When you’re a pastor and an ex-police officer, you likely notice things that other pastors, who do not have a background in law enforcement, miss. Such was the case on February 12, when four armed men came into the All Creation Northview Holiness Family Church in Ferguson, Missouri, with the intention of robbing the members of the congregation during their Sunday worship service. The pastor of the church, Marquaello Futrell, who had served as a police officer prior to becoming a minister, immediately discerned that something bad was about to happen. He continued with the service, but not before making sure the police were called.
Amazingly, without causing any violence or bloodshed, Futrell approached the back row where the would-be thieves were sitting. He then fearlessly (but also lovingly) confronted them. He said, “Don’t you play with me. I still got a cop anointing and I still know what’s going on, and I still know what’s about to happen.” He then invited them to pray with him and some of the members of his congregation. And, incredibly, they agreed! After being prayed with for several minutes, the four men left the church peacefully, without robbing or hurting anyone.
We’re certainly not advocating that crisis situations in our diocese be handled in precisely this way (even Pastor Futrell knows that he needs to take some practical steps to make his church in Missouri safer), but this story is still a great witness to the power of faith and prayer — two realities that we should take with us into every difficult situation and circumstance of our lives.
