What does the pastor do when someone busts up his worship service?
The case of the Russian punk rockers with the unmentionable name brings this subject to mind. The three women were recently sentenced to two years in jail for their offense:
A "guerrilla performance" is not the only way to interrupt a worship service.
A neighbor pastor was preaching one Sunday when the music minister fell asleep on the front pew. The high decibel snoring gave him away and that to the entire congregation. That sermon was pretty much over after that. It turned out that a medical problem was behind this. The congregation remembers the incident as a humorous occasion. No harm. No foul.
I was in the congregation once sitting near the front when man entered the sanctuary, dashed up on the pulpit platform during the sermon and started flailing his arms and shouting wildly. The pastor was naturally taken aback, almost frozen in place, but a burly, robed choir member stepped out of the choir and landed a haymaker on the guy.
No charges were filed but security at this church was greatly enhanced after the incident with access through the doors in close proximity to the pulpit closed during the service and security guys roaming the hallways.
My own church was in the middle of a worship service one Sunday morning when, as the choir was singing a special, a lady came in the front door, walked down the center aisle, up on the platform, and began berating the congregation.
The music minister didn't know whether to keep directing the choir or do something different. I was seated but not on the platform and approached the lady. She quit and left.
I knew her because she had come by my office that week asking for the church to pay her vet bill. I said that I was sorry but we don't pay vet bills for people.
She was, well, unbalanced. I talked to the church about increasing security but in an average sized church there is not a lot that can be done. I probably should have filed charges against the lady.
So, what do you do in situations like these last two? To be honest, I don't know of many options here. A few suggestions:
I have no doubt that my peers have more and better ideas on this than I and I would love to hear them.
The case of the Russian punk rockers with the unmentionable name brings this subject to mind. The three women were recently sentenced to two years in jail for their offense:
The three women were arrested in March after a guerrilla performance in Moscow's main cathedral where they high-kicked and danced while singing a "punk prayer" pleading with the Virgin Mary to save Russia from Vladimir Putin, who was elected to a third term as Russia's president two weeks later.
A "guerrilla performance" is not the only way to interrupt a worship service.
A neighbor pastor was preaching one Sunday when the music minister fell asleep on the front pew. The high decibel snoring gave him away and that to the entire congregation. That sermon was pretty much over after that. It turned out that a medical problem was behind this. The congregation remembers the incident as a humorous occasion. No harm. No foul.
I was in the congregation once sitting near the front when man entered the sanctuary, dashed up on the pulpit platform during the sermon and started flailing his arms and shouting wildly. The pastor was naturally taken aback, almost frozen in place, but a burly, robed choir member stepped out of the choir and landed a haymaker on the guy.
No charges were filed but security at this church was greatly enhanced after the incident with access through the doors in close proximity to the pulpit closed during the service and security guys roaming the hallways.
My own church was in the middle of a worship service one Sunday morning when, as the choir was singing a special, a lady came in the front door, walked down the center aisle, up on the platform, and began berating the congregation.
The music minister didn't know whether to keep directing the choir or do something different. I was seated but not on the platform and approached the lady. She quit and left.
I knew her because she had come by my office that week asking for the church to pay her vet bill. I said that I was sorry but we don't pay vet bills for people.
She was, well, unbalanced. I talked to the church about increasing security but in an average sized church there is not a lot that can be done. I probably should have filed charges against the lady.
So, what do you do in situations like these last two? To be honest, I don't know of many options here. A few suggestions:
- It is a different day than 30 years ago. Every church needs to consider security. The pastor should discuss security with church staff and leadership regularly. Most state conventions have material on this.
- An intruder should be confronted and if necessary, physically restrained.
- Churches of all sizes should have people in the common areas of the church during services.
I have no doubt that my peers have more and better ideas on this than I and I would love to hear them.
