After a knife-wielding man barricaded himself inside a Living Waters building last week, evangelist Ray Comfort expressed gratitude for God’s protection and for swift response by local authorities. On July 20, an unidentified man crawled under a garage door at the ministry’s warehouse in Bellflower, California.
Footage from surveillance cameras showed a man in a hoodie walking onto the ministry’s property, checking a door on the roof, trying to break into an employee’s car, and then sneaking into a garage. Police, who had already been contacted about the damaged car, responded swiftly to a call about the intruder.
Police Arrest Alleged Intruder at Living Waters
What followed, according to Ray Comfort, looked like a “scene straight out of a movie.” Police sent seven squad cars, a helicopter, fire trucks, and an ambulance to Living Waters, located 15 miles from Anaheim.
Authorities were able to arrest the man, who was reportedly high on drugs. Police told Comfort the suspect was probably trying to steal items to support an addiction.
Renovations and construction at the Living Waters warehouse may have made it easier for the suspect to slip inside, said Comfort. The 75-year-old evangelist thanked officers for their willingness to put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public.
Comfort also pointed to a “providential” situation, saying he was grateful that his wife, Sue, had decided to stay home that day. She usually visits the warehouse on weekends to get ready for the next week’s orders, according to her husband, “so we were thanking God for her decision not to go.”
But because Sue Comfort was watching security cameras from another location, she quickly spotted the safety breach. Ray credited Sue’s curiosity and attention to details for pinpointing the intruder.
Ray Comfort: God Orders Our Steps
Ray Comfort, a New Zealand native, is a prolific author and street preacher. In a statement to ChurchLeaders, he said, “In the 35 years I’ve lived in the U.S., I’ve never seen a gun pulled in our city.” Although some parts of the greater Los Angeles area “have a bad reputation,” he added, Bellflower “has always felt peaceful.”
In 2002, Ray Comfort formed the Way of the Master with actor Kirk Cameron. Living Waters Publications serves as an online store for the evangelistic ministry.
Comfort’s award-winning TV program “Way of the Master” aired for more than 20 years on Daystar Television Network. Earlier this year, Comfort removed his show from that network due to allegations against Daystar co-founder and president Joni Lamb.
