Home Voices Church Security: How Do We Keep Our Churches Safe in Today’s America?

Church Security: How Do We Keep Our Churches Safe in Today’s America?

First, it allows church leaders the freedom to call the police for advice on problems that come up. If someone is causing a disturbance or threats of potential violence are made against the church, police can provide not only physical support but also wisdom on the proper response. Beyond these immediate situations, police training on issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and online bullying are invaluable, if not necessary, for churches struggling to discern the correct pathway forward.

Second, it allows the police to become familiar with your building in case of emergency. One professional I spoke to said that they opened their building to police to host drills and other events because it helped familiarize officers with the doors and flow.

Finally, developing a relationship with the police in your community provides a window to witness and minister. While attacks against churches are comparatively rare, police regularly face harrowing situations where the church can be active in its support.

Churches and Ministries Should Consider ‘Visible Deterrence.’

A common theme among church security experts is the positive effect of having security visible to both the congregation and potential attackers. One professional called this “visible deterrence.” Attackers often look for “soft” or easy targets, whereas they are frightened off by even the potential for pushback. Rather than having security hidden or blended in with the people, an open presence can both reassure and protect.

Simply by having a uniformed volunteer on the lookout, many threats can be diverted before they even begin. For bigger churches, this may extend to having security vehicles and/or officers in the parking lot to establish a clear presence among the arriving congregants.

I understand that some people will worry that this “visible deterrence” could deter honest people from church. Church leaders must thoughtfully navigate the tension between the need for security and our overarching duty to welcome all kinds of people to church. Security volunteers need to be trained effectively in balancing an inviting heart aimed at those who need Jesus against identifying threats.

Ongoing Training for Staff and Volunteers Is Crucial.

Security consultant Brink Fidler had conducted mass shooter training at The Covenant School in early 2022. Two days following the tragedy, Fidler could see clear signs that teachers had implemented his training.

“They followed every protocol we talked about,” he said, adding, “They were saving those kids’ lives.”

More than simply knowing how to respond to violent situations, proper training helps prevent situations where security volunteers go overboard out of fear. Proper training is about teaching our volunteers and staff to discern the right actions under the right situations.

In this respect, making use of church members with experience in law enforcement is vital. Just as churches use members with accounting backgrounds for the financial management of the church and members with musical abilities on the worship team, churches need to rely upon members with experience in security and violence prevention. These professionals include police, military, and private security firms.

These individuals represent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of training and experience on the issue of security. They have put in the time to understand how to identify and react to threats and can help train others in the fundamentals of security.

This emphasis upon training was repeatedly voiced by security professionals. Churches who take security seriously should be meeting regularly (recommendations ranged from monthly to quarterly) to go over processes and to work through scenarios. Churches should also think about periodically incorporating ushers and pastoral staff into this training, since they are often the first people to identify a threat. 

Ultimately, We Live By Faith and not Fear.

While thinking through security is necessary, no security plan is foolproof. Where does that leave us? At the end of the day, we have to trust the Lord and live in faith, not fear. So even as I have outlined some practical measures churches can explore to help strengthen their security processes, we have to resist the urge to act out of fear. 

We live in a world groaning and broken under the weight of sin, where evil knows how to find and harm the good. Despite this, Scripture consistently calls us to not be afraid. We must remember that God is sovereign, all powerful, and loves us (Isa. 41:10).

Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and of a sound mind. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul exhorts us to come to God rather than to act in anxiety, recognizing that God gives to us supernatural peace to combat the fears of this world in addition to the wisdom to navigate them. Near the end of the Gospel of John, Jesus leaves the disciples with these comforting words:

Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

We must be wise and decisive in all our actions. We must also reject fear. Our fear says that we control all things, whereas God’s Word reminds us that he is sovereign. So as we begin to think through how to keep our people safe, we should begin with the reminder that our hope is secure in God (Heb. 13:6).