I was shocked with the recent senseless killing spree of Matthew Murray. I was equally shocked when he encountered resistance at New Life Church in Colorado Springs from an armed security guard. When I heard that I wondered, "What kind of church has an armed security guard on duty?"
New Life Church is a megachurch with thousands of members. It was led, until recently, by the Rev. Ted Haggard who was a major figure in the evangelical movement until he was removed because of allegations of homosexual encounters with a prostitute and drug abuse.
The armed guard was Jeanne Assam, a former police officer from Minneapolis, who was licensed to carry her weapon. She was also, presumably, well trained in firearms safety.
Still, I have to ask, am I the only one troubled by the idea of armed guards at churches? Am I the only one who sees an issue with confronting firepower with firepower as being an odd reading of the gospel?
The media seems to be rushing to praise Assam as a hero whose actions prevented many innocent deaths. Maybe that's so. I can't say. But what does it say about our faith when we have to station armed guards at the doors of our churches?
Perhaps I am naive. But I am not speaking without some experience. I and my family were held up at gunpoint at my church in November 1999. Admittedly, the gunman was not out for blood, he was out for money, which I gladly gave - the four bucks I had in my pocket. I play over that scene over and over again in my mind wondering what I could have done differently or if I should have done anything differently. I also wonder what difference it would make if I had been packing at the time.
In Romans 12 Paul writes, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil... never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God." But, a few verses later, in Romans 13 he writes, "if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain!"
So my soul remains troubled by this story and I hope your spirit will be with my spirit in prayer. Let us pray for those who think violence is the only answer to the problem, whether perpetrator or protector.
Please leave your own comments or thoughts about this.
Comments (4)
My soul is equally troubled, and I cannot regard Assam as a hero, nor be comfortable with the employment of armed guards in a Christian church.
My sense is that every church, by the law of love and the command to turn the other cheek, must, in faithfulness to the plain and clear word of Christ and the counsel of Paul, be a weapon-free zone.
Thank you for inviting us into this conversation.
Posted by Rick Edwards | December 13, 2007 4:10 PM
Posted on December 13, 2007 16:10
Lawrence,
Thank you for raising the question. I was out of circulation when this event unfolded and didn't hear of it until it had passed through the fleeting arch of media attention. I did not know until just now that there was an armed guard at New Life.
I resonnate with your concern about this. It reaffirms my suspicion that we in Western society value, above all else, survival at any price. That some Christians embrace this value by posting guard -- an armed guard --where the clear implication is that we're willing to kill you if you threaten to harm us, troubles, troubles, troubles me.
The irony is that "survival at any price" only leads to destruction.
Posted by Linda Quanstrom | December 13, 2007 6:56 PM
Posted on December 13, 2007 18:56
Lawrence,
I, too, had an odd feeling when I heard the story. I appreciate the fact that innocent people's lives may have been saved, but I am troubled by the idea of armed security guards at churches. I will gladly join my troubled soul with yours in prayer.
David
Posted by David Bard | December 13, 2007 7:08 PM
Posted on December 13, 2007 19:08
Lawrence,
A day late and a dollar short, as always. However, I did want to contribute a comment or two.
Having worked in Christian settings which drawn those who are troubled, both mentally and spiritually, I must admit that I have some sympathy for Ms. Assam and the church in which this event took place. When the troubled wander into a situation and disrupt it, there needs to be some sort of response. It is hard to know what to do as these things tend to happen very quickly.
Those who gather do have the right and a reasonably expectation to so without serious disruption (though I would agree with those who say that too much order has, at times, limited the effectiveness of the church). One might then ask whether the right to gather in an orderly fashion, in itself, allows for the use lethal force to protect such events. I think not. However, the question here is rather different. The question is whether it is permissible, or even appropriate, to use lethal force to stop someone from taking innocent lives. Just to be clear, I do not relate to this question lightly as I am very aware of the individual soul that each of us possess. Using physical, much less lethal force is a very serious decision to make.
As Christians, I believe there is a difficult decision which must be faced when it comes to defending ourselves, personally. I have often pondered this issue and wondered what my response should and would be if my life was threatened. I would hope that I would be able to exercise the faith that I claim to have and respond as Christ did to an unjust circumstance.
However, I would not have anywhere near the same reticence or self-questioning if other’s lives were at stake. Scripture often speaks of protecting the weak. Though this is appropriately most often thought of in terms of weak of faith or spirit, is it not also right to protect the innocent whose lives are threatened under no circumstance of their own making. There must have been, if one stops to consider the situation, reasons that this church had members who acted as armed guards during services. If I remember correctly, there was reason for concern during the week this took place due to another violent event which had occurred in the area.
But going back to my main question: Was it not right for Ms. Assam to protect those who could not protect themselves, those whose only hope of defending themselves was to dive under a pew if they were able, even if doing so involved the taking of another life? I believe it was. Not only did she protect others, but put her own life in danger doing so.
I do understand that it is difficult to process such terrible events, particular when such things take place within church walls. However, I also think it important to use the whole of Scripture when assessing what the right action to take might be. May the Lord give us grace, wisdom, good judgment, and His understanding if we ever find ourselves in similar circumstances.
Sincerely,
Stu Ferguson
Posted by Stuart Ferguson | March 6, 2008 9:41 PM
Posted on March 6, 2008 21:41