'Light Is Rising Up': Church's Love Shines Bright After 'Sin City' Massacre
When a gunman on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel blasted an outdoor concert festival with gunfire on Sunday night, at least 59 people died and 527 others were injured.
Thousands of other terrified survivors ran for cover, and they're all trying to cope with the aftermath.
Now, in a place often referred to as "sin city," we see an entirely different side of Las Vegas as people turn to God following the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
"It was just gunshots and gunshots. A guy fell behind, he was covered in blood, my boots are covered in blood," said shooting survivor Lynette Martinez.
Church Las Vegas is where 16-year-old Lynette finds peace in her pain.
"I see people coming together as a community. I see people, my heart is warmed by the people coming together right now at this church. It's just amazing," she told CBN News.
Benjamin Perez is a pastor at Church Las Vegas.
"It's a tough one," he said. "I know our hope is in Christ but we are human and we hurt. We need help and your prayers."
Pastor Perez just celebrated the 14th anniversary of Church Las Vegas and invited four other churches to unite in a city prayer for the shooting victims and their families.
Sheldon Stroud is a member at the church. "People have a perception of what this city is. This city did stand up and come together," Stroud said. "Despite what we think Vegas is… They call it 'sin city,' I call it 'sincere city' because we are sincere about the ones who need family and community."
This is the Las Vegas we never hear about on the news. But now these churches are turning up the volume to drown out the slot machines and bright lights, determined to comfort their city during this devastating time.
"In this city full of darkness, light is rising up, and this city is being transformed, because people are stepping out and saying, 'Evil will not prevail in this city,'" Pastor Perez said.
