Millions gathered to watch Marvel’s “Infinity War” last week, including one pastor from California. But the fun did not last long, as Pastor Michael Webber was arrested on a misdemeanor charge after he reportedly sent moviegoers running for the exits.
From Orphan to Hollywood: ‘I Can Only Imagine’ Movie Producer Has an Amazing Backstory
As soon as the credits rolled, the 28-year-old pastor of Truth & Triumph Ministries stood up and started preaching. His message caused moviegoers to flee the theater, screaming in fear, according to The Christian Post.
The message? Well, it was what Webber called concise but precise with scripture.
“I want to let everyone here know that God loves you, and that He has a wonderful plan for your life. If there is anyone here who is unsure as to whether they would spend eternity in Heaven? I have good news! The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Romans 6:23). And “whosoever shall call upon the Name of The Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). God said, “I will be merciful to your unrighteousness. And your sin and your lawless deeds, I will remember no more!” (Hebrews 8:12). If there’s anyone here who would like to make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior, say this prayer after me… .”
Webber later shared that this wasn’t the first time he’d preached after a movie, and that he’d never had a problem before.
The difference this time, however, was that the lights failed to turn on following the movie, giving his sermon an eerily creepy vibe, especially in wake of multiple horrific shootings that have occurred at movie theaters across the country in years past.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Webber explained that he didn’t see the dark room as a problem, as he had his hands up, “evidencing that I was unarmed, and not a threat.”
Adults Say These Things Are More Essential to Their Day Than Reading the Bible
The young pastor explained that no one looked worried or scared as he gave his sermon and that a few left, but not in a hurry.
“And up until about mid-way through the salvation prayer, no one in the theater moved. They were just looking at me. There was an occasional shout back at me telling me to ‘sit down,’ but nothing that would indicate the audience was alarmed. When I noticed people leaving during the prayer it didn’t seem to me that they were evacuating at a hectic pace. Perhaps because the lights were off. But the people right around me were sat calmly. There was nothing to suggest that people were in a panic. I sat back down (intending to watch the end credit scene that always accompanies a Marvel movie), and about a minute after I was sat, the lights came up.”
It might have been the darkroom or the question “If there is anyone here who is unsure as to whether they would spend eternity in Heaven?” but either way, moviegoers were freaked.
“People behind them started running and pushing in an effort to exit quickly,” one moviegoer told KCBS-TV, “the people in the theater couldn’t see he had his hands up, showing he did not have a weapon.”
Webber was handcuffed following the movie, while police went to his home to search for weapons or evidence of a more sinister plan.
Even though Webber does not believe what he did was wrong, and says he will continue to preach at movies, but he did say he learned a few lessons from the unfortunate episode.
“Moving forward, I will certainly wait until I can be clearly seen by the crowd I am addressing. And that the conditions in which I preach clearly convey that I am not a threat to anyone,” he said. “I want to see the lost saved and God glorified. But I will continue to obey the call of God to preach to everyone and in every place. And I look forward to seeing God move mightily in our city through unabashed preaching of His Gospel.”
(H/T: The Christian Post)