Church to host gun class

Instruction planned for Saturday

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Whether people should be allowed to carry guns into churches has been a matter of debate, although in Texas, unless the church says otherwise, it's legal to carry a concealed handgun into a place of worship.

Come Saturday, not only will people be allowed to carry a weapon onto one church premises, but there will be a class on how to use that weapon.

The Heights Baptist Church will hold a concealed handgun class from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, with a break for lunch, church staff said.

"I want to be a responsible owner," said worship leader JoAnna Alexander, who initiated the class. "The majority of this is learning the rules and the laws. I can't imagine why that wouldn't be a wonderful thing to know."

She said she has not heard any complaints about the gun class happening in the church. She said several people had asked her to get a class going, so she invited instructor Stephen Jones to conduct it.

Jones charges $75 for classes. To get a license, a person must not have a criminal record that would prohibit firearm possession, such as having committed a felony. People also must pay $10 for fingerprinting, $10 for a passport photo and $140 for the Texas Department of Public Safety to perform a background check, he said.

Part of the class will consist of going to a gun range on Saturday where people will be required to shoot 50 rounds of ammo, which class participants must furnish.

He said he has held small classes in a church before.

"We had about eight people show up for the previous one and it went very well," Jones said. "It works just about like anything else. I like doing it in them. It's nice and quiet in them most of the time."

The class would address issues such as when using a firearm is allowed, where to store a firearm, and "nonviolent dispute resolution," Jones said.

"Using a firearm is always a last resort possible, but it's nice to have it there in case it ever comes down to that," Jones said.

Larry Arnold, a director of the Texas Concealed Handgun Association, said having lessons in churches isn't exceedingly rare. He had a hunting class to teach in a Kerrville church this weekend.

"I wouldn't see it as anything unusual," Arnold said, although he said it does depend on the church.

Churches can post a notice as to whether they want to allow concealed handguns on their property, Jones said.

Administrative Pastor Roger Blocker said the church used to have many gun safety courses in the 1980s, and that the chance to use the church for concealed handgun classes is an aspect of community service.

"They love it," Blocker said of the general congregational response. "They ask for it. We try to do what the congregation asks for."