DUMAS - In the small city of Dumas, Calvary Baptist Church is offering the opportunity for people to legally pack some heat.
They're offering a concealed carry class to be held in their own fellowship hall.
"This is Texas. It seemed like a perfect match to me," said Pastor Brad Foster.
Foster says the class is to benefit everyone in town not just church members.
"We're not making any money off of this at all," Foster said. "It's strictly a ministry that we're offering to our community."
Sunday School Director Jim Edlin put the idea on the table months ago, long before the Connecticut school shooting sparked the national conversation on gun control. The church says they are not trying to make any kind of political statement, though most of the congregation does stand behind the second amendment.
"It gave us an opportunity to do two things at once. To attract more people to at least take a look at our church, and secondly to provide some community service at the same time," Edlin said.
The class only has 26 spots and more than half of those seats filled up in just one day. Due to the positive response, the church will likely offer more classes after march 2nd.
"I'm going to get one at this class. I live over in rural hartley county where we don't really worry about things like that," Edlin said.
The Big R Store in the middle of town is the main place to buy guns and employees there hope to benefit from the class as well with a boost in sales.
"I think it'll be very popular in town," said assistant store manager, Michael Martinez.
It's a controversial kind of ministry well received in a conservative Texas town.
"Most of us believe pretty strongly in the second amendment," Edlin said.
That class is on March 2nd. You can call the church to sign up at 806-935-3145.
