illustration.
Advertisement

About 120 people were attending the evening service at Pentecostals of Sheboygan County, 621 Broadway, when the Rev. John Putnam had Jason Wilke, 26, draw and fire a steel-tipped practice arrow across the front of the church.

Putnam called it a "teaching tool."

Police call it illegal.

Wilke, of Sheboygan Falls, was cited for using a missile indoors, and Putnam was cited for aiding and abetting that ordinance violation. Both will be fined $109.

But Kohler Police Chief Bill Rutten said no criminal charges will be filed.

"Our department did not feel that it rose to the level of endangering safety," Rutten said. "Anytime with bows and arrows or firearms, there's always that chance for a malfunction to happen, but nothing did happen aside from the firing into the target, so we're thinking that an ordinance violation is appropriate in this case."

Rutten said Wilke, at Putnam's direction, stood on the far left side of the occupied front row and fired at a foam target on the right side of the stage, shooting the arrow across the congregation but slightly away from them.

"Even if their had been a malfunction, the likelihood of something bad happening (is slim)," Rutten said.

Putnam, 30, defended the illustration when contacted at his office on Thursday.

"We use props all the time for messages," he said. "It was a completely controlled, choreographed demonstration."

Not all churchgoers agreed.

One man stood up and objected as Wilke drew the compound bow, telling Putnam firing the arrow was unsafe and illegal, according to two parishioners. Putnam told the man to be quiet and sit down, which he did until Wilke drew the bow again.

The man objected a second time, after which Putnam said he asked the man to leave. Putnam said the church will seek a restraining order against the man, who he said was yelling and "causing a disruption."

The man then reported the incident to Sheboygan Falls police, who responded to the church and spoke with the pastor. The incident was turned over to the Kohler Police Department on Monday since Putnam is the former chaplain of the Sheboygan Falls Police Department.

One woman in attendance described the scene differently from Putnam, saying the man's objection was "very gentle and very respectful."

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said church leaders closed the rear doors of the church after the man left, and Wilke then fired the arrow.

"Our family was a little scared," she said. "They can easily ricochet and kill a person. That's happened."

Putnam said he was challenging churchgoers to be active in sharing their testimonies with others. He was elaborating on a passage that details spiritual "equipment" given to Christians, such as the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit and the belt of truth.

"I used the practice arrow just as the fact that an arrow by itself — your testimony by itself — is no good, so you have to have a bow, and the bow is that equipment," Putnam said. "And you have to have a target, and still with all that if you never pull it back and release it then it still does not accomplish its objective."

He said the illustration — which was practiced in the church basement before the service — endangered no one.

"Was it completely safe? Absolutely — it was completely safe," Putnam said. "If I knew it would cause this kind of problem, I certainly would have reconsidered."

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

I think that the pastor meant well but ultimately the pastor should obey the law.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Yep and they are lucky someone in the congregation didn't have a gun on them and pull it out and shoot on of their "own".

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Most likely the Pastor didn't realize there was a law against this. However, with the increase of using "props" for messages, especially weapons, ministers should always verify their use against local ordinances.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

THIS IS FUNNNNNNNY!!!! ISN'T PUTNAM THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT!!!!

He appeared to me to be a very arrogant person, but I could be wrong!!!


Kudos to the man who turned him in. I would have done the same. He should have known better!! Safety for the people should always be the first concern.:thumbsup

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

TJ, I think that the fact that they tried it first in a controlled environment shows that safety was an issue for him. Was it ill-advised? Certainly, considering it turns out to be illegal. However, in this day and age where people use motorcycles jumping ramps in the sanctuary to illustrate things, it's not completely crazy.
I don't think it should have been done (particularly knowing that it is illegal). However, they tried it and deemed it to be safe...and apparently it did go without any problems during the actual illustration.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Understand what you are saying Stew, but this guy is the District Official. The fact that someone raised questions about it and then was escorted out was enough to make you think, "Maybe this isn't the best idea"!

Of course, they had to say the man, who was escorted out, was making a scene! Com'on! I would have been making a scene!!! Just a few Sunday's ago there was a pastor killed!

Bad judgment, bad timing, bad example!!!

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

We don't know the attitude of the man complaining. He could be the nicest man in the world who was truly concerned for the safety of the congregation or he could be a total jerk who looks for the least excuse to cause trouble.

Putting him and his actions aside though it does seem like a rather dangerous "prop" to use so close to a congregation during a service. It seems like this pastor may lack some common sense or good judgement at best.

In a large church where the shooter and target could be isolated completely away from the congregation it might be appropriate but based on the description I read this was way too small and confined an area to be shooting a compound bow amongst a group of people.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Are you speaking of the Pastor or the man objecting. In either case, unless you've met them in person, this article is hardly enough to judge either man.

I do agree, safety should be the first concern with using props in an illustrated message ... point in case

A youth minister several years ago used a pistol with blanks as a prop for an illustrated message he gave. Sadly it would be his last...

He used the term "russian roulette" with the gun as a prop and would spin the barrel and pull the trigger to emphasize a point. His mistake was putting the gun flat against his head and pulling the trigger.

Even with a blank, you could be seriously injured or, as in this case, even killed.

His wife and kids were in the audience for this tragic event...

Safety and proper use are very critical in the use of props, whether for dramas or illustrated sermons.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Here's the source for the above story...

Source

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

The pastor, John D. Putnam, is the son of the DS, John E. Putnam.( I think)

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

That's what I was about to say. The elder Putnam is the official to the best of my knowledge.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

One time we had an evangelist preaching and he kicked his leg up and his shoe went flying into the congregation. Does that count as a flying missile?

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

i remeber we had a sister in our church years ago. Every service she'd get to shouting and dancing about and she'd kick off her shoes. They would sometimes fly almost to the ceiling.
You didn't want to be in front of this sister when she got wound up.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

We are living in such a litigious society, wasn't it in the thread about Modesto and Keys getting sued? Could you imagine if a shoe took off and beaned someone? Oboy, look out!

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

I remember people getting speared by spike heels when some sister would get to dancing. Times were different then; no one would think of suing over something at church.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

It is a different day and age that we are living in. If I am working the altar and someone new is praying there, I will ask them if I may pray fr them and with them. We have got to be so careful today.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

It is good to get their permission before praying for them.
It's good if men pray for men and women pray for women.
It's good to ask them if you may place your hand on their shoulder or touch their hand when you pray.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

What does shooting a weapon in a church being unsafe and objecting to it have to do with not obeying the truth?

In fact we are commanded to obey the law of the land....seems the Pastor is the one being contentious

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Why do you supposed it is illegal? Unsafe?

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Done safely in doors, across the front of the church? I supposed this cop thought it was safe to check his glock in a class room too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhIJOVD8hwY

There is a reason why this is illegal.

Safe would have been to be outside on a range and shooting the arrow away from the congregation and into a bail of hay.

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

And they are taking a restraining order out on the man....wow

Re: Shooting a Missile in Church?
 

Perhaps there's more to the story than what the article gives. Could be the man has caused trouble before or has since.