Lee County Pastor Speaks Out About Recent Violence In The Community

VERONA, MISS. (WCBI) – A Lee County pastor who leads a church with a diverse ethnic mix, believes houses of faith can do more to stop the deadly violence that is being seen in the area. Like most people, Pastor David Ball was stunned at the outbreak of violence this past weekend. Five people were killed in three separate shootings in Tupelo and Lee County. And Monday evening, a shooting in Tupelo’s Haven Acres neighborhood hit close to home. One of two women shot at an apartment complex, was well known to Pastor Ball and members of The Anchor Church. “It looks like they’re going to live, but it got us all thinking and praying, but we also realize how close this is,” Pastor Ball said. In the two and a half years since The Anchor Church moved to Verona, Pastor Ball says there have been eight shootings in the city. Ball says the recent shootings should be a wake-up call to the community. “Tired of meetings, tired of talking, it’s what politicians do, we want to point hands, Republicans are blaming Democrats, Democrats are blaming Republicans, I’m here making this statement, ‘The church is to blame, God’s men are to blame because we do not operate under the power of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to change the darkness to light,” Ball said. Pastor Ball moved The Anchor Church to Verona because he believed there were many opportunities to help hurting people in the area. The Anchor Church is active in the community, but Ball says more can be done to bring true hope to people. “Our communities are looking for a hero, our communities are looking for leaders, the buck stops here, I just got to say, ‘ Ok, what can David Ball do, to impact society, this culture, and the communities we live in, I know some of the great men of God in this community, the black community, and white community, we’ve come together and had discussions in the past, but the only thing that will change a heart is Jesus Christ,” he said. Pastor Ball says he will encourage members of The Anchor Church to work even harder to bring hope and healing to the hurting, and he welcomes partnerships with other churches that are looking to bring hope and healing to their communities. The Anchor Church also operates residential programs for men and women recovering from addictions.