Two Churches Attacked Yesterday… The US Church Was Successfully Defended

While American politicians complain that rhetoric causes political violence while also ratcheting up their anti-Christian rhetoric, we are seeing real-world consequences.

While some parts of the world — like Nigeria — have intense and consistent levels of anti-Christian violence, it’s hardly the only place it’s happening.

Yesterday, there were two attacks against Christian churches with very different outcomes. One was the bombing of a church in the very same city the Apostle Paul was headed to when he had his ‘Damascus Road’ conversion. The other was a gunman headed to church with malice aforethought.

One story had a much happier ending than the other.

First, Damascus

At least 22 people have been killed and 63 others wounded in a suicide bomb attack at a church in Damascus, Syria’s health ministry has said.

A man opened fire with a weapon at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in the Dweila neighbourhood during a service on Sunday evening before detonating an explosive vest, according to the interior ministry.

It said the attacker was affiliated with the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). There was no immediate claim from the group itself.

Photos and video from inside the church showed a heavily damaged altar, pews covered in broken glass and blood spattered across the walls. — BBC

Witnesses describe the crowd attempting to stop the killer before he blew himself up. Obviously, they weren’t able to do so.

Meanwhile, in America

Half a world away in Michigan, there was another attack on a different church. This one did not result in a mass casualty event, because they, too, fought back against their attacker.

The American pushback was successful. See if you can spot the difference.

A gunman wearing a tactical vest and carrying two guns targeted a suburban Detroit church Sunday morning, firing shots into the building’s exterior during a special vacation Bible School service before he was run over by one person and then fatally shot by church security.
[…] CrossPointe Community Church Senior Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr. said a church member noticed the shooting and drove over the man with a pickup truck.

“He was run over by one of our members who saw this happening when he was coming into church,” Kelly said, which gave security time to fire back.

Strong said two church members then shot at the gunman, killing him.

“We are grateful for the quick actions of the church’s staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting,” Strong said. “I would add that the church parishioners and staff members were trained in responding to emergency situations, which also saved lives.” —Detroit News

Video of the events in the service show an orderly reaction to the crisis where everyone took cover for a moment until the situation could be assessed, and then quickly filed out of the end of the sanctuary furthest from the confrontation.