New life
Worshipers listen to a message about tribulations as they struggle to cope with the past week and find room to forgive.
COLORADO SPRINGS — You would sooner find an atheist than an empty seat in New Life Church on Sunday morning, just a week after the sound of gunfire sent worshipers scurrying for safety.
For both morning services, the megachurch’s 7,500-seat worship center boomed with music, punctuated by dancing fountains, fog machines and lighting fit for rock opera. Palms were raised, and shouts for peace and salvation filled the sanctuary.
“If you asked somebody who was a nonbeliever or who did not read the Bible, they would have said, ‘Well, that place will be empty next weekend,’ ” senior pastor Brady Boyd told the congregation.
The church members prayed for the victims of last weekend’s shootings, particularly the Works family. Matthew Murray’s armed assault on the church took the lives of 18-year-old Stephanie and 16-year-old Rachel Works.
Their father, 51-year-old David Works, continues to recover from his wounds and was not in attendance Sunday. Two other members of the congregation were wounded before volunteer security guard Jeanne Assam shot and wounded Murray, who then fatally shot himself.
Murray’s name did not come up in prayers, songs or sermons delivered from the pulpit Sunday morning.
Boyd preached about tribulations, telling members that dire tests of faith are not new — to Jesus, to defenders of Christianity throughout history or in places around the world today.
“It’s hard to forgive, but you have to,” said Hilary Smith, 13, a friend of Rachel Works. “The Bible says you have to. I can’t get over it. I never will. But I have to forgive.”
Jeffrey Gobel quoted associate pastor Rob Brendle’s earlier remarks from the pulpit: “Sorrow lasts through the night; joy comes in the morning,” he said. “It’s morning. It’s time to put this behind us and move on. God has too much for us to do to live in the past.”
In November 2006, New Life Church members struggled with the ouster of the Rev. Ted Haggard, the church’s founder who was embroiled in a sex scandal when he was accused by a gay prostitute of buying sex and drugs.
“Thirteen months ago, we were tested from the inside,” Boyd said of the Haggard scandal. “A week ago, we were tested from the outside, and we are passing the tests.”
One of the victims of the shooting, Larry Bourbonnais, was escorted off church property at the request of church representatives before the second service, Colorado Springs police reported in their online blotter.
9News reported that Boyd explained that Bourbonnais was “volatile” at the early service and the church “didn’t want any disruptions during the service.”
Rob Thomas of Denver attended the church for the first time Sunday with his daughters, Kristi, 12, and Elana, 14.
“We’re standing in for the Works family,” he said, hugging his youngest daughter with one arm. “Hopefully they’re standing in for us in heaven.”
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
His love fellowship
At the church once attended by shooter Matthew Murray, the homily speaks of the spirit of Christmas and forgiveness.
Glenn Balzer, a member of His Love Fellowship church in Denver, was already tapped to give the Sunday sermon when he heard that a former member had gone on a shooting rampage that left four dead.
As a speaker, he had to decide whether to keep to his original plan to preach about Advent or to shift focus to Ecclesiastes with its message that there is a time for everything, or to some other Scripture.
He decided to keep to a Christmas message that emphasized forgiveness.
“The last seven days have been a week of unspeakable sadness and unspeakable shock,” Bal zer told about 40 congregants gathered in the small building where shooter Matthew Murray had worshipped until several years ago, “but it has also been a week of amazing grace.”
Since Murray, 24, mounted attacks Dec. 9, first on an Arvada missionary center and then New Life Church in Colorado Springs, before he killed himself, members of both groups have called for his forgiveness.
Balzer read a New Testament passage that recounted Christ’s saying, “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone” at an adulteress.
Even in the midst of last week’s bloodbath, “the spirit of Christmas was lurking,” Balzer preached. “We have, and we serve, a God who forgives.”
