A Mississippi church congregation is calling it nothing short of a miracle after a powerful tornado ripped through their church while worshippers huddled together praying and singing “Amazing Grace.”
The terrifying scene unfolded Wednesday night at Coaltown Baptist Church in Purvis, Mississippi, when violent storms tore through the region and sent frightened church members scrambling for cover.
According to reports, some members of the congregation had just finished sharing a meal inside the church when tornado sirens suddenly began blaring.
That’s when Pastor Jimmy Breazeale quickly directed everyone into a back hallway behind the sanctuary as the deadly storm barreled toward them.
Then came the moment that left the entire congregation fearing for their lives.
“All of a sudden, it hit,” Breazeale told local station WDSU. “And all the people were praying.”
As the tornado slammed directly into the church, terrified worshippers reportedly began singing the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace” while the building shook around them.
Breazeale said the roar of the tornado was deafening.
“It was roaring pretty good when it come over here,” he said, adding that several people compared the terrifying sound to a freight train racing through the building.
At one point, a wall inside the church reportedly swayed back and forth as the twister ripped apart sections of the structure.
When the storm finally passed, the congregation stepped outside to discover devastating damage. The church roof had been torn away and parts of the building were left in ruins.
Breazeale described the destruction as “total devastation.”
But despite the horrifying ordeal, every single person inside survived.
“We were just thankful to God that we were all safe,” the pastor said.
In the aftermath, the church shared an emotional message thanking volunteers and supporters who rushed in to help clean up the wreckage. Some reportedly traveled from neighboring towns and even from Louisiana to lend a hand.
“The love and support we have received means more to us than you will ever know,” the church wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you, God bless you and we will rebuild.”
Remarkably, officials reported no fatalities connected to the storms that tore through the area that day.
The National Weather Service has not yet released an official rating for the tornado that struck the church.
Thank God🙏🙏🙏