HOUSTON — Church members in north Houston said they wish they knew who placed a statue of death at their place of worship.
On Sunday, the congregation came together to pray away the devil after the demonic statue was found outside the Community of Faith Church in Acres Homes.
"It's disheartening. It is sad to think that people would do something like that," Bishop James Dixon said.
The church gathered to set fire to the statue.
"This is sacrilegious. This is holy ground. This is our church," a church member said.
The object was found placed in a gazebo outside of the church earlier in the day.
"It's a statue that announces curses ... the curse of death ... the Grim Reaper with the sickle," Dixon said.
Dixon called it an attack on not only the church but all believers of Christ. That's why they had to burn it.
"We destroyed the works of the devil," Dixon said. "We've never had this before. So it hurts, you know, to know that this church does so much good for so many people."
The recent incident comes on the heels of another. Last week, thieves were caught on video stealing a safe from the church. It held money and important documents.
"Here we are a week later and we're having to defend ourselves and pray again against the works of the enemy," Dixon said.
Dixon and the congregation said they're praying that nothing like this happens again and they're not going to let the incidents get in the way of what they believe.