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Okay, I’ve gotten some time to come up for air. I’ve reread everything here and will offer a few thoughts. Upfront, there will certainly be folks who disagree with me. Take these thoughts for what they are, and maybe use them to process your own church’s response. It sounds like you’ve got a good engaged leadership. First, this is absolutely Kingdom work. Scripture is concerned with three types of people over and over again - the sojourner, the widow, and the orphan. You might argue that a young drug addict doesn’t fall into any of these categories. But, he’s clearly an “other” who society has little use for. Jesus would see this young man and engage with him. This young man is Jesus’s kind of person. Second, working with folks like this is a long effort. It’s dirty. It’s personal. It can be life changing - for the people doing the work as well as the person being helped. When you decide to help - it will change the way that you see things. Things are rarely as simple as we like to try to see them. And working with folks with needs like these will change the way you see things. We’re a small church (150 on a good Sunday) and have worked regularly with 3 or 4 folks who’ve struggled with addiction and homelessness for years now - literally 8 years in a couple of the cases. There are rarely any clean breaks. We work towards that - but there are definitely systemic issues that make it tough. Be prepared for the long haul. Third, there are going to be some people who will be quite vocal in opposing working with this young man. The way I think about this is sort of like this - if this is Kingdom work - it’s very much at the border of the Kingdom. We’ve built our comfortable suburban churches to be at what we see as the center of the Kingdom. So, we rarely have to get our hands dirty if we don’t want to - and a lot of us don’t want to - so we’re really uncomfortable with it when we experience it. Think of a person who’s only ever bought meat neatly shrink wrapped at the grocery store suddenly having to slaughter their own meat. Many really aren’t going to like it. —- File this next part under the thoughts of a church of Christ guy who is deeply skeptical of some of the ways we’ve organized our churches today. What I’m about to say is likely to offend a lot of folks. Feel free to skip ahead. I’m deeply skeptical of the “security teams” that we’re organizing in a lot of our churches. We’ve organized these suburban churches that give us these curated experiences that make us feel good about our personal relationships with Jesus. But, do we see the Gospel in our churches? if we’re not careful - the illusion of security in our churches can become idolatrous. I think we really need to struggle with this more than we do. To go back to my Kingdom language from earlier, I think we see ourselves as being close to the center of the Kingdom. But, in reality we’ve created these cloistered, walled off churches and don’t realize that we’re way more isolated than we think we are. Jesus referred to folks like this as whitewashed tombs once upon a time - and I think It’s probably worth holding up mirror every now and then and taking a good hard look. The irony of it is, we don’t realize it - but we’re not fully experiencing the Kingdom either. There’s a rich seven course meal waiting, but we’ve convinced ourselves that the stale sandwiches we’re eating are as good as it gets. This young man is isolated in ways that are public. But, what we don’t realize is that a lot of us experience isolation in ways that are just as debilitating - but we suffer in private. One of the things that we’ve lost in the modern Western church is that historically there was no idea of personal salvation. Redemption and salvation was delivered through community. I’d offer for thought that by leaving our comfort and heading to the borders of the Kingdom, we might find that salvation comes to us all. Happy to discuss this further out of this thread. —- Back to this young man, I’d offer some pragmatic thoughts. 1. Let your safety team operate as sort of “congregational concierges.” I think we see shootings and want to see the outsider as an opposition force. But, in the Kingdom, everyone is welcome. This young man may in fact go to the front of the line at the proverbial wedding banquet. We need people on these teams who default to being welcome and generous. 2. This young man may not be in a place where he’s ready to accept help. He may not know that he needs help. But, if we figure that God brings people though our doors for a reason - then we need to see him and invite him into the Kingdom. 3. But, it’s okay to set some ground rules. Sort of a framework like - we’re happy to help - but you can’t be high at services. You cannot ask members for money. Appoint a point of contact (maybe a deacon) and funnel through that person. 4. Think about other resources in your congregation who might be able to help. For instance, you might have folks who would never volunteer for a “safety team” - but who work in other helpful spaces. In our church, we have nurses, a mental health resource, people who work in non profits in housing, and social workers. The value that they bring to the table is infinite. And, it’s great to see them use their professional talents for the Kingdom. 5. Consider outside help. We put something in place a while back where we basically subsidize counseling for our members. Specifically, any member of our church can go to counseling for $5 per session - which basically rounds to free. We pay $70 as a church to make up the difference. I see both the bills and the uptake in our church - and from a pastoral perspective, this is probably the best money we spend in a given year. You’re in middle Tennessee - so I could put you in touch with resources that could set something like this up. 6. Scaffold your help. This is a long effort and there is some fatigue that can go along with it. Have that point person or persons - but check in regularly and have your elders keep up with what’s going on. 7. Work towards reconciliation. This young man needs healing - and his family needs to be a part of it. He and they may not be ready for it - but it’s worth looping back on. 8. Know that the Holy Spirit certainly plays the long game and will work in ways that we cannot even fathom if we’ll just make room for it to happen. That was a long answer to your question - but know you’re doing Kingdom work. Certainly my prayers are with you. Happy to talk further if it’s helpful.

If you answered no, you could always go with this...

Much good here. And lots to think on as to how we relate to people everywhere. One situation that causes me to think a lot is the "street sellers...the paper vendors...to the outright beggers." I see so many that say they are in need of help and this is the way they live day to day. The only thing they can do. Really? Personally, except in rare instances, I believe if you can stand on a street corner or in an intersection for 8 hours a day, you are able to do work of some sort. If you can have cigarettes and cell phones while doing this...I question your motives, if not your character. I've heard said that some of these are God's Angels in disguise, testing how we respond. True or not, how we handle this is telling of our spirit. I'm weak, I know that. I don't always stop or slow down to ask or to give money. I use my questionable judgement to decide who I should give to. My decision. My very small attempt to help. My failure? Is this wrong? Am I passing judgement on someone simply because of the superficial things I see? Probably yes in both cases. In true faith and love, we are called to help...everyone. But I fear that I, and others around us, have become so jaded in our own little worlds that we become an arbiter of judgement. Not helpers and healers of men. I have failed in this. I admit it. I have failed in much in this world, and it weighs upon me. I miss the old country church I went to as a child. Life was simpler then...more black and white, good and evil...faith was a constant, a power in our lives. For many reasons, we have strayed from it. So have I. My vague, rambling commentary may have some nuggets of truth. You decide.

I would go for a brand new Marlin 1894c in .357. Marlin has retooled and more or less fixed the problems of the past few years with this model. The fit and finish on one I almost bought was excellent (for a gun made in 2018). The only reason I didn't buy it was because the Ruger PC carbine was a more immediate need.

My guess is he's working a deal and rolling over on everybody he knows connected to his charges. LE wants the big fish. My advice is to stay as far away from this as you can. Nothing good will come from your curiosity.

So I asked the master if he could make me something with a gut hook, Of course he could!!!

Thanks, I guess I should have been more specific. I'm after the unicorn with the short horn (16 inch barrel) but it's starting to look like I'm going to have to settle for the 20 incher.

https://grabagun.com/braztech-rossi-92357201-3-r92-lever-action.html you are welcome

I have a Rossi copy of a 92 Winchester. With 38 target loads, it’s like shooting a BB gun for big guys. With full power 357s, you know you’re shooting a real rifle.

I’ve been getting a hankering for a lever action in 45-70 myself these days. I’m pretty sure it’s a sign of advancing age. I’m ok with that.

The August meeting of the TN/GA/AL Suarez Int training group will be held on Saturday Aug 17th! We will be covering pistol skills AND Rifle skills primarily in the "urban distance envelope" which typically means 50 yards and closer which is short range for rifles and long range for pistols..... Instructor: Randy Harris Subject : Short Range Rifle and Long Range Pistol Date : Saturday Aug 17 Time: 9AM-3PM CENTRAL TIME Location: The usual place- Phillips/Edwards Farm 763 County Rd 332 Pisgah Alabama (about 35 minutes SW of Chattanooga) Price : $80 PAY BY CASH OR CHECK AT CLASS. (If you bring a new person with you I'll give you each a $20 discount) What you need to bring: Pistol (revolvers are welcome too), at least 2 spare pistol magazines (or speedloaders if you plan to party like it is 1899) and at least 150 rounds of pistol ammo..... Rifle, at least 1 spare rifle mag and at least 100 rounds. Pistol caliber carbines are welcome too ! So all you guys with arm braced Glocks and Scorpions and 9mm ARs this would be perfect for that. Hope to see you on the 17th!

Pretty nice.

I know the .45/70 is a real cannon. However, I made up some light loads using XMP 5744 powder and the standard 405-gr bullet. Recoil was mild and accuracy was really good. BTW, I have a Savage 99 in .303 Savage. That should qualify for the Cowboy Action shoots. Hope you do well.

My old Ruger no. 1 in 45-70 might be the last rifle I’d let go of.

Check GunPro.com sales today. An 1894 in 45-70 for under 600. Looks cool.

What is your budget? The market is currently soft for the best lever rifle made...the 99 Savage.

People always say this, but I have never been to one that has guns. I have seen a couple advertised, but they clearly were gun sales with some househod crap on the lawn. I am still waiting to run into the $25 .22 Or $20 shotgun like I always hear about at one.

I am partial to the older Marlins. They just seem to fit me better than other brands of lever guns.

As long as he has money for the lawyer, and the lawyer has money for the judge, these things can press on for years it seems. You won’t likely convince me that criminal court is anything more than an extortion racket.

On top of what Dave said it could also keep getting bumped by other trials. Many times they’ll set a couple trials for the same day and courtroom and start whichever is ready or higher priority. So many Monday trial dates get pled out the Friday before.

You should tell that to the news organizations in his area. They love to follow-up on cases like this where the local authorities are unable to give an answer that is anything besides disgusting. There should at a minimum be a very heavy conditioned set of rules for bail in his case, but outrage over any bail will be the reaction. Might help expedite the trial date, or get him back in jail awaiting trial. Children 3-11...ugh. If it's true, head-wall-spike comes to mind, and I try to be a better person than a thought like that.

Buddy bought a 82a1 from outpost armory, Ronnie drove over and signed his rifle case.

If it was advancing age (or wisdom) you wouldn’t be considering a 45-70 in anything.