Middle Tennessee authorities are on the lookout for a large four-door truck possibly linked to a fire earlier this year that resulted in a significant number of Bibles being burned inside a utility trailer near Pastor Greg Locke’s church.
Surveillance footage provided by the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office shows a truck, believed to be white or of a similar light color, fleeing the area around the time of the fire, The Tennessean reported.
The incident occurred in front of the Global Vision Bible Church on Easter Sunday, according to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. Police responded to the scene at about 6:30 a.m., prior to the day’s church service. No arrests have been made in connection with the case.
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Pastor Locke addressed the congregation regarding the incident during Global Vision’s Easter service, estimating that about 200 Bibles were destroyed. No injuries were reported and the Easter service proceeded as planned.
Authorities are treating the fire as an intentional act and are continuing their investigation.
Global Vision Bible Church has previously organized burning events involving materials deemed connected to witchcraft and the occult, the Tennessean said. Locke, however, asserted his belief that the fire targeting the Bibles was directed specifically at the church.
Cash rewards are being considered for any information leading to the apprehension of those responsible for the incident, according to officials.
During the Easter Sunday service, Locke condemned the burning of the Bibles as evidence of Christianity being “under attack” in the United States.
“If you think Christianity is not under attack more than ever before in the United States of America, you’ve not been paying attention. You need to get your head out of the sand. Quit being lukewarm,” Locke declared. “I’m telling you they are attacking churches in America. Can I remind you, for Evangelical believers and for Catholics, for that matter, this is the most important day historically and biblically that you can imagine? And now Joe Biden makes it Trans Visibility Awareness Day.”
In a statement posted on Facebook at the time, Locke said a witness saw a man dropping off the trailer of Bibles near his church and setting it ablaze.
“Happy Resurrection Sunday. 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,” Locke wrote. “There was a lady that had driven through the night to get to our church, and she was in the parking lot and was able to get the police officers here quickly, but it was quite the scene to wake up to on my first morning back from Israel. Had to block traffic in all directions but they are almost finished cleaning it up. It’s going to be a great day in the Lord.”
Authorities are urging anyone with pertinent information to come forward, as the investigation into this event continues.