Interestingly – no-one tried to contact me, a local pastor. But I will share my thoughts here:

Arkansas law leaves the decision of whether or not firearms are welcome on a church property up to the local church (where it always should have been).
Show me one example of where a sign or statute has prevented someone from taking a firearm someplace and doing great harm – The infamous church shooting in Texas a couple of years ago is an example – the law in that state at the time made it unlawful to have a firearm in that church.

The reality is – if someone means to do harm with a gun, no policy, law, or signage is going to prevent them from bringing that firearm.

On the flip-side, as was demonstrated in the shooting Sunday – it was law-abiding citizens who stepped up to prevent far worse from happening. While I grieve ALL the loss of life (even the “bad guy”). I mourn what kind of wickedness must be rooted in anyone’s heart to want to go into a church service and kill people. The depravity is just unfathomable. But praise God that there were people willing to step up and stop the threat. Also – notice this entire event began and ended in less than 1 minute. Police are not magical angels who can appear in 2 seconds to end a threat. And even churches with hired/appointed security teams – can’t be everywhere at once.

As a pastor, I am glad to know that there are solid folks who are carrying a firearm every time the doors are open (and even when they are closed if I am on campus!). If we were to attempt to ban firearms – that means ONLY those who mean harm would have guns. That isn’t a positive position. As a pastor, I have the biblical responsibility to “protect the sheep”. I will do whatever it takes – whether that means I am armed, or I am confident there are good people in the congregation who are armed (or both).

If a local church’s leadership decides they want to try to ban firearms – that is their right. They can post their signs, they can make all the policies in the world. But if, God forbid, someone with nefarious designs comes in – woe is them who then are defenseless. But again – that is the church’s right.

And one last comment – I have read several posts and seen statements given complaining that church people shouldn’t feel the need to be armed. They should “be willing to be a martyr”. I’m sorry – but it is not loving to sit idly by while your neighbor is shot dead. It is not Christ-like to watch as those who very well may not be spiritually ready to meet Jesus have their lives snuffed out. And it is most definitely not the Christian thing to let children be slaughtered. Just because I believe I am prepared for my last breath – doesn’t’ mean those around me are.

What it all comes down to is that we pastors are tasked with the protection of the flock entrusted to us. While most think of such protection as primarily spiritual protection, we are also tasked with trying to promote the safest environment possible for worship, learning, teaching, discipleship, and service that we can. If that is gained by knowing that there are solid, God-fearing people who are armed at any given time, then so be it.

What it comes down to is this: Pastors are responsible for the flock entrusted to them. While we primarily think of that care as spiritual care, we are also tasked with doing all that we can to provide an atmosphere for worship, learning, discipleship, and service that is as safe as possible. I take that