Victory Christian Center Pastor Attacked During Services
Tuesday November 22, 2005 5:15pm Reporter: Mark Bradshaw Posted By: Kevin King
Tulsa - One of Tulsa's best-known ministers was attacked Sunday while giving the altar call. NewsChannel 8's Mark Bradshaw spoke with Billy Joe Daugherty of Victory Christian Center, who was almost knocked out in church.
Daugherty has preached in more than forty countries, many of them dangerous, third-world countries. And, he was in Russia last week. In all of his travels around the world, he has never been physically attacked. That all changed Sunday, in of all places, right in front of his own congregation at Victory Christian Center.
"Standing just like this, he went 'POW', and that knocked me back and I spun like that and he grabbed my coat."
It was an altar call Billy Joe Daugherty will never forget. The pastor is now sporting a black eye and stitches two days after the altercation at the altar that was caught on tape.
"I had been preaching on praise and Thanksgiving in every situation," he says. "And this guy walked forward. I thought he was coming to receive the Lord, but he had another plan."
He sure did. As the music played, without warning, the man punched Daugherty in the face. And, before he could land a knockout blow, he was yanked away.
"The first time I was hit, what went through my mind was, did he just hit me? I mean it was bam, bam."
With blood pouring down his face, Daugherty kept on preaching and forgiving.
"We don't forgive because we feel like it," he says. "We forgive because it's the right thing to do."
Daugherty wasn't going to press charges. But, 50-year-old Steven Rogers was hauled off to jail after allegedly hitting two more people, including a security guard.
"Did you ever think I'm gonna smack this guy?"
"I never once thought of even hitting back."
"So you going to get back on the saddle Sunday?"
"Yeah, that's right."
So, why was the pastor punched? Daugherty doesn't know, but he says the man, who was bussed to the church from a local mission, definitely has some issues.
Rogers was picked up for simple assault, but we found out there was also a warrant out for his arrest for violating a protective order.
Copyright 2005 KTUL, LLC.
Tuesday November 22, 2005 5:15pm Reporter: Mark Bradshaw Posted By: Kevin King
Tulsa - One of Tulsa's best-known ministers was attacked Sunday while giving the altar call. NewsChannel 8's Mark Bradshaw spoke with Billy Joe Daugherty of Victory Christian Center, who was almost knocked out in church.
Daugherty has preached in more than forty countries, many of them dangerous, third-world countries. And, he was in Russia last week. In all of his travels around the world, he has never been physically attacked. That all changed Sunday, in of all places, right in front of his own congregation at Victory Christian Center.
"Standing just like this, he went 'POW', and that knocked me back and I spun like that and he grabbed my coat."
It was an altar call Billy Joe Daugherty will never forget. The pastor is now sporting a black eye and stitches two days after the altercation at the altar that was caught on tape.
"I had been preaching on praise and Thanksgiving in every situation," he says. "And this guy walked forward. I thought he was coming to receive the Lord, but he had another plan."
He sure did. As the music played, without warning, the man punched Daugherty in the face. And, before he could land a knockout blow, he was yanked away.
"The first time I was hit, what went through my mind was, did he just hit me? I mean it was bam, bam."
With blood pouring down his face, Daugherty kept on preaching and forgiving.
"We don't forgive because we feel like it," he says. "We forgive because it's the right thing to do."
Daugherty wasn't going to press charges. But, 50-year-old Steven Rogers was hauled off to jail after allegedly hitting two more people, including a security guard.
"Did you ever think I'm gonna smack this guy?"
"I never once thought of even hitting back."
"So you going to get back on the saddle Sunday?"
"Yeah, that's right."
So, why was the pastor punched? Daugherty doesn't know, but he says the man, who was bussed to the church from a local mission, definitely has some issues.
Rogers was picked up for simple assault, but we found out there was also a warrant out for his arrest for violating a protective order.
Copyright 2005 KTUL, LLC.
Comments
www.ktul.com/news/stories/1105/280038.html
Thanks. Soli Deo Gloria.
Bret