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Man, weve had a few over the years. Especially back when the church was first getting started.
My pastor was voted in 30yrs ago with a 100% vote. All five members wanted him LOL.
We once had a guy come in. His wife had been comming for a while, we was an abusive drunk. He came in stumbling drunk claiming he was going to beat her and the pastor. LOL Bro. Huntley just kept right on preaching, but it was all 100% right at the guy. Looking him in the face, just preaching away as if he was the only person in the building. Meanwhile the ushers "escorted" him out. We had an awesome service afterward!
Then way back in the early days, we had this wierd freakazoid woman come in the church She sat about middle way. Sometime during the service (I forget what was actually going on, as I was somewhere between 3 and 6) this woman started yelling obcenities and waving her arms and saying crazy stuff about curses and spells and damnation etc.
I remember everyone was kinda freaked. But the preacher, (cant remember if it was a guest min or my pastor, just started quoting scripture, and repuking her in Jesus name. That kinda woke folks up, and I remember hearing the name Jesus being said from all over the sanctuary.
The woman then got down on her belly, arms by her side, and literally slitherd down the center isle hissing like a snake all the way out the front door.
I can remeber going from terrified and thinking the devil was going to take over the church, to just having this overwhelming 'WOW!!!' feeling of being safe.
I remember that for years later, and probably even now, it left me with a feeling of security in the power of the name of Jesus, and feeling that as long as I was in the walls of the church with the people of God there, everything was ok.
I know that now, we have so many who are law enforcement, military, and so many of us have concealed cary permits, that it would be a very bad day indeed for anyone who tried to come into the church with a gun, or trying to physically assault anyone.
I honestly don't think it would ever go so far as one of us having to take protective or lethal action, because I feel that God would stop them before that.
But I also believe that just like in other areas, God expects us to do all we can do, and he will do what we cannot do. I can take steps to protect my family, and myself, so I will and do.
It's kinda like the old saying. I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
I can be prepared, have the tools, training, (and amunition LOL) and awareness to do all I can, and I will trust God to do what I can't, and pray he keeps us from ever needing to use those drastic measures.
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