Stories tagged with: church violence

• Church police dept. would be U.S. first under Ala. bill

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, April 27, 2017 (7 years ago)

  A church could be the first congregation in the nation to open its own police force under a bill progressing through the Alabama legislature, despite disagreement whether it would violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Read More

• Past church violence survivors offer hope, joy

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, June 25, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  BP file photo by Jim Veneman

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) -- Al Meredith had just attended his mother's funeral the day before a man with a gun and pipe bomb attacked a youth prayer event at Meredith's pastorate in 1999, murdering seven and injuring seven others before taking his own life.

  Meredith arrived at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, less than five minutes after the tragedy, already grieving from his mother Hazel Meredith's funeral near Detroit, Mich. Read More

• Love stronger than hate, victim's son says

  by Butch Blume/Baptist Courier, posted Tuesday, June 23, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  Screen capture from CSU Communications video

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) -- Less than 24 hours after his mother died at the hands of an assassin during a church prayer meeting, Charleston Southern University sophomore Chris Singleton stood before television cameras and declared that "love is always stronger than hate."

  Flanked by coaches and teammates, Singleton, who plays baseball at CSU, thanked his teammates for their "amazing" support and recalled his mother's example of showing love to others. Read More

• Light shines from Charleston after massacre

  by Rudy Gray/Baptist Courier, posted Tuesday, June 23, 2015 (9 years ago)

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) -- The national media spotlight has been on Charleston for several days following the massacre of nine Christians during a Wednesday night Bible study at the predominantly black Emanuel AME Church. A 21-year-old white supremacist, Dylann Storm Roof, joined in the service for about an hour before opening fire on the group. Read More

• Charleston church massacre sparks prayer & grace

  by Diana Chandler, posted Monday, June 22, 2015 (9 years ago)

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) -- Southern Baptists are among those praying and uniting after a 21-year-old white supremacist slaughtered nine Christians at a historic black church in Charleston, S.C.

  Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which traces its roots to the 1816 founding of a Charleston church affiliated with the Free Africa Society, opened its doors to an interfaith, multiracial crowd of worshippers during June 21 morning worship, just four days after one of the country's deadliest church shootings. Read More

• Church security: need highlighted by S.C. shooting

  by David Roach, posted Monday, June 22, 2015 (9 years ago)

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) -- The massacre of nine Christians during a prayer service at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., highlights the need for all congregations to implement security measures, a security expert told Baptist Press.

  "The biggest obstacle for churches is just not believing that [a violent attack] could happen at their churches," said Jimmy Meeks, a Southern Baptist police officer in Hurst, Texas, who presents church security seminars across America. People "don't listen to what needs to be done until they believe it needs to be done." Read More

• S.C. massacre 'demonic,' Baptist pastor says

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, June 18, 2015 (9 years ago)

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) -- Christians are uniting in prayer and benevolence across racial distinctions in Charleston, S.C., after a 21-year-old man massacred nine Christians in a June 17 prayer service at historic Emanuel AME Church, said neighboring Southern Baptist pastor Keith Biggs. Southern Baptist leaders issued responses to the tragedy. Read More