Submission by Joseph Menslage
One Sunday morning in Texas, 26 worshippers were gunned down as they prayed. In Michigan this year, four more were killed after a man drove into a church, set it on fire and opened fire on the congregation. In France and Turkey, priests have been stabbed at the altar and Mass interrupted by gunfire. The sanctuary is no longer safe.
Hostility toward people of faith has escalated in recent years. Churches, once viewed as sacred, peaceful places, are increasingly vulnerable to vandalism, harassment and violence.
In 2017, 26 people were killed at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, when a gunman opened fire during Sunday service (Wikipedia). In January 2025, a man drove into a Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, set the building on fire and opened fire on worshippers, killing four and wounding several others (AP News).
In Europe, a priest was stabbed during Mass in Nice, France, in 2022 (Reuters), and two Islamist attackers murdered 85-year-old Father Jacques Hamel at the altar of his Normandy parish in 2016 (Wikipedia).
These tragedies, among countless others, show that Christian sanctuaries are no longer immune from violence. To ignore that reality is to leave congregations exposed.
Scripture urges vigilance. Jesus told His disciples, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
When Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, laborers carried weapons even as they laid stone (Nehemiah 4:17). In Luke 22:36, Christ advised His followers to be prepared, even if it meant selling a cloak to buy a sword. These passages remind us that faith does not cancel prudence.
Pastors are shepherds. Their call is not only to teach but to protect. Allowing trained members of a congregation to be armed does not foster violence—it ensures survival. Churches can and must work with law enforcement, establish security teams, and prepare for worst-case scenarios.
Faith and action are not enemies but partners. As James 2:26 says, “Faith without works is dead.” Trusting God for protection means also stepping into responsibility.
The threats are real. The question is whether the church will act before the next tragedy. Worshippers should not have to wonder if Sunday morning will be their last.
It is time for church leaders, elders and congregations across America to take responsibility for their safety. Equip volunteers. Train security. Work with police. Refuse to let the sanctuary become an undefended target.
The right to worship freely has been paid for with blood. Defending that freedom now requires courage. The time to act is not tomorrow, or after the next headline—it is today.
