CHURCH KILLER ‘PREACHED ATHEISM’…
TRIED BRIBING UNDERAGE GIRLS
TO DATE HIM…
Fractured Infant Stepson’s Skull…
Arrested for Animal Cruelty…
EVANGELICAL LEADER/ANALYST: Reverend Dr. Rob Schenck, is an ordained evangelical minister and president of The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute, located in Washington, DC.
SICK FACEBOOK RANTS…
Wore White Skull Face Mask…
Murder anywhere is supremely tragic, but when it occurs on a mass scale inside of a church during worship, it takes on another dimension of misery. The shooting deaths of multiple people gathered in Sutherland Springs, Texas, is especially heinous because it violated the sacred space of a sanctuary where souls gather in prayer, hear the Bible preached, and care for one another as a family of God. There was a time when churches were considered off-limits even to the most hard-bitten criminals. Not anymore. This recent episode is further evidence of the collapse of decency, morality, and the fear of God.
We must pray for survivors, the loved ones and all who knew the victims, a whole community that has been traumatized, and a country that is growing all too familiar with this type of horrific mass shooting violence. In obedience to the command of God to, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” we must go beyond prayer and take action. Of course, it goes without saying we must put full support behind our brave men and women in law enforcement and other first responders whom we rely on, but there is so much more that we need to do. Many will think it’s time for churches and other “soft targets” to arm up. We must be very careful that we think responsibly at times like these. Texas is the most heavily armed population in America, yet, this perpetrator was not stopped by a civilian. It’s hard to realistically imagine how anyone could have acted fast enough and accurately enough to stop this shooter.
As a nation, we must call on our most experienced, knowledgeable, and strategic professionals to weigh in with their wisdom in how to deny murderous people the means for committing atrocities like this. The killer in this instance could have done far more damage much more easily by throwing a hand grenade into the sanctuary, but he didn’t because he can’t get a hand grenade. The question we must answer is why and how people bent on death and destruction can carry out their dastardly deeds so easily? Just as we frustrate our enemies on the battle field by interrupting their supply chains, let’s do the same with psychopathic killers.
Churches should and must act to protect their people, and law enforcement should be consulted about that need, but we can’t be foolish. A rash response can lead to the unintended consequence of making our houses of worship battlefields instead of safe havens. May God grant pastors, local church leaders, law enforcement personnel, and civic officials wisdom as they work together with dispatch to resolve this life and death crisis in our society.
BIO: The Rev. Dr. Rob Schenck is an ordained evangelical minister and president of The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute, located in Washington, DC. A leader among American evangelicals, Dr. Schenck served a two-year term as chairman of the Evangelical Church Alliance, America’s oldest association of independent evangelical clergy. Dr. Schenck holds a B.A. in Religion, M.A. in Christian Ministry, D.Min in Church and State, and is a senior fellow at the Oxford Centre for the Study of Law and Public Policy. Dr. Schenck serves on numerous boards and committees, including the National Advisory Board on Community Engagement in the State Courts. His professional memberships include the National Association of Evangelicals, the American Academy of Religion, the Capitol Hill Executive Service Club and The University Club of Washington. Dr. Schenck lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Cheryl, a psychotherapist in private practice.
WEBSITE: revrobschenck.com, tdbi.org
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/RevRobSchenck
TWITTER: @RevRobSchenck1