'Shooting Back' author to describe response to terrorism

Author Charl Van Wyk, who shot back at terrorists attacking a church meeting, is speaking tonight in Willow Park, Texas, on the issue of self-defense.

Van Wyk's story of shooting back on July 25, 1993, when terrorists attacked and killed 11 people and injured another five dozen at a South African church, has been chronicled in "Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self-Defense."

But police later told him the terrorists confessed their plan was to kill everyone in the church, possibly 1,000 people or more, and his armed response is credited with saving many lives that day.

"The Apostle Paul wrote in a letter to Timothy, 'But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially of those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever," noted van Wyk. "Provision includes providing security. In fact our Lord Jesus taught 'if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'"

Van Wyk also documented his case for a Christian's responsibility for defense in a groundbreaking DVD documentary also titled "Shooting Back."

His appearance is scheduled at Trinity Bible Church in Willow Park, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. He also has appearances scheduled tomorrow at Lighthouse Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Ohio, at 7 p.m., and Saturday he'll be at Crossroads Bible Fellowship in Akron, Ohio.

Other appearances will be Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Somerset Hills Baptist Church in Basking Ridge, N.J., Nov. 12 at the AM Methodist Men's Group in Brandon, Fla., and several appearances Nov. 14-16 at Harvester Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Va.,

His subject will be his defensive gun use in the 1993 attack.

WND also reported earlier this year when he encountered a gang of thugs apparently intent on robbery or hijacking at a South African conference.

When the attackers' attention was diverted from him briefly, he drew and cocked his handgun. He shouted at them to distract their attention from his passenger, then opened fire, apparently injuring one of the three assailants. Van Wyk and two other men intended as victims were unhurt, but the Frontline Fellowship incurred significant expenses replacing paperwork such as passports taken by the attackers.

"I firmly believe that the most Biblical action I could take at the time was to protect the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ from the onslaught. In fact, if I did not try to protect them when I had the opportunity to do so, I would have broken the commands of Scripture," he said.

Shooting Back video:

"We as Christians have not only a right but also a duty to protect the innocent and to look after those whom God as entrusted to us," he said. "There is a war of worldviews going on in the world and people need to understand the threat and how they can make a difference."