Pastor Bob Carswell had just asked his small congregation to turn with him in their Bibles to Matthew 21 when the shooting started.

What began as a small Bible study with 25 churchgoers would turn into the scene of a shooting that left a woman, her 1-month-old boy and Carswell injured.

The woman’s boyfriend, James Junior Minter, has been arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder. Police believe a dispute over child visitation and a history of domestic violence culminated in Sunday’s shooting.

“It is not something you want to go through tomorrow again,” Bob said Monday afternoon. “I don’t even like talking about it.”

But he did.

Sunday’s church service started just like any other. Bob’s father, Earl Carswell, went through the church’s prayer list, remembering those sick and those in attendance.

“While I was praying there were about 10 folks coming in. Bobby was waiting on them to sit down, and about that time this one fellow came in the back door,” Earl said as he surveyed bullet holes and blood-stained carpet left Sunday’s aftermath.

“He [James Minter] walked up and looked around and found who he was looking for … and she was sitting on the front bench.”

Minter then sat between his ex-girlfriend, Sharnika Brown, and their son, Jamieyon Minter.

Bob was asking the congregation to open their Bibles when Minter allegedly pulled out a .380 pistol and started shooting.

“He shot at her three times before she could even move out of the seat,” Bob said. “He just jumped up, jerked his gun out and went to firing. She jumped up and tried to get away, but she fell. He got over her and was trying to shoot her, but he was missing.”

Brown was shot twice, once in the chin and once in the shoulder.

Bob said the entire shooting happened within a matter of seconds.

“Her daddy (Earnie Campbell) grabbed him first, and then I grabbed the gun,” Bob said. “It took me what felt like an eternity to get the gun away from him, but I did disarm him.”

Bob said there wasn’t time to think. He just acted and did what he could to keep Minter from killing Brown.

“He wasn’t going to kill that girl on my watch. She’s a good girl,” Bob said. “I wasn’t going to stand there and watch him murder somebody in my sight and me not do something. That is not a way of life around here. We love people, and we care for them.”

Bob and Earl, along with Brown’s father and stepmother wrestled Minter to the ground and got the gun away, but not before he was able to get off a few more rounds.

Bob was shot once in each leg, and the baby was shot in the hand, reportedly taking off some of the infant’s fingers.

“When he got loose, he ran out of the church and around the side. His car was sitting there, but he didn’t go get in his car,” Earl remembered. “He ran out through the woods, and of course [the police] went up there and apprehended him.”

Minter was captured less than a mile from the church within minutes of the 911 call.

“That boy came in here and violated everything we stand for. He wasn’t trying to kill us. He was trying to kill her,” Earl said. “A man’s home and his church ought to be the safest place in town.”

Bob said it was a miracle Minter didn’t kill Brown.

“He was less than five feet from her and missing her. God could only do that kind of miracle. He did it,” Bob said.

Earl said this was the second time Minter had been in the church.

“He had been [here] about four or five weeks ago. He had come to church, and we prayed for him. He acted alright,” Earl said.

Earl said he doesn’t remember how, but the baby ended up outside.

“He was crying, and I went up and got him. I had blood all over my coat and shirt, but I was hugging that baby and was talking to him,” Earl recalled. “I kissed him on the cheek, and he began to quit crying. I bounced him and blessed him and said, ‘If the Lord protects you, you’re going to be something.’”

Earl said the experience didn’t bother him until Monday when he had time to sit down and really think about what happened.

“It’s a shake up. Yesterday it didn’t bother me, but today I am shaky. I’m not scared, but it is still shaky,” Earl said.

“It has bothered me. I don’t want it to happen to nobody. Church is supposed to be a safe place.”