TULSA, (Okla.) — It was a shocking act of violence, a pastor at a church in Pryor stabbed last week with a dagger.
“There was no way that five minutes before that happened or the day that that pastor woke up he thought, ‘Hmm, I bet somebody tries to stab me today,’ and so you have to be prepared, said Craig Blacklock who wants to help the faith community do just that, be prepared for any eventuality.
With a background in law enforcement, he’s about to launch Faith Protectors.org
“Help places of worship better defend themselves and protect themselves from detriment, and that could be financially, physically, loss of life,” he said.
And he’s starting with his own place of worship, God’s Shining Light.
“Here at God’s Shining Light, I’m revamping the whole security structure here,” he said.
Churches he says, often have an inherent vulnerability given the very nature of what they do.
“They’re soft targets and because of the warm, welcoming aspect of places of religion, places of worship they don’t really want to address situations especially when somebody’s new or coming into the place of worship, and that’s got to change a little bit,” he said.
Blacklock says his website will have online training, in addition to providing onsite training as well.
On the sign out in front of the church in Pryor where the pastor was stabbed, a quote from Luke 6:27, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Blacklock just wants to make sure you’re ready for them as well.
“You have to be prepared. If the time to act is once the wolf, which means anything bad on any level, shows up, if that’s the time you start putting a plan together, you’re too late,” he said.
