Valdosta pastor to collect guns in exchange for Bibles

VALDOSTA — Bibles will replace guns at an event next month in Valdosta, thanks to an enterprising pastor.

The Third Annual Guns for Bibles Exchange will be hosted by Pastor William Morgan of Morning Star Baptist Church. People can drop guns off anonymously with no questions asked, and no police will be present at the exchange.

Once the guns are collected, they will be turned over to the Valdosta Police Department. The exchange will be on Jan. 20, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Southside Recreation Center.

Guns of all types may be handed over to Morgan and Morning Star volunteers, and in return, people will receive Bibles.

“One of the main points that we want the public to realize is that we’re not infringing on their Second Amendment rights,” Morgan said. “They do have a right to bear arms; they have the right to protect life and property.”

He said the guns that will be released to him are ones that are illegal, have no serial numbers or may not be registered with the state of Georgia.

Once received, the weapons will be given to the police department and entered into property evidence before being disposed of, Chief Brian Childress said.

If it’s discovered the gun is stolen, police will return the weapon to its rightful owner, Childress said.

Morgan said it is important to reassure citizens that law enforcement will not be on the premises, and no one will be charged for the exchange.

“There will be no surveillance by law enforcement at all,” he said. “They will not be on the premises. They will not be patrolling. There will be no cameras. We will not take their names. We will give them a receipt for the ammunition.”

Childress said police attendance will be nonexistent, and officers will be nowhere in sight.

“I don’t want law enforcement present there because I don’t want to deter someone from turning in a gun,” he said.

“You might have people that are reluctant to come turn a gun in to get a Bible if they know law enforcement is present there; that’s not what this is about.”

Childress said the exchange gets guns off the street so they may not harm someone or be used in a crime.

“The way this program works is we’re not going to know who dropped the guns off. That’s the whole idea with the process,” he said. “We’re not trying to catch anybody doing something wrong.”

The pastor said the project is independent of his church and is solely his effort. Childress said the police department will “absolutely” continue working with Morgan on the program.

“As long as I’m police chief here, we’ll continue to participate in the Guns for Bibles program, period,” Childress said.