The video, originally posted on TikTok before it was removed, showed men in military costumes storming down the aisle of Mt Olivet Baptist Church in Lexington.
A Kentucky church is facing backlash after a viral video showed a mock firing squad bursting into a children's bible school and pretending to gun down the devil.
The video, originally posted on TikTok before it was removed, showed men in military costumes storming down the aisle of Mt Olivet Baptist Church in Lexington.
The mock soldiers pretended to shoot a person clad in black and portraying the devil on the altar steps.
Fake gunshots can be heard as the person portraying the devil is seen moving rapidly on the ground as though being hit repeatedly by bullets.
As the actors charged through the church, children seated in the pews are heard chanting: 'Take him out. Blow him up.'
The men in tactical gear are then seen dragging their 'target' out of the room as the pastor turns to the children and begins counting down.
Moments later, the sound of a fake explosion is heard.
The footage sparked a social media 'firestorm,' prompting Pastor Dewayne Walker to address the incident in a Facebook video on Monday.
Walker called the reactions 'misinformation' and suggested the video was taken out of context.
The video, originally posted on TikTok before it was removed, showed men in military costumes storming down the aisle of Mt Olivet Baptist Church in Lexington
The mock soldiers pretended to shoot a person clad in black and portraying the devil on the altar steps
Pastor Dewayne Walker addressed the incident in a Facebook video on Monday
'The misinformation out there is sad, and I guess it’s a part of what this generation has become,' the pastor said in part.
'We have characters every year that represent good and right and God, and we have characters that represent evil and wrong and that which should be avoided,' Walker said.
He described the 'skits' as an attempt to make church 'fun,' adding that they have been doing them for the past 32 years.
'The last several years, we’ve had the commandos for Christ,' Walker said, adding, 'The clip you saw was simply killing the Devil.'
'You may think it was a little bit extreme, and maybe you’re right, but don’t you believe that the devil is really using extreme measures in this generation,' he said.
The pastor said concerned community members called him, saying the video suggests the church is killing people who don’t share their beliefs.
'All I can say is what? Where did that come from? It's a character called the devil and it's been misunderstood,' Walker said in the video.
He said the negative inference was not his intention and apologized, adding, 'It was not the intention, ever.'
'What you saw, that little snippet, is not even close to what we're about.'
Among the outrage and criticism, the Kentucky chapter of Moms Demand Action called the video 'unbelievably disturbing.'
Fake gunshots can be heard as the person portraying the devil is seen moving rapidly on the ground as though being hit repeatedly by bullets
The footage sparked a social media 'firestorm'
Lexington resident Kathi Crowe denounced the church, saying bible school should be a 'safe space for children'
Lexington resident Kathi Crowe denounced the church, saying bible school should be a 'safe space for children.'
'Subjecting kids to a full-scale simulated tactical raid and firing squad is just an appalling abuse of that space, and a major breach of trust that can’t go unaddressed.
'Any lesson for children about good and evil has to start with adults modeling safety and grace,' Crowe added.
Lexington police said they received multiple calls, tips, and concerns about the video, but stated that no criminal activity was involved.
Daily Mail reached out to Mt Olivet Baptist Church for comment.
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