According to the latest reports, at least 26 people are dead, including the pastor’s 14-year-old daughter.
Many more are wounded.
Families are devastated. The small community is in shock.
My words are not adequate.
But these things I will do:
- I will pray. I will pray for the families of those killed and wounded. I will pray for the church. I will pray for the community. I will pray for Pastor Frank Pomeroy as he leads and comforts his congregation in the midst of his own grief. I will pray for the shooter’s family.
- I will trust God for His comfort, His promise, and His guidance for those affected.
- I will pray for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be magnified in this tragedy.
- And I will embrace in spirit the members of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. I will identify with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.
We are your brothers and sisters in Christ.
We pray for you. We care for you. We love you.
Please, readers, join me in sharing your own prayers and love for this church and all those impacted by this tragedy.
Posted on November 6, 2017
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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Father God,
We come to you today and ask for Your Love and Comfort to be positioned on the Families and Friends in the small community of Southerland Springs, Texas. Shower them with Your Love Father God. Let them know that there are believers all over the world that are Praying with, and for them at this very moment. Father God, I do not know what they are feeling at this time, But I Plead that they feel Your Presence with them.
Father God, I also ask for forgiveness for the man that did this horrific act of violence. If Your Son, Jesus Christ can ask for forgiveness of the ones that put Him on the Cross, who are we not to be able to ask forgiveness for this man? I ask that you comfort his Family. Only You know why this happened and what he was thinking.
Father God, I thank You for the gentleman that un-armed the suspect. He showed courage and strength in what he did and those gifts come from You.
Father God I also ask that the lost will be able to see You working in their lives so as they will accept Christ into theirs. Father God this tragedy shows just how fast that anyone’s life can change. These were believers Praising You, and they were taken. It shows that no matter where we are in our Faith that when you want us, you take us.
Father God I lift all of this up to You in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior,
Amen.
We also dispensed with sermons and singing to spend our Sunday evening worship time on our knees in prayer. Over the next days, I will continue to place the community of Sutherland Springs, the local congregation of First Baptist, and Pastor Pomeroy and his family at the onset of my prayers.
Heavenly Father, comfort them, regardless of whether the hard questions are ever fully answered or not. Touch their hearts with the presence of your Holy Spirit. May You find glory in the hearts and lives of those involved even after this inglorious act. Amen
Thank you for your congregation’s response, Benjamin.
I am from First Baptist Church in Salisbury, NC. Yesterday afternoon when we heard about your tragedy, we, the choir, had just finished up a “Bonus” rehearsal of our Christmas music that will be presented in 7 services early in December. Someone had checked her phone and saw the news. She immediately handed her phone to the Minister of Music who was preparing for our usual end-of-rehearsal prayer time, and we prayed for First Baptist in Sutherland Springs, TX. We were all trying to imagine what it would have been like to be where you are, and we could not get beyond disbelief. It showed us the pain that you are all in right now, and we asked God to be with you all and with the shooter’s family and your entire community. Our prayers will continue to be with you through the coming days and weeks. Only God can comfort such tremendous grief and sadness you all are going through right now. But we know you will trust in God. He is always the right answer.
Thank you so much, Carol.
There is a story about a little boy who went to see an old man whose wife had passed away and when he came back home his mother asked him what he said to the old man and the little boy answered, “Nothing, I just cried with him”. We are crying with you our Brothers and Sisters. We’re crying with you. Words fail us. I think Jesus is crying also. In Christian love.
Rather than ‘pray for First Baptist Sutherland’ my heart is moved rather to identify with them in their unfathomable grief, and to pray for a nation gone horribly wrong. Once again we have reverted to becoming a nation wandering in a wilderness; looking for a pillar of fire in the gathering darkness and a cloud to show us the way during the fear fraught days. . Call us no longer “T he Greatest Nation on Earth”. That once valid distinction has for too long become invalid. Pray that collectively we might embrace and put to practice the injunction of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Great story, Gene.
We are praying for all of you in Franklin TN
Please be assured of our prayers in the mountains of western North Carolina. We are asking God to cradle you all in the arms of Christ. We will never be defeated. The Church will prevail. Much love and blessings. Pastor Marcus
Yes. His Church will prevail!
Praying for the church family, so sorry for your pain & suffering. God’s got a plan, we may not understand it but we will someday. Take comfort knowing you will see your loved ones again soon.
God Bless you all!
Well said, Tracy.
We are praying for all affected by this event and know that God will be with you. He is the comforter and as the family of believers we hurt with you. Words fail us.
Lord, your people are suffering and You understand. This attack from the evil one is a reminder that we are in a battle.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Lord, deliver us from evil!
For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
Amen
Heavenly Father, In the midst of this horrible tragedy, I ask for You to surround all of those folks at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs with the manifest presence of the Comforter to do what only He can do. Thank You that we can trust Your promise that somehow and in someway, You will cause good to come from this tragedy for Your glory. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Thank you, Tom.
???????? Lord, this world seems to be getting more dangerous and more violent with each passing year, but I do thank You that no matter what happens to us in this life we are safe in Your hands for we have eternal life in You, simply because we are Your children.
Protect us Lord Jesus and keep us safe we pray as we go about our daily duties in this world. Lord, You have placed each one of us in the location where You would have us be and although we are surrounded by dangers and difficulties, we pray Your loving protection over all Your children.
Keep us ever safe in Your hands and use us Lord to give encouragement and care to others in dangers and difficulties, in Jesus name we pray, Amen ????????
Amen!
Our hearts are broken and we grieve with our brothers and sisters in Christ!! Only the power of Jesus through the comfort of Holy Spirit can carry you through, as we remind ourselves through tears that “greater is He Who lives within us than he who is in the world.” May you know the power of His great and perfect love in the days and weeks to come!!
I agree with you in prayer, Trish.
I am praying for the families who lost loves ones and the recovery of those who are in the hospital. My heart hurts for all of you. May the peace, compassion, and never ending love of Jesus sooth your broken hearts.
Amen.