Palm Bay Church Responds With Prayer After Sanctuary Vandalized
PALM BAY — The House Church in Palm Bay is repairing damage to its sanctuary after an individual shattered several windows and front doors Sunday evening, according to a statement shared by church leadership Tuesday.
Pastors Ken and Betsy Delgado said the individual appeared to be under the influence at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported.
“While this situation is heartbreaking, we are thankful that no one was harmed,” the Delgados wrote in a message to the congregation. “We choose to respond not with fear or anger, but with compassion, wisdom, and prayer.”
Law enforcement responded to the scene and the individual is now in custody, according to the church. Leaders said insurance claims and repairs are already underway and advised service attendees to use caution around affected areas of the sanctuary while repairs continue.
The incident prompted an outpouring of support online from local Christians and members of the congregation.
“The House Church stands in the gap for the Body of Christ in this area and we cover us all with the power of the blood of Jesus and Psalm 91,” Yolanda Ballard wrote on Facebook. Another commenter, Betsey Phillips, said she was praying “for Holy Spirit conviction and a repentant heart of the perpetrator, that the love of Christ and the Church would lead him/her to salvation.”
Founded in 1991 in the Delgados’ home, The House Church has grown over more than three decades into one of Palm Bay’s larger congregations. The church moved to its current campus near Palm Bay Road in 2001 and today hosts multiple weekly services and community ministries, including the annual Palm Bay Christmas Extravaganza, which draws thousands of attendees each year.
In a 2024 interview with Christians of Brevard, Pastor Ken Delgado described the church’s mission as building “a family of families through Jesus Christ” and spoke extensively about cooperation between churches across Brevard County.
The Delgados said the church plans to continue holding services as normal while repairs are completed.
Editor
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