A shooting at a Michigan church on Sunday makes the somber and compelling case for why every single house of worship in America should take steps to protect itself against the inevitable threats of violence against Christians.
Brian Anthony Browning, later identified as the son of a CrossPointe Community Church parishoner, allegedly armed himself with a tactical vest and two guns before driving his vehicle into the Wayne, Michigan, house of worship and opening fire on the building’s exterior.
His attempted rampage, captured on a service livestream, threatened pews filled with approximately 150 worshippers — many were children present for the Vacation Bible School-themed service. While a security guard sustained a non-life-threatening gun wound, no lives except for the shooter’s own were lost thanks to the preparedness of the church and its members.
As Browning tried to breach the church building with his weapons in tow, he was promptly mowed down by a CrossPointe deacon driving a Ford F-150. The member was reportedly running late for the service and took action when he noticed the commotion. Two of the church’s armed members finished the job by shooting at Browning, which ultimately killed him.
The deacon’s quick thinking, the carrying members’ aim, and CrossPointe’s overall preparedness for a scary situation like a shooting saved more than 100 lives. Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong confirmed as much in a press conference on Sunday.
“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.”
It’s a sad and scary reality, but Christians, more than anyone, should know that there’s nothing in a world dominated by evil that can stop the impulses of unrepentant sinners. Until Jesus comes back, we should anticipate the persistence of crime, tragedy, and death.
Violence against and hostility toward Christians in particular should be front of mind for churchgoers. Over the last 20 years, gunmen and at least one gunwoman launched more than 25 attacks on Christian worship services across the nation.
“One of the most dangerous hours in America is now 11 o’clock on Sunday morning,” a CNN article declared in June 2023. As if on cue, the shooting at CrossPointe occurred around 11 a.m.
Some churches are caught more off guard by acts of violence than others, especially if they go out of their way to prohibit law-abiding citizens from carrying on their campuses. In many cases, however, death tolls in house of worship shootings were kept at a minimum thanks to the heroic actions of good guys with guns like Jack Wilson, Caleb Engle, Jeanne Assam, and the unnamed heroes at CrossPointe.
It is clearer now more than ever that every church should have its own shooting response plan in place. Armed security guards with training on combating threats is a great start, but congregants who carry concealed weapons for the protection of their brothers and sisters in Christ are valuable too. In fact, a recent study found that civilians who exercise their Second Amendment rights historically do a better job of stopping active shooters than law enforcement.
Churches can’t solely rely on the government — which has shown time and time again a complacency in investigating and acting to combat threats and has even tried to cover up the important role concealed carry plays in preventing tragedy — to keep them safe. The best chance at protection for parishioners happens when church bodies take intentional steps to strengthen themselves.
Jordan Boyd is a staff writer at The Federalist and producer of The Federalist Radio Hour. Her work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University where she majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow her on X @jordanboydtx.
