Police in Mt. Juliet, TN, investigated an alleged “intentional” burning of a trailer full of Bibles left outside Global Vision Bible Church. According to authorities, the trailer had been left at the intersection of Old Lebanon Dirt Road and Chandler Road just outside the church. After the fire was put out, deputies were able to make out the remains of hundreds of Bibles. The church’s head pastor, Greg Locke, posted images of the trailer to Facebook. Locke described the situation: “This morning at 6:00AM our security cameras caught a man dropping off a trailer in the middle of the intersection and blocking the road into our church. He then got out and set fire to an entire trailer full of Bibles right in front of our church,” he wrote. Locke shared that a woman who had driven through the night to get to the church for Sunday services was already in the parking lot when the event occurred and was able to notify authorities quickly. “…it was quite the scene to wake up to on my first morning back from Israel,” recalled Locke. “Had to block traffic in all directions but they are almost finished cleaning it up.” He did not, however, allow the event to dampen the day’s event. “It’s going to be a great day in the Lord. The enemy is already,” he concluded.

Details of the investigation are being kept under wraps for now, but Locke stated that the church had cameras due to other events of vandalism. He called the person who lit the trailer on fire “meticulous.” “…he had to be very courageous to do what he did,” said Locke. “We’ve had people do things to our building, we’ve been vandalized a number of times, hence why we have to have security, but never 200 Bibles being burned.” He called the action a “pretty rebellious statement towards the church.” He affirmed, however, that his church would keep moving forward. “What people think many times is going to stop us, really just encourages us, in a weird way, to know that we’re doing what’s right.” The Daily Beast described Locke as a “MAGA pastor” and noted that Locke has hosted book burnings at his church, including burning Harry Potter and Twilight, calling them “demonic.”

The church was vandalized in 2020 before an event where it was hosting Roger Stone, a Trump loyalist. It was vandalized again the next year. This latest act of vandalism comes after a recent Family Research Council report showed that attacks against churches have jumped 800 percent in less than 10 years. Speaking to his congregation about the burning Bibles, Locke warned against complacency. “If you think that Christianity is not under attack more than ever before in the United States of America, you have not been paying attention,” he said. “You need to get your head out of the sand. Quit being lukewarm—quit being so passive aggressive and mamby-pamby and spiritually sissified.”