Leaders at a Texas church acted immediately after discovering what one local outlet described as a “demonic statue.” They found the small figure outside in a gazebo at the Community of Faith Church in Houston, Texas, with congregants gathering to pray and destroy the figurine with a blazing fire.

Bishop James Dixon told KHOU-TV, “It’s disheartening. It is sad to think that people would do something like that.” He continued, “It’s a statue that announces curses, the curse of death, the Grim Reaper with a sickle.” The church also shared a Facebook post saying it faces a “season of unusual demonic assault,” describing the statue as a tool for “devil worship.”

According to KHOU-TV, Dixon said it was essential to burn the image, as he considers it an attack on all people of faith, not simply his house of worship. The strange event happened a week after vandals were caught stealing a safe from the church on camera. It was an event that impacted the church’s ability to minister.

Dixon said, “We exist to make a difference, to make an impact. We feed the homeless and hungry every week, hundreds and thousands, so everything we receive, we need. The money that we could be using to feed the hungry, help the poor, and help children go back to school who are disadvantaged, now we have to spend those funds on upgrading security systems.”

As for the latest crisis to hit the church, the so-called “demonic” image caused church members pain, with Dixon telling The Christian Post the Community of Faith Church has never experienced anything like it. Before crushing and setting the statue ablaze, Dixon and his congregants bathed it in olive oil and prayed over it. “We destroyed the works of the devil,” the Houston pastor said. “We’ve never had this before. So it hurts, you know, to know that this church does so much good for so many people.”

The church has no idea who placed the statue on the property.