The church is under attack!
This phrase is screamed from pulpits across America and has been repeated from generation to generation, acting as a battle cry to rally the troops into a spiritual war against the world. While I agree the church is under attack from the forces of Satan, I do not believe this is the only attack that threatens our churches.
Churches in the West have benefitted from a neutral societal view of Christianity for decades.[1] But as sin grows, society changes. No longer is the church looked at as a neutral force in America. Instead, Churches are considered evil for forcing their ideologies on the public. This hostility is levied at churches through social forums, civil litigation, political procedures, and physical attacks. This war against truth is only the beginning, as more hate and evil will come.
As a result, churches have found themselves searching for a way to protect their sheep spiritually and physically. Unfortunately, pastors are not well trained in the physical aspect of this equation, leaving them to wonder how to minister the Word while protecting the sheep from that which means them harm. One common response to this growing problem is to establish a church security team and task them with the protection of the church.
Though a common response, every church has taken up the task of physical security differently, from one man stationed at the front door to a small army of men keeping watch over the service and everything in between. With most churches simply figuring it out as they go, it is time for a resource dedicated to the physical protection of the church. After all, every pastor’s office contains book after book explaining the ins and outs of protecting the church spiritually. So why not add a brief article exhorting them to protect the church physically?
Why Is a Safety Team Needed?
You may have clicked on this article and asked why? Why would a church need to task a group of men with protecting the church? After all, violent attacks on churches in the U.S. are rare. However, violent attacks are not the only thing a church needs to be concerned about. The job of a safety team is far less concerned with worst case scenario and far more focused on ministering to the flock.
As sin grows, society changes. No longer is the Church looked at as a neutral force in America.
Unfortunately, many church security/safety teams miss this point. Often, the safety plan of a church involves one or two males who sit in the lobby with firearms as a way of missing service. Or it is a group of guys who look and act like a militia. Unfortunately, neither of these options address the typical kinds of threats a church might encounter. As a result, many churches suffer from what I call “the fallacy of the gun” and believe that simply arming individuals will solve the problem. This decision may make the congregation feel better, but it does not necessarily make the church safer and in fact, may make for a more dangerous environment.
Violent attacks, active shooters, or mass causality events are the incidents at the forefront of everyone’s mind. But, how often do these incidents happen? According to the Family Research Council (FRC) acts of hostility carried out against churches have been on the rise in the last several years.[2] Studies show that, between January 2023 and March 2023, 69 acts of hostility were reported. That is more than the first quarter reports from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined, and it is more than the total amount of incidents reported in 2018, which saw 50, and in 2019 which saw 54. The clear rise of these incidents is alarming, as it will soon become a matter of “when” it happens as opposed to “if” it happens.
Out of the 69 incidents reported in the first quarter of 2023, only three percent involved a firearm. The remaining incidents fall into the following categories: arson, bomb threats, vandalism, and less violent acts. With such a wide array of safety concerns, churches should not focus exclusively on stopping violent threats. Instead, the teams should be well-rounded and focus on ministering to the flock by creating a safe and secure environment for gospel proclamation.
A Ministry of Defense
Any church that establishes a safety team or security plan must have a ministerial view. If the church is deemed unsafe, it becomes difficult to preach the gospel, worship, fellowship, and perform the sacraments, all of which are vital for a congregation. The majority of churches in America can agree with the preceding remarks. However, knowing how to promote church safety can be confusing and overwhelming. After all, church safety does not exist in the loci of systematic theology. Nor does any seminary employ a professor of church safety. For these reasons, I have listed a few approaches below to help church leaders think through these issues.
Hired Guns
The first option of any church is to hire a security team or law enforcement and task them with keeping the church safe. The concern with this idea is threefold. First, not every church can afford to hire professional security guards or law enforcement officers. Secondly, there is no guarantee that those hired will rise to the occasion. We can all remember the infuriating video footage of law enforcement officers standing in the hallway of an elementary school, feet away from dying children, and doing next to nothing to end the carnage. Lastly, hired men will not show the same care for your church as a member-led team. Safety and security are more than just defending against active shooters. It includes keeping children safe from predators, interacting with possible protestors, and creating safe environments for elders to counsel.
The Approved Skipper
Another option for churches is the ‘approved skipper’. Unfortunately, when it comes to safety, a lot of churches settle for one or two armed men sitting in the lobby waiting for a worst-case scenario situation to unfold. While the men who volunteer for these roles mean well and likely would rise to the occasion, their souls will suffer in the process. If any other church member came to church and did nothing more than sit in the lobby and occasionally walk around, he would be questioned by the elders. So why is an exception made for those who do the same thing in the name of security? While this option may make the church feel better and allow some guys to serve, it fails to view safety as a church ministry.
The Let God be Sovereign Crowd
Unfortunately, some churches see the threats in the world and decide to do nothing. This view usually stems from a failure to understand what it means to love one another. Some Christians have argued that out of love for the one doing wrong, they would not fight back if they or their loved ones were under attack. Instead, they would submit and attempt to influence the heart of their attacker by preaching to them the gospel. While this seems to be a noble task, it ignores the fact that one way to show love to your adversary is by stopping them from doing evil deeds. Additionally, in the context of a church, you must show love to your neighbor and the visitors of your congregation by providing a safe environment.
Although you may feel called to be a martyr, the children, elderly, and vulnerable in your congregation may not have such a call. Furthermore, a perpetrator who is carrying out a mass casualty incident is unlikely to ask you to deny Christ. Ultimately, being a victim and being a martyr are not the same thing, and we as Christians must trust that the Spirit will guide us when these situations occur. Regardless of how you personally feel, you are commanded to love your neighbor (Mark 12:31), and laying down your life for another is the greatest display of love (John 15:13).
Safety Team
The final option, and in my opinion, the best option, is to form a safety team. A safety team, unlike the other options, is first and foremost a ministry of the church. Instead of viewing safety as an afterthought, it recognizes that establishing a safe location for the saints to sing and pray is vital to the health of a church. By calling the team a “safety” team instead of a “security” team, you reorient their focus, helping them see the broader application of the team. This team is not only focused on the worst-case scenario but concentrates on the overall safety of the congregation.
By taking into account medical emergencies, missing/vulnerable children, natural hazards, and civil liability, a safety team cares for the church in numerous ways. While active shooter and terrorist attacks may make the headlines, such events are considerably rare when compared to the likelihood that a member slips and falls during service or that a car accident occurs in the parking lot. A safety team can address and handle these types of matters, allowing the saints to focus on worshipping.
A proper mindset for church safety begins with a correct understanding of the church, biblical manhood, and womanhood, understanding the preservation of life, and focusing on the spread of the gospel.
The key to establishing a team like this is focusing on the right guys instead of the best guys. While your church may have an elite shooter, a gun hobbyist, or a veteran in its membership, those may not be the best option to lead or serve on a safety team. Instead, this ministry needs to be treated as a ministry and must be led by men who exemplify wisdom and discretion. Men who can look at a struggling church member and give him wise counsel. Men who can give the gospel to a hurting and angry drunk who may have stumbled into service. Men who can keep their composure while being yelled at by protestors. In essence, they should be deacon-qualified men.
These men are in every church, and while they may not have the background in safety, they have the foundation needed to protect the flock. Once you have the right men, training them in the nuances of self-defense is the easy part. A helpful paradigm for training a team is found in the following categories: mindset, tactics, skill, and gear. While skill and gear are important, they are last on this list because mindset and tactics are a higher priority.
A proper mindset begins with a correct understanding of the church, biblical manhood, and womanhood, understanding the preservation of life, and focusing on the spread of the gospel. Even if a pastor lacks knowledge in physical security, he should be well-equipped to teach and preach God’s word on cultural issues, which is paramount to creating a safe and healthy church. Tactics, on the other hand, deal with the procedures and policies, such as evacuation sites, routes of egress, and the locations of medical kits and AEDs. These foundations, coupled with the right men, allow your church to gather and worship safely and with peace of mind.
If you are a pastor or church leader, I exhort you to think through these issues. Seek counsel from those skilled in this area and prioritize the physical safety of your congregation. The wolves are coming, and only a well-equipped shepherd can defend his flock spiritually and physically.
[1] https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/02/the-three-worlds-of-evangelicalism
[2] Family Research Council. “FRC’s New Report Shows Escalating Attacks on Churches in First Three Months of 2023”. Frc.org, https://www.frc.org/newsroom/frcs-new-report-shows-escalating-attacks-on-churches-in-first-three-months-of-2023. Accessed 19 June 2023
