Leaders at Legacy Faith Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, are defending their founding pastor, Philip Thornton, after a recent sermon drew national attention for an unusual and controversial illustration. Thornton pointed an unloaded rifle at members of his congregation during a message titled “Clearing the Room,” which was streamed on YouTube on September 28.

According to the church, the firearm was never functional during the service. In a statement to WHP, leaders explained, “At the beginning, Pastor Thornton makes it abundantly clear the rifle was a PROP and for illustration purposes only. The firearm was disabled (firing pin removed), cleared, and publicly shown to be ammo-free. The illustration was designed to show believers how unbelief is an enemy to faith.”

“Clearing the Room” Sermon

Thornton’s message drew from passages like Matthew 11:12 and 1 Corinthians 2:14, encouraging believers to treat doubt and unbelief as spiritual enemies. At times during the sermon, Thornton and another man—both holding assault-style rifles—pointed their weapons toward the congregation, complete with a visible laser bouncing across the front rows.

“He [God] cleared the room. He [God] put ’em all out, he went in like a soldier. Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence,” Thornton preached. Assuring the crowd of their safety, he added, “Don’t worry, the light’s bright. Right? There’s nothing in the gun; hands off the trigger. Light’s bright, laser’s there. I could get you, any one of you.”

Many in attendance appeared to accept the dramatic illustration, and they showed little visible discomfort during the service.

Safety Concerns Raised

Still, outside observers and firearms experts have strongly criticized the display. Gun safety advocates noted that Thornton’s actions violated basic safety principles.

“Frankly, if I was there with my family, I would have ushered us all out the door as quickly as I could have, and I probably would have gone up to him in a tactful way and said, ‘You’ve got to stop this,'” said Emanuel Kapelsohn, a nationally recognized firearms and use-of-force expert, in an interview with Penn Live.

David Sarni, a retired NYPD detective and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, also pushed back on the decision: “I understand the message he’s trying to do. But there are so many ways you could do that message without pointing a weapon at your members. He is the model example of people who mishandle weapons.”

Church’s Defense

Despite the backlash, Legacy Faith Church leaders maintain that their pastor’s sermon was both intentional and biblically grounded. “Two scriptural precedents were utilized, showing where both Jesus and Peter had to ‘clear the room’ of unbelief in order for the needed miracle to take place. Further examples were given showing how military training teaches soldiers to work together as a team to complete their mission,” the church’s statement read.

They emphasized that Thornton’s use of the prop was meant to inspire believers to approach faith with determination: “The teaching for ‘believers’ was intended to encourage spiritual violence towards unbelief and the lack of faith, not towards people.”

Faith, Illustration, and Debate

The incident has sparked a broader discussion within the Christian community about how far pastors should go when using visual illustrations to communicate spiritual truths. While Legacy Faith Church insists its sanctuary was never unsafe, critics argue that pointing even a disabled weapon at churchgoers crosses a dangerous line.

The controversy highlights a tension familiar to many believers: how to present biblical truths in compelling ways without creating unnecessary fear or distraction. For Legacy Faith Church, the illustration was about rallying the faithful against doubt. For others, it raised serious questions about discernment and pastoral responsibility in the pulpit.