Pastors in the News
July 1, 1999
Before the first shot at Columbine High School, area pastors were praying for students. Before the nation focused on Littleton, Colorado, pastors were praying their churches could unite in turning their community to Christ.
The stories of Columbine have been well told: the plot of two young men to bomb their school building and massacre their classmates, the courage of 17-year-old Cassie Bernall, whose simple affirmation of faith earned her a bullet in the temple, the televised memorials of the 15 dead, and, amid the tragedy, clear testimony of healing and redemption in Jesus Christ.
What hasn't been told is how God prepared ministers in southwest metro Denver to face those wrenching days.
"I don't think that three years ago we could have handled things as quickly as we did," said pastor Jerry Nelson of Southern Gables Evangelical Free Church, "nor would we have garnered the same support from as broad a number of churches."
A small group of pastors began meeting for prayer in 1990. About three years ago, Nelson felt the need to bring more ministers together and to their knees. So he began drawing fellow pastors into the weekly Wednesday morning gathering.
"Jerry took the time to seek us out," said Ken Summers, pastor of Dakota Ridge Assembly of God. "He just wanted us to get together for prayer. It wasn't about a crusade or an event. It was about acceptance and unity. For me that has been incredible."
The prayer focused on the needs of local churches, the community, missions, and the salvation of the lost around the world. Prayer led to discussion of God's heart for Littleton.
"We began to ask, 'Could we do better together what we have been doing separately?'" Nelson said. "We knew we needed to trust each other, to develop genuine ...
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