On May 5, millions of people watched a video of a gunman approaching Pastor Glenn Germany at Jesus Dwelling Place Church near Pittsburgh and pulling the trigger.
During an appearance on CBN’s “The Prayerlink,” Pastor Germany spoke about the events and the growing need to protect places of worship, both physically and spiritually.
“I truly believe this is more than just an act of violence,” Deutsch said.
He further explained:[The] All I could see was the barrel of a gun, and in that moment my instincts kicked in: I took cover, ducked, ran, tried to get out of the line of fire.”
Miraculously, the gun jammed when the man pulled the trigger.
Deutsch said he didn’t realize what had happened at the time.
“I was just trying to get out of the way,” Germany explained, “and because I had my microphone on during that time and the two microphones I was preaching to were on as well, I had to take the videotape out and listen to it again, and then the microphone picked it up and I heard this click, click.”
Deacon Clarence McAllister quickly jumped into action and helped tackle the gunman.
“I just jumped over that little railing that was there,” McAllister said. “I grabbed him and held his arms down at his sides so he couldn’t get any access to the gun. So I turned him around and made him sit up.”
Everyone says it is due to God’s protection.
“It was nothing less than an act of God,” German said, adding: “The gun was working 30 minutes before he came to the facility. He had already killed someone.”
German said in his nearly 30 years as a pastor, he has witnessed God’s faithfulness on a level he never imagined.
“God has promised to protect us from violence. He has promised to put angels around us. So the enemy tried to attack, but at the same time, God thwarted it.”
While many have linked mental illness to the gun debate, Pastor Germany acknowledged that spiritual forces were also at work, noting that the suspect revealed voices urging him to kill the pastor.
“I believe the enemy used a vessel because he needs a vessel,” Germany said. “The enemy is spiritual, but he operates in the natural world, so he needed a natural vessel to carry out his will, and he needed someone who didn’t understand God’s ways or have freedom from sin, who didn’t have the power to control the voice like we believers do. He just obeyed the voice he heard.”
Threats against places of worship are not new.
Church shootings more than doubled from 2022 to 2023, according to the Family Research Council.
Since the attack, Pastor Germany has implemented new security measures at the church.
“We’re working with a group in Florida, and they’re doing a really great job and really stepping up to help solve this problem,” Germany said. “We want people to be able to come and relax, but we also want someone to be there and make people feel safe because of the simple fact that we don’t know when something like this is going to happen.”
It involves watching and praying.
“You really have to focus on the people who come to church, especially if they don’t know the pastor,” McAllister said.
Meanwhile, Bernard Pollitt is charged with murder for shooting his cousin, and although he is also charged with the church crimes, Pastor Germany shows him mercy.
“There is no sin that is beyond God’s reach. It doesn’t matter who did what. It is always forgiven,” Germany said.
