1. The Story of the Good Guy with a Gun with Stephen Willeford
In 2017, a gunman claimed the lives of 26 people and injured 20 at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Every second that passed at this moment was critical, and the good guy with a gun didn’t waste any time taking action. God called him to put a stop to this tragic event, and he obliged.
In this episode, the “good guy with a gun,” Stephen Willeford, shares what led him to confront an armed gunman. He talks about the specific life experiences that prepared him for that one fateful day. Stephen imparts the lessons he learned from the tests God put him in and how he overcame them. He feels blessed to use what he has as the good guy with a gun to serve God’s purpose for him.
Tune in to the episode to be inspired by a story of faith, purpose, and bravery.
3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Discover the meaning behind the phrase “God chases those that he loves.”
Learn how the church offers a source of strength to its community.
Find out our crucial role as God’s sheepdogs and how Stephen fulfilled the role of the good guy with a gun.
Resources
● Connect with Stephen: Website
Episode Highlights
[01:01] Sutherland Springs Mass Shooting
● On November 5, 2017, a gunman opened fire at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The shooting killed 26 people and injured 20.
● It is Texas’ deadliest mass shooting and the deadliest church shooting in US history.
● 55-year-old Stephen was the person to stand his ground against the gunman that day. He believes God gave him strength at that moment.
● Stephen says that their community will never be the same after the incident.
[04:05] Stephen’s High School Girlfriend
● Stephen’s high school girlfriend was experiencing her parents’ messy divorce. Because he couldn’t handle it, Stephen took time apart from her.
● Because she felt like no one cared, she took her life.
● Stephen blamed himself for not being there for her.
● After high school, he bought a motorcycle to help him deal with the pain; it became his substitute for God.
● Tune in to the full episode to hear the events that almost put Stephen in a deadly wreck in his motorcycle.
[08:52] How Stephen Found Christ Again
● It took six months to repair Stephen’s motorcycle. During this time, he started going to a nearby church to find women.
● Stephen returned to the same life when he got his bike back. Then, it was stolen.
● And so, he decided to keep going to church. Two years later, Stephen met his wife.
● By the time he was finally able to buy another motorcycle, he had found God for real. He put a little Christian fish on it to remind himself that it belongs to God.
[12:58] Being a Defender
● Stephen’s father was an honorable man and a strong Christian. He instilled in Stephen the value of defending others.
● Stephen’s father was a truck driver. During the summer, he took Stephen on a trip.
● In one incident of violence at a truck stop, his father was the person to step up and help the victim. Listen to the full podcast to hear the whole story.
Stephen: “My father was there all the time to defend innocence. My father wasn't afraid of a man that was twice his size. He was going to stand between innocence and evil.”
[18:46] The Most Tragic Period of Stephen’s Life
● In 1993, a drunk driver ran over and killed Stephen’s parents the day before his 31st birthday.
● On the day of his parents’ funeral, Stephen found out that his wife was expecting their third child. It gave them something to hold on to.
● Two months after his parents’ funeral, an arsonist burned 14 vacant properties, including his parents’ house.
● In his wife’s second trimester, they found out she had lost the baby. She had to carry the baby for two more weeks before undergoing D&C to remove the child.
● A week after, Stephen was laid off from his job.
[21:35] Being Part of the Church’s Shepherding Group
● That time, Stephen thought it was God’s test for him to prove that he’s worthy.
● The church made Stephen and his wife a part of the shepherding group to study together.
● The couple they were studying with helped them. It was during this time that Stephen realized that God’s test for them is over.
● You don’t have to have a church to get to heaven. You go to church because it’s a source of strength.
[25:45] The Good Guy with a Gun
● Stephen was at home relaxing without any shoes on when the shooting started. When he heard the shots, he retrieved his rifle without hesitation.
● Stephen thought that if he got to the church earlier, he would have been able to prevent the last person from getting shot.
● This person became paralyzed from the waist down. He comforted Stephen by telling him that he got there in God’s time.
[27:29] What Stephen Learned at That Moment
● He learned that he’s not afraid of death. He wants to do God’s will at any cost.
● When asked how it changed his life, Stephen says it’s like being a little child asked to do something difficult. Then, God brought him to his ice cream shop.
● The ice cream is the blessings God gave him.
● Stephen says he’s the most blessed man ever, and part of that blessing is him knowing how much he’s blessed.
Stephen: “What could have been worse than dying is to live with myself knowing that my neighbors and my friends were being murdered, and I did nothing, that I did nothing—that when God called, I did nothing. That would have been worse than that.”
[31:40] Stephen’s Life Before and After the Shooting
● Prior to the event, Stephen was a maintenance plumber at a hospital.
● Afterward, he got invited to the Texas governor’s meetings to discuss security. He also spoke with Native Alaskans in the Arctic Circle about God.
● Now, Stephen speaks to churches and tells them how to set up their safety response teams in case of emergencies.
Stephen: “Jesus said he will leave the 99 to go out and look for the 1 last sheep. And I tell people, while he’s gone looking for the 1 lost sheep, we’re the sheepdog who watch over the other 99. Because when he returns, he wants to know that his 99 sheep were taken care of.”
About Stephen
Stephen Willeford has become known across the country as the “good guy with a gun” after the deadliest church shooting in US history. He started practicing shooting at a young age, which led him to participate in shooting competitions. Later, he became a member and a certified instructor at the National Rifle Association. Stephen believes that his faith and preparedness led him to step in during the critical incident that Sunday morning in 2017.
Shortly after, Stephen began speaking publicly about his experience. He delivered an acclaimed speech in 2018 at the National Rifle Association Convention. He also was appointed to serve on the Texas Private Security Board in that same year.
If you want to reach out to Stephen, you can visit his website.
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