Transformation Church in Bixby, Oklahoma, was evacuated during its Christmas Eve service on Sunday amid a threat to the church. Pastor Mike Todd, who was in the middle of one of his signature sermon illustrations, directed the evacuation after being informed of the threat, eventually finishing his sermon via livestream from his home.
Initially believed to be a bomb threat, the Bixby Police Department later confirmed that it was a general threat.
In a video captured from the church’s livestream, Todd can be seen inviting a congregant up to the stage to unwrap a gift as part of an illustration about “favor” being “wrapped in a situation that was foolish.”
As the congregant, named Meredith, unwrapped the gift, the audio from the livestream was cut and a team member approached Todd to inform him of the threat.
After having his microphone turned back on, Todd instructed the church, “Hey, real quick: I need everybody to do something for me. We are going to end service.”
“This is Christmas. We love you. I need everybody to gather your things. I need you to get up, and I need y’all to evacuate the building,” Todd continued.
As congregants began gathering their things to evacuate, Todd reassured them, “This is not a situation that you need to be frustrated [with], but I need you to listen and everybody just open those doors, go right out there. Merry Christmas. We’ll let you know what’s going on. Jesus Christ is alive and we love you so much.”
Following the evacuation, churchgoer Zxyrlina Allen told 2 News Oklahoma that she initially thought the interruption was part of the programming.
“I’m thinking it’s a part of, you know, a prop or preaching or something,” she said. “Nothing like this has ever happened.”
After law enforcement gave the all-clear, congregants were let back into the building in groups of 30 to gather any personal belongings they had left behind.
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The Bixby Police Department commended Transformation Church for being prepared for an evacuation.
