"Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/...l_twitter_abcn

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Well,...


http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...3&postcount=53

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Any church needs to be prepared for an armed attack. Smaller churches can handle this through an informal security plan, usually the ushers. Probably the only difference is that in the past strong arms would have been enough to handle any disturbance and now at least some need to be armed with a firearm.

Larger churches need to be prepared with a formal security plan and team to execute a consistent and comprehensive watch to do the best to keep church goeers safe.

My church has a security team made up of qualified volunteers for each of our four weekend services. You can pick them out by the secret service type earpieces if you look closely. Our pastor doesn't go to the platform until the last praise and worship song and if you look closely you can see a security guy following him across the back of the congregation and up the side aisle at a discreet distance. That security guy then sits clsoe to the front the rest of service.

Our security team is trained to defuse situations rather than escalate them so they are very professional and calm. They don't provoke or act in any rude way. However they can respond with physical force if required.

I know we also have a uniformed and armed deputy at services some or all of the time. I don't know if he is a member, volunters, or is hired.

It is a sad testament that any of this is necessary but I think the Lord expects us to use common sense to protect churchgoers in this crazy age we live in. All of our security is very discrete so as not to draw attention away from church itself.

(I will now count to ten and wait for EB or some other fine christian poster make some smart alek remark about my post and remind me why I rarely post here anymore)

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

It is sad that this is becoming more commonplace in our places of worship.

The church I attend is small, anywhere from 80 - 110 on Sundays. The men's leader, who's also an usher, always carries. Now and then I've seen one other congregant carrying, but I don't know of anyone else. I don't know that this church has any kind of emergency plan or anything.

One church I attended previously was a bit larger - approx 150 - 200. There was an "Amour Bearer" who was always near the Pastor while he was at the church. He had a shoulder holster. That church's Pastor had single men who would sit in the aisle seats in various areas. They were placed so as to try and stop anyone from, I guess, charging the platform or if someone came into the auditorium with a weapon, to try and quickly engage them and attempt to stop any kind of attack.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Most of the old preachers who have passed on would shudder to go to many of our churches today, they faced opposition all the time, many times the antagonists were armed. They just said... "In the Name of Jesus", seemed to work for them but.....

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

All you that believe in carrying guns better never go to another country, you will be scared to death.

In other countries you have to have faith.... yes I know that is archaic but that is the way it is.

Wow. I expect the Baptists who don't believe in the Spirit to grab on to this but Apostolics? Yet, i have heard it and seen it for myself.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

[Luk 4:29-30 NKJV] 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them [and pepper spraying them all while pointing his gun at them], He went His way.

Right?

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Pastors being shot while preaching in pulpit, because they had a lack of faith, or lack of verbal command backed by faith....
Uhhh OK.
You can let his children know if he’d have had more faith, or been a little faster at invoking the name of Jesus, he would still be alive. That way they’ll have an understanding.
:nah

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

He commanded His disciples to be armed (Luke 22:36).

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Exactly. I doubt the pacifists whining about a church taking steps to protect the congregation would stand by and just pray for protection while somebody attacked one of their children or raped their wife. They would be trying to protect their family the best way they could. OF course being pacifist they most likely would not have any weapons on their home so would be slap out of luck.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

At my Church an intruder with a gun would be faced with several men with guns and at least one woman with a gun. We be like "hey, you got three seconds to say your prayers, get baptized in Jesus' name and get the Holy Ghost or we're gona open fire". And if we're feeling up to it, after the shoot out we may raise him back to life again.

It's just a joke guys...

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

:heeheehee

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

CC1, ever dealt with any of this situations? Do you hail from Wakanda? Anyway, to be deadly serious, men have had their children attacked (they couldn't do a thing about ) men have had their wives assaulted in front of them. Do you carry a gun 24/7? Are you trained in hand to hand combat? All different situations with armed men, unarmed men. Men who were trained fighters, who were just over powered. Whose "children" and "wives" were captured first, and held at gunpoint, or worse. Passive behavior in the Bible is about the individual, and how he "singular" should behave. Jokers who bring up the assaulted wife scenario never got into that sort of situation. Or never, ever, knew anyone who has. Bro, it is a ugly world out there, people get outnumbered, people get overpowered. Are you a sound sleeper? Ever got awakened with someone standing over you with a shotgun in your face? A guy answers his door and gets a bullet in his head, the two dudes then started killing everyone in the house to remove witnesses. The guy who was assassinated in his doorway was a pretty formidable hombre. Went to the door with a loaded gun. But he didn't get the first shot off. Yes, yes, yes, gun owners get killed. Pacifist (Christain) have been known to have GOD protect them. In all sorts of crazy situations.

Old sister in her 90s had some creeps enter her home at 5 AM and they started trashing the place. She sat at the kitchen table with her Bible. When they couldn't find anything that they deemed of value they wanted to smack her around until she was ready to remember where she hid her money. Which she didn't have much, they had already found that, but they were getting frustrated and upset, so it was time to get physical. The sister was praying all the time the cowards were ransacking her place. Her cats were trying to find shelter. When one of the creeps cracked the animal across the room with a broom he had found. The sister screamed out PLEASE JESUS HELP! At that moment her microwave blew up, and the ceiling fan light burst over their heads. At that, they ran like the devil was after them. As they were fleeing the scene two cruisers met them.

Not saying that this will be assured to one and all who pray. Same goes for Dirty Harry theology. But I would NEVER mock a congregation going to prayer.

Anyway, I'm in house churches so we don't have walk ins just be bopping in.

Hey, CC1 are they lock n loaded where you go to ecclesiastically sit? :)

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Stop the guy using the sword, and glue the victim's ear back on?

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

:thumbsup

I have heard and seen God doing things like this :).

Regardless, What do you think persecution looks like anyways? Do you really think you can stop and prevent persecution for his name sake if it is meant to be in your church? (Rhetorical question, not directed to you EB)

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

And the carnality in the church marches on....

And they wonder why the Spirit of God moved out. It does seem that when fear moves in God moves out.

Hope everything works out for you guys...

Just saying.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Persecution looks like this....

http://ricktuma.com/img/pictures/odd...t-optimize.gif

CC1, hurry, whip out your Daisy Powerline 880! Aim for their lips!!! :heeheehee

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

In the USA, persecution is looking like economic oppression from the govt and corporations against those that won’t compromise. And violence from terrorists and haters in the community.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Right.

NRA has had a couple banks now close their accounts and refuse to do business with them because of backlash.

Any business or employee who speaks against gender/lgbtq issues, especially on social media, is quickly mobbed and boycotted. And if it's a person, they're doxxed and their employers are harassed until the person is fired.

You also have small business owners intentionally targeted by those hoping to expose some sort of discrimination and force the business to close.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

have you been directly affected?

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Well, from the country I came from I suffered direct violence and threats including prison. Not because of proselytizing, but because of not participating in their sins.

Thankfully, here in the USA, I have not suffered nothing. However, few days ago, they asked me to allow for non-binary genders in what I was doing... and I did my job but didn’t include support for non-binary gender. I don’t want to have anything to do with that. I haven’t suffered any consequences... yet. Let’s see when they find out :)
I won’t give further details.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

I expect Baptists and the others to be afflicted with diseases and have medicine cabinets filled and overflowing, but unfortunately Apostolics die from cancer and suffer from diseases in spite of prayers and faith.

I expect sinners to suffer with depression and get on mental meds, sad to see Apostolics dealing with the same thing and taking the same meds.

I don't carry but I won't condemn those who do.

I believe God is in total control, regardless of what we do. If God says it's your time, it won't matter if you have a gun or if you pray like Vesta Lane Mangun. If He says it's time, you're done. You can play cowboy or talk in tongues like a chinaman, it won't matter. You can fill your body with chemo poison or have your issue go viral and have thousands praying for you. Will not matter.

Just be ready.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

The United States is pretty good at protecting the rights of "groups"
Especially individual rights if we have the time, money, and effort to fight for our rights, non-binary genders is still new, and most likely end up being abandoned by the community at large. But my own experiences is that I don't have any direct or indirect issues concerning persecution. Persecution as you stated in your post. I have been a citizen of this country for 58 years, and have had no issues with persecution. I do believe we do a little more imagining things and building bridges we will never cross. Greater is Jesus Christ than anything out there. That's if we allow Him to be great in our lives. Most people actually tie Jesus' hands and therefore have to rely on themselves. Churches that have to lock and load, and have volunteer retired KGB standing in their midsts, are usually more Freudian Jesus, then Jesus of Nazareth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QfR...channel=Becket

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Yes, the USA has been always good at accommodating people’s religions. I hope it stays the same, that way I don’t have to be looking for other jobs :)
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

We shall see the directions the United States will go. Being raised by an atheist who was a prepper (before prepping was cool) I got to see the whole fear of impending doom play out. My old dad would of got a real kick out of Churches having to have armed protection.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Idk 🤷🏻..♂️

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Allow me, what fatalism is about is that you can't oppose your fate.
Meaning that you were born to complete a journey which was foreordained before you were even born. This is big in Eastern Religions, like Hinduism.
It is a total drag, and gives way to a caste system which you cannot get out from under.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

What's wrong with state-created entities, like 501(c)3 corporations masquerading as non profit churches practicing many of the rites of Baal, having armed security?

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

That is the thing isn't it?

The armed guards, and Stasi agents dispersed among the crowd. All goes along with the triple vanilla latte at the Starbucks in the lobby. Barefoot pastor gives u a down to earth vibe, but wait, who are the guys in flak jackets? Calvary Chapel is the template for these big box churches, and they come complete with funny stand up hipster comedian barefoot theologian. With his armed attache.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Tell me, brother, if God says it's time to go what can you do to change that?

I don't believe in fatalism but I've seen too many good and Godly people die in spite of the prayers of hundreds or thousands of Holy Ghost filled Apostolic saints. Instead of doubting, I have decided that God is in control and there's nothing we can do to change His will.

Please explain where I'm wrong.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

He had in the past Isaiah 38:1-6

The Bible shows how God makes a decision to wipe out a people Exodus 32:7-14, a city Genesis 18:26, Isaiah 37:35, and through prayer things are changed, The prayers of a righteous man availeth much. We can wax philosophically over this, and walk away thinking that when your ticket is pulled its pulled. Then I would say that doubt is waiting at the door of every prayer room. Prayer changes things, and I'm totally not focused on it may be his or her's time. No, we will pray to see the optimum results no matter how bleak things may be.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Sometimes we forget that God isn't some eternally static portrait, but a living thinking BEING. We are, after all, made in His image. The Bible is full of examples of people reasoning with and interceding with God, and God responding to them.

:thumbsup

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

If he wasn't we all would be deader than fried chicken.

Re: "Churches arm, train congregants"
 

The Eastern Religions deal with fate, and it is such a bummer that once you are stuck in it you an't get out. An untouchable is stuck, and the religion just tells the guy that he has to suck it up. We are not fated, then there would be no need for a prophet to come warn you about the road sign up ahead. Prophets were the ones to give a heads up, and after we got the red flag, we needed to make a life choice. That's were knees and then face come in. Either the knees hit the floor, or our face, in snot bubbles and tears. A broken and contrite spirit He will not cast aside. He is for us all the way, it is predicated on us reaching out to Him, and acknowledging where we are at. Jesus knows where we are at, He want to us to know where we are at. Cain, where is your brother. God already knew where Abel was because his blood was crying out to Him. Yet, God wanted Cain to know where His brother was.
We need to kno, we need to pray, we need to get it done. We want to see changes? Then we need to pray for changes, and not faint.