According to WNCN on Sunday, Jan. 3, people at Heal The Land Outreach Ministries celebrated something more than the beginning of a new year. On New Year’s Eve, the pastor of the churchmanaged to disarm a gunman at the church. A man walked into the church carrying a semi-automatic assault rifle in one hand and an ammo clip in the other hand. He pointed the rifle in the air.
Sky News reported that Pastor Larry Wright, who is also a city councilman, was in the middle of preaching his New Year’s Eve sermon to a congregation of about 60 worshippers about senseless violence when a gunman walked into the church in Fayetteville, North Carolina shortly before midnight.
According to Fox8 News, the pastor stepped down quickly from the pulpit when he saw the unknown man, who appeared to be in his late 20s. The 6-feet 2-inch 57-year-old pastor said that if the man had been belligerent, he was going to try to overpower him. Instead, the pastor was able to calm the stranger, take away his weapon and then pray for him.
The pastor said the man fell to his knees and began crying as he was prayed for. Four deacons of the church hugged the gunman, and the pastor asked the man to sit on the front pew. The service was resumed, and the man asked for salvation and gave his life to Christ before the police arrived. The man apologized for disturbing the church service before Fayetteville police took him away to a medical center. Police say the man has not been charged. Instead, he’s receiving treatment at a local facility.
During the incident, church members started screaming and running straight for the door. What could have turned out to be a terrible tragedy on New Year’s Eve turned into a reason to celebrate and give God the glory. Pastor Wright concluded, “God stepped in and he moved on that young man’s heart and instead of him shooting and killing a whole lot of people, God touched his heart.” … Read More