Pastor Steve Wilson said the crash of a stolen car into his Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville shook the building, and his senses.
“It was very, very overwhelming. Especially the one where it actually went through the building and the inside camera picking up the shake," Wilson said.
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It is like a scene from an action movie. The car careens into the front doors of the church, two people jump out and run away, leaving the car and shattered church doors behind.
Fayetteville police caught one of the people involved. They charged 18-year-old Demear Denning with possession of a stolen vehicle, careless and reckless driving and other charges.
Police identified him as one of two man seen wearing masks inside a stolen car minutes before the crash. When officers tried to pull the car over, it sped away.
Video footage released from the church showed the car speeding down Glensford Drive and onto the church's parking lot, plowing through bushes on the lot.
The car then loses control and slams into the church's building, where photos showed the door's severe damage. When the car drives over a median, sparks can be seen flying before the car slams into the church doors.
On Facebook, the church was able to find the humor in the event. A post about the damage to the doors read:
Some people just can't wait to get to church, but for those who can, our worship services are 8:30am, 10:45am and 5pm. (Praise the Lord, everyone was okay. Please avoid using the Narthex entrance until further notice)https://www.facebook.com/BBCFNC/
Wilson said the doors were new.
"It was $8,000 for each set of doors. Now we're going to have to do all the storefront glass, all the framing and everything," he said.
Denning is being held under a $25,000 bond.
Investigators are working to identify the second man who fled.
WRAL News has reached out to Fayetteville police for more information and to officials at the church for comment.