Reflecting on Violence and Churches

It's been over a week now since the killings at YWAM and New Life Church in Colorado. Having worked in schools, I know how we would think more deeply about the situation when a school shooting happened somewhere in the country. There have been other church shootings- one in Milwaukee in the past year killed a number of people. But this recent one struck a nerve because it was in one of those white, suburban situations- and a mega-church to boot.

Corey, at Learning to Listen, reflected on this on Sunday. He talked about his conflicting thoughts with having armed guards at the church.

The whole situation has made me think a little bit about security and churches. I had never heard of armed security guards at a church before. ...On the positive side, the security guard's presence likely saved a number of lives. Had she not acted, more people would have been killed.

Corey goes on, though to raise the really deep issues.

However, I am not convinced that armed security guards are a good practice for churches, even for large politically active and potentially controversial churches like New Life. It seems that our trust gets misplaced. ...

In many parts of the world, the threat of being violently interrupted during a church service is normative. But I don't hear stories of oppressed Christians using violent means to defend themselves. Instead they suffer, being wounded and killed while remaining devoted to Jesus' message of love and hope.

That last paragraph really struck me. I have to agree with Corey in raising that question. What would we think if we heard of armed battles taking places in and around churches in other parts of the world where Christians are being persecuted? How different would the Stoning of Stephen be if he had picked up the stones and started throwing them back? Or what if Jesus had called down a legion of angels? Things certainly would be different, wouldn't they?

Corey also raises the question of churches protecting their members and helping make church a secure (and safe) place. But I am not sure we can ultimately do that. Should we arm ourselves when going to church with other than the sword of the Spirit? Should we have guards and metal detectors? Can we ever truly protect ourselves against those who would seek to do us harm?

Probably not. But these are questions that the church faces. I am grateful that I have never had to face it and that the issues is new for us in America. But in the end our trust is not in the trappings of power or the means of maintaining power. This may be a time to ponder the words of Psalm 20:7:

Some boast of (or trust in) chariots and some in horses. But we boast of (trust in) the Lord our God!

More: Bene Diction Blogs On posted a story yesterday about a church member who has been asked not to come back. It seems he was there when it happened. The church has called this man "volatile" and that he is not welcome. BD says the following:

Volatile? What is wrong with this church? Don’t they have people skilled in trauma counseling and mental health issues? New Life Church has 10 thousand members, it’s the size of a small town.
They turn away the emotionally wounded and seek a restraining order? Unbelievable.

Well said, as is this:

Volatile is a police term...Police use dehumanizing, desensitizing para-military language to distance themselves and get their job done.

When Christians start mimicking the language, there is a major problem. That is not the language of God. That is not giving honour, worth and dignity to people created in the image and likeness of God. It is not an attitude or language a follower of Jesus Christ needs to embrace.

In a violent world it is easy to get sucked-in to the violent language. Think about it- even Paul used war and army images quite regularly. But it is a warning well taken. After all, look what happened over the centuries after Christians adopted war-like imagery.

So let me repeat myself. I said it a few paragraphs ago. I must say it again. Our trust is not to be in the trappings of power or the means of maintaining power. Read again Psalm 20:7:

Some boast of chariots and some in horses. But we boast of the Lord our God!