MARTINSVILLE, Va. – A local firearms safety instructor is calling for preachers to share the good work while armed with a gun.
Perfect Sight of Martinsville said it’s no longer just enough for a church to have a safety plan, church leaders need to be proactive and trained to defend against a threat. Willie Greene is the owner and said preachers have a strategic advantage in stopping danger by being at the head of the room.
Greene has been shooting since he was a kid and takes safety very seriously. His new approach kicks off with the first pastors’ only class on Saturday.
“I think that our leaders should be able to protect themselves, in case danger was to come because the police can’t be everywhere. So we’ve got to be able to protect ourselves," Greene said.
With the latest mass shooting just this week in Milwaukee, and the images of the Texas church shooter stopped in his tracks not too far behind that, Greene is encouraging pastors to speak the Lord’s work while armed.
Saturday’s class is a concealed carry permit class which has about 15 people already signed up. Pastor Jeff Evans of Mica Road Baptist in Ridgeway is one of them.
“When we’re confronted with some of the things we’re seeing in our country today, as Mr. Greene said we can not have law enforcement everywhere. And so you have to be proactive and take care of yourself and family," Evans said.
Evans is unique, however. He’s a former state trooper and well trained in firearms. He already carries a gun on his person regularly so the class will be a refresher for him, but it will be an entry-level course for about two dozen other pastors he helped recruit to take the class.
“Their biggest questions they have is what do I need to do, what do I have to do, but there’s been a lot of excitement, pastor fellowships that I’ve made I’ve spread the news to them," Evans said.
Greene said the class will cover the basics of safety and shooting, while also talking about when to pull the trigger. Despite the gun controversy in today’s America, he wants others to be able to protect their congregations.
“I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried out by six, so I’d rather have it and not need it than not have it to the point where if something was to happen I couldn’t get a hold of it," Greene said.
Evans’ church is also teaching a gun class next month. You can find more information about the pastor’s course here.