The Truth about the Machine Gun Preacher

Sam Childers, the Machine Gun Preacher, has been the topic of a Hollywood film, and a lot of controversy in the Christian community. The image of a man with a Bible in one hand and a weapon in the other leads his critics to question whether he’s a missionary or a mercenary.

Talking to Neil Johnson on Vision’s 20Twenty program, Childers said that despite this, he still preaches wearing a firearm, even in the US, where he’s licenced in 43 states. “I believe that’s the world that we live in today. The firearm is not to hurt people or kill people. The firearm is to protect people.”

[audio src="https://getmediapoint.com/document/episode/podcast/MDAwMTQ5MDM0OC5tcDM.mp3" /]

Childers recently asked one of his opponents to imagine someone had invaded his house and was threatening his family. “I said what are you going to do? He said I’m going to call the police. Well you’re calling a man with a gun, is what you’re doing. And I’m just another man with a gun.”

Childers also pointed out that the biopic which tells his story was partly sensationalised, and doesn’t fully explain that he made a living as the Director of a security company, whose mission statement was ‘to protect and serve’.

The movie showed some off-the-wall crazy guy losing it with a gun. You’ve got to remember, that was Hollywood’s version.

Though it’s inaccurate in parts, Childers believes the movie serves an important purpose. In his view, the greatest ever Christian film is the Passion of the Christ. “But see you can’t use that movie as an outreach. You cannot give that movie to outlaw bikers. You can’t give it to clubhouses. You can’t give it to gang members.”

Machine Gun Preacher, on the other hand, is played on loop in clubhouses and bar rooms, and it has changed millions of lives. “So if Christians were wise, they would use that movie as an outreach. They would get copies of it and just hand it out to people.”

The movie does accurately depict his time as an outlaw biker. But he hasn’t entirely abandoned that lifestyle, still frequently riding with bikers and working with clubs as a chaplain.

People say why would you do that? Well who would Jesus be with?

Many of you might wonder why a man of God would ever enter a bar called Suck Bang Blow.  But Childers was the first preacher to ever bring the Gospel message to that stage. “And six guys that were sitting at the bar, drinking, put their drinks to the side, and started weeping, and gave their life to the Lord.”

From bar rooms to TV appearances, Childers often faces questions about those times when he’s had to use his weapon. But he’s reluctant to talk about the violence he’s been a part of. “The reason why is because violence does not glorify Jesus Christ. And so even here today with you, I’m going to shy away from it.”

Instead, he likes to focus on the feeding program he’s created, which now provides more than 13 thousand meals a day. Or the seven schools he’s built, and the eighth he’s currently working on. “If you want to change a nation,” he said, “it begins with education.”

The Church often talks about its outreach into third world countries. But Childers believes some of that work is not having a long-term impact. The average orphanage, for example, requires children to leave at 15. He says more than 70 per cent of those children end up in prostitution.

To create real change, he believes we need to help these children become professionals – doctors, nurses and lawyers.

How many churches do you know that send young people in third world countries to university? There’s hardly any.

Childers’ organisation, Angels of East Africa, has also been teaching skills and trades, through their restaurants, hotels, and more recently a commercial farm. They’re now training 500 people between 16 and 26 years of age. “We give them a job. We’re teaching them a skill. They’re not volunteers. They’re on a payroll.”

“So nowadays I tell people look at what we’re doing. We’re changing a nation. That gun stuff, and that fighting, and that war, that was like two decades ago. Things have changed now. Do I still carry a gun? Absolutely.”

In his guest appearance on 20Twenty, Sam Childers also explained his view that East Africa actually has many of the resources it needs to thrive independently. What it is lacking is structure to help distribute those resources. To find out more, listen to his conversation with Neil Johnson below.

[audio src="https://getmediapoint.com/document/episode/podcast/MDAwMTQ5MDM0OC5tcDM.mp3" /]

Tune into 20Twenty and join the conversation with Neil Johnson, weekdays on Vision Christian Radio. Click here for your local times.

More from 20Twenty