Worship center reopens at site of deadly Texas church shooting. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle Visible scars were gone — the bullet holes, the bloodstained carpet — as the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, made an emotional return to its worship center Sunday. Eight months after a gunman opened fire during the Lord’s Supper, new blue-cushioned pews, reconfigured walls and a lowered ceiling … Continue reading An emotional return
Ministers discuss experiences as panel explores how to protect congregations from attacks. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle HENDERSON, Tenn. — A few minutes before stepping onstage, Britt Farmer and Joey Spann met for the first time. But the two preachers — one from Texas, the other from Tennessee — greeted each other like old friends. These ministers belong to an exclusive club. It’s one … Continue reading Two preachers. Two church shootings. An immediate bond
Editor’s note: Today we launch “Weekend Plug-In,” a column by veteran religion writer Bobby Ross Jr. Look every Friday for analysis, insights and top headlines from the world of faith. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — A few minutes after noon Sunday, my iPhone started pinging with messages from friends, alerting me to a shooting at the West Freeway Church … Continue reading Why Texas minister talked to me — and only me — about deadly church shooting
A day after two members were killed during the Lord’s Supper, congregation gathers to reflect and praise God. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — The West Freeway Church of Christ, a close-knit congregation of about 280, didn’t get to finish its Sunday morning worship assembly. So Monday night — roughly 30 hours after a gunman killed two beloved Christians during the Lord’s Supper … Continue reading Texas church grieves, prays, sings after deadly shooting
Preacher Britt Farmer lost his best friend in the Sunday attack at a Church of Christ near Fort Worth. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — Britt Farmer had his head down, focusing on the sermon he was about to preach. That’s when the 60-year-old minister heard a gasp, followed by gunshots and screaming at the West Freeway Church of Christ. “I … Continue reading Texas minister reflects on shooting that shattered his congregation’s peace
22 white balloons, ‘Amazing Grace’ and a little hope. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle For Monica Moreno, the first news of the El Paso, Texas, massacre came via social media. A glance at Snapchat drew her attention to a relative’s post warning of an active shooter at a Walmart in Moreno’s hometown. By the time the rampage ended that Saturday, 22 people … Continue reading After El Paso massacre, one Mexican-American grandmother turns to God for answers and comfort
‘It’s just such a shock,’ says member who frequently conducts business at building where rampage occurred. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle When Eugene Thompson learned of Friday’s mass shooting at a government building in Virginia Beach, Va., he immediately thought: That could have been my son. That could have been me. Thompson, a longtime member of the Princess Anne Church of Christ in that coastal city, owns … Continue reading Virginia mass shooting hits close to home for church member
CHICAGO — For the fourth year in a row, The Christian Chronicle — where I serve as chief correspondent — was recognized as the top national or international newspaper in the Associated Church Press’ annual “Best of the Church Press” contest. I was blessed to receive six individual honors — including first place in four categories — at the April 20 awards banquet. In case … Continue reading Christian Chronicle again wins top national prize, plus four first-place honors for my stories
‘We know that God is our only hope in finding any comfort or peace in a time like now,’ says Pamela Ross, a Benton Church of Christ member. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle Are you OK?” “Tell me you’re safe.” “Pamela, please text me back.” At 7:57 a.m. Tuesday, a gunman opened fire at Marshall County High School in Benton, Ky., a rural community … Continue reading Kentucky church member escapes school shooting — but not the trauma
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 