It would appear that going to church in the USA is starting to become a dangerous event. In the news this week there was a story about a church in Colorado Springs where yet another gunman decided to shoot up the congregation. He started by shooting people in the car park and graduated to the church entrance where a volunteer security officer confronted the man and shot him dead. The gunman had already shot dead two people at a Youth With A Mission office 65 miles away.

 The first shooting had led the church security coordinator to increase the volunteer security presence at the church service (which has a relationship with YWAM) and thanks be to God, the security coordinator was there on site when the gunman arrived. In all, seven people died and a number were wounded at the two sites. Considering that the gunman let loose 40 rounds in a church where 7000 people were gathered we can be thankful that the toll wasn’t higher.

I suppose what worries me is that the security coordinator, an experienced law enforcement officer, felt the need to have her gun with her at church. It also worries me that that need was proved to be reasonable! The gunman, from a deeply religious and well respected, professional family, who had nothing criminal in his history other than a parking ticket, took this radical step because at some stage in his past he had been removed from the YWAM missionary training program due to “health” issues.

The times are coming when being a Christian and worshipping with other Christians will be a dangerous life choice, we are seeing it already happening in so-called Christian countries. The question for us is this; is our faith in the truth of the gospel sufficient for us to risk our lives for fellowship? If the answer to this is yes, then the next question is; is our faith strong enough to be forgiving when we are hurt for our faith? If the answer to this second question is yes also, then we are well on track to live lives that reflect Jesus Christ.

In love, Alan