Suspects still at large after church prayer prevents robbery

Four armed masked men remain at large after they entered a church but the robbery was prevented by congregational prayer.

The Ferguson, Mo. congregation thwarted the gunmen when Marquaello Futrell, a former police officer and now pastor of All Creation Northview Holiness Family Church, told the church members to pray. He told KSDK that the robbers were apprehended by the Holy Spirit during the Sunday morning service.

The incident broke out when a man carrying two bags entered the church and started asking questions of the children’s services director. “I immediately just had the hairs on the back of my neck. I’m like, ‘OK, something’s about to happen,'” Futrell said.

Four young men in masks then entered the church. “Me being a former police officer, I immediately noticed their waistbands,” he said. “I’m like, ‘There’s something there.’”

Another member of the church later witnessed one of the individuals in the group dropping a firearm. Instead of causing panic among his congregation, Futrell continued with the scheduled service and promptly notified the police He also instructed church staff to ensure the safety of the children in the congregation and record the faces of the men as potential evidence.

“Don’t you play with me,” he told the young men. “I still got a cop anointing, and I still know what’s going on and I still know what’s about to happen. God’s about to change the plot of the enemy. Lift your voices and shout unto God for what he’s about to do.”

READ: Getting to the “we” in Ferguson after riots

After they agreed to receive prayer, the congregation prayed for the young men for several minutes.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, brothers,” Futrell told the men. “Thank you all for letting us pray for you. And we’re thankful that for whatever reason, the Lord let you all come here. That when you walked on the ground, you walked on Holy Ghost turf. You stepped foot on All Creation parking lot. You encountered the move of the Holy Ghost, and I just believe that you all will never be the same again.”

The police investigation is continuing.

“I just heard the Lord say, ‘This is what happens when you illegally trespass,’” Futrell said. “That when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard. The flood will never be greater than the standard.”

The pastor says the church has now instituted active shooter drills with the congregation, including the children.

–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice