Politics

Church Holds Second Amendment Sunday

Mar. 18, 2013 12:37am

Todd Starnes is the host of Fox News & Commentary – a daily one-minute feature heard on hundreds of radio stations around the nation. He’s also the author of “Dispatches From Bitter America.”

Starnes: Church Holds Second Amendment Sunday

God and guns go hand-in-hand according to a Chicago-area pastor who hosted a Second Amendment Sunday in his church – that included a cake decorated with an edible chocolate Glock emblazoned with the phrase, “Blessed Are the Peacemakers.”

“Jesus was not a pacifist,” said John Kirkwood, pastor of Grace Gospel Fellowship in Bensenville, Ill. “The idea that the gun is evil – that’s a myth that’s been perpetrated by the left. It’s sad to me as a pastor to see that.”

Starnes: Church Holds Second Amendment Sunday

‘Blessed Are the Peacemakers” pro-Second Amendment cake (Todd Starnes)

Kirkwood said he has been disturbed by a series of incidents involving school children punished for playing cops and robbers, a student who was punished for chewing his pop tart into the shape of a gun, and a boy whose cupcakes were confiscated because they were decorated with plastic green army men.

“The one that really got to me was the cupcake story,” Kirkwood said. “Political correctness is the bonfire of the sanities.”

“To make a decision like that – in the midst of a war – that’s a 1960’s hippy ‘spit on our returning soldiers’ kind of decision,” he said, referring to the cupcake confiscation. “That really burned me up.”

And when he saw a story about a St. Louis-area church that sponsored a toy-gun buy-back program – Pastor Kirkwood decided to spring into action.

The Illinois pastor decided to spend two Sundays preaching about what the Bible says about gun ownership.

“I sent out lesson plans to my Sunday school teachers to talk about the Biblical perspective for self-protection and to answer the critical questions – should a Christian own a gun? Should a Christian be a pacifist,” Kirkwood said.

“As with many of our founding documents – there are biblical underpinnings for them,” he said. “We talked about the biblical perspective on the value of life and the duty and the directives in Scripture that call us to defend life.”

And the church also had some fun with Second Amendment Sunday. The children participated in games – including a pop-tart eating contest.

“The child who chewed the pop tart into the best looking firearm won a prize,” the pastor said.

The winners received toy guns.

Starnes: Church Holds Second Amendment Sunday

Winning Pop Tart Design (Todd Starnes)

They also had treats – like “combat cupcakes” – decorated with plastic green Army men – and a chocolate cake decorated with a large edible chocolate Glock.

“The cake was to honor our veterans,” he said. “We are a church that supports our troops. We have a corner of the church where we post pictures of church members who are serving the nation. There’s a sign that reads ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers.’”

Kirkwood said he is proud to be a church that preaches God and country.

“I actually believe in peace through strength and I believe that is a Biblical value – not just Ronald Reagan’s,” he said.

Pastor Kirkwood said he was inspired to dedicate pulpit time to the issue after reading a column written by Doug Giles – titled “Christian Parents Should Have Their Kids Play with Guns.”

“I just think all this recent political correctness is ridiculous,” he said. “I’m hoping to stand on the wall and blow the shofar for pastors around me that are sitting this one out.”

Todd Starnes is the host of Fox News & Commentary – heard on more than 250 radio stations around the nation. He’s the author of Dispatches From Bitter America. Follow him on Facebook. A version of this column appeared on Radio.FoxNews.com.

Comments (11)

  • rootytoottootin
    Mar. 24, 2013 at 12:18am

    A well educated man in God & Country.

    Report this comment

    rootytoottootin  
  • jeffersonv
    Mar. 23, 2013 at 9:51pm

    I am as pro 2nd amendment as anyone. I think it is the least we can do to arm ourselves and know how to safely and effectively use our arms to protect our freedoms from an oppressive government especially in our day with our government increasingly hostile toward the idea of freedom and our citizens having no idea of the importance of it.

    That being said, I do NOT agree that a bible believing church should be squandering it’s Sunday service on civics rather than the worship, preaching, and supping with Christ Jesus.

    I do cherish our country and mourn it’s decline but I cherish my citizenship in the Kingdom of God infinitely more.

    Please preach the whole gospel in church and look to other platforms to cover political issues. We need to keep our priorities straight!

    As the church goes, so goes the country.

    I think the above saying could be used to explain our current decline in our country as well as it’s amazing founding following The Great Awakening.

    Report this comment

    jeffersonv  
    • Sicem
      Mar. 26, 2013 at 3:49pm

      Brother Jeffersonv……
      All scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim 3:16. Please don’t limit God. To a true Christian, there is no part of life that is off limits. With God it is all or nothing. “Civics” is a heathen term that shuts out King Jesus. It puts forth the idea that we have a Civil side and a religious side and neither has nothing to do with the other. That is a satanic lie. The reason America is in such a mess is because the Church has failed it’s duty to speak out publicly the word of God.

      Did you know that God invented Civil Government? That we are a Christian Common Law Nation? Common law is God’s law. Our form of government is taken entirely from God’s word. The first four commandments governs our relationship with God (ecclesiastical law). The next six are Civil law which governs man’s relationship with each other.

      A person that believes they have a religious side and a secular side is confused. They don’t understand that with God there can be no such thing. The Bible if full of examples that teach us to defend our selves and when to make war. Christ told His followers to arm themselves (Luke 22:36). The first mandate of government was set by George Washington when he was sworn in. He placed his left hand upon a Bible opened to Deut 28. But this applies to every believer.

      God B

      Report this comment

      Sicem  
  • mompatriot
    Mar. 23, 2013 at 6:20pm

    Churches need to have “carrying” Pastors or deacons; somebody in their pews needs to be the first responders especially after the plate has been passed.

    Report this comment

    mompatriot  
  • jwright
    Mar. 23, 2013 at 12:05pm

    I find this Pastor’s approach refreshing and completely correct unlike the hypocritical approach I have seen in some of the churches here. I was in one church where the Pastor was decrying weapons and people defending their second amendment right of self-defense while his ARMED security was sitting in the front row. ARMED security was alright for him, but not for the rest of the church members. Many of our churches have completely lost sight of what the Bible says and what we, as Christians, are expected to be.

    Report this comment

    jwright  
  • Slipstick
    Mar. 19, 2013 at 8:09am

    I find it interesting that in Michigan, churches are one of the CPL ‘exclusion zones.’
    If I were a predator, I’d go where the (unarmed) sheep are. Minimal security, money (in the offering plates) and a general ‘turn the other cheek’ mentality.
    *Sigh!*

    Report this comment

    Slipstick  
  • Slipstick
    Mar. 19, 2013 at 8:05am

    I know the Bible pretty well and I have never seen a reference to a gun.
    However, this quote is one I will live by:

    Luke 22:36 NIV : He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.

    MY rod (sic) and My staff, they comfort me…

    Report this comment

    Slipstick  
  • ZMBKLR
    Mar. 19, 2013 at 12:22am

    This pastor has a big set of stones! Way to go! I wish there were more men behind the pulpit with your qualities.

    Report this comment

    ZMBKLR  
  • Tom K
    Mar. 18, 2013 at 4:17pm

    This is very refreshing – a strong wind of Freedom ! In some churches, every service is a Second Ammendment Sunday or Wednesday, etc. With the huge backlash against Christians in America, many churches have concealed carry members ready to send dangerous Leftists – mind control drug taking – mentally ill with murderous intent – potential killers, straight to their chosen afterlife and save the congragation. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven,He instructed His disciples to arm themselves with the weapons of the time, to insure that the Holy Gospel went out to all Nations.

    Report this comment

    Tom K  
  • trolltrainer
    Mar. 18, 2013 at 9:08am

    Awesome! This will be sure to get some panties in a wad.

    Report this comment

    trolltrainer  

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