Church Security?

[LastManOut]

I just saw a news clip of about 2 dozen homosexual activists invading a church in Michigan during services. They were soon ushered out.

Does anyone here act as church security against invasions, of this type or a kook with more nefarious intentions?

Do you train as a team, have areas of responsibility?

Have a que to alert other team members, sit in certain areas guarding exits and other doorways?

Please share any insight for setting up a basic and possibly a more involved church security team.

[4XLT]

i myself do not attend church any longer but i know that Pennsy Plinker does and carries in church, i am sure once he sees this topic he will be in with some great advise .

[fingers80002]

Originally Posted by 4XLT

i myself do not attend church any longer but i know that Pennsy Plinker does and carries in church, i am sure once he sees this topic he will be in with some great advise .

I was thinking the same thing!!!

[PennsyPlinker]

Yeah, and LMO is sitting two seats down from me when he gets there! I am working on Mikey too. My nefarious plan is coming to light! As Minister of Security, I am bringing in pros to help keep the flock safe, and if that results in them getting some good Bible teaching, then it is a twofer.

But in all seriousness, I will be glad to share some of the things that have been on my mind. I was approached a little while ago by the elders of our church and asked to head up a security team. So far in the history of our congregation, the worst thing that has happened is that someone broke in to steal the offering during the week when no one was about. But people are starting to understand that there are potential problems out there, and all they have to do is read the newspaper or watch some TV news.

In the first place, I think that the potential threats need to be identified. They can range from a spouse who is angry that the other is attending, to parents fighting over the religious education of a child, to homosexual activists as described above, to someone intent on causing serious injury or death. There are lots of variations on these themes as well, and so I think the whole process needs to be discussed with the people who are participating. Lots of questions need to be answered before people even start working as "security". And it is never going to be easy or foolproof.

How do you identify a threat? What is the difference between someone who is distraught and sincerely seeking the Word of God vs someone who is just looking to gain entrance to the sheepcote? I speak figuratively here of course!

What courses of action are available, and even prudent? It won't sit well if you interrupt the sermon and start moving people out the back door because an angry spouse is complaining about the sermon being too long.

How do you measure a response? The people in the OP did a wonderful job of restraint in the face of obnoxious hatred I thought. The intruders were bent on provoking a physical response, and had a camera there in hopes of documenting it. As an aside, these intruders have the right to disagree, and to a very large extent they have the right to live as they choose. They crossed a very big line by disrupting a service like that, and they did a very good job of showing just how open and tolerant they really are about some things. It could have been a lot worse if cooler heads had not prevailed on the part of the congregation. I know of at least one church where people are armed to the teeth, and some of the guys carrying guns are not all that worried about using them. I do not necessarily endorse that attitude. I only say it exists.

What measures are in place besides having armed people present? If your only tool is a gun or a knife, you limit your responses to shooting or stabbing people. Passive defenses can go a long way towards thwarting the intent of many people. How are visitors handled? Obviously they should be welcomed, but if a whole bunch of people show up all at once, does anyone keep an eye on them? How about a single person who sits in the very back? This is common with most first time visitors, so how do we discern between a person with genuine interest and a person with harm on their mind?

Then if a situation does develop, what plans have been made to handle it? Running in circles and screaming is usually not effective. And of course, every church is different. The location needs to be taken into account as well as the layout of the building itself. Our church for example, is in the middle of a field. That requires different thinking than one in the middle of a city block.

I could go on and on, but I hope this gives those of you reading this an idea of some of the things I am working on. And finally, there is the power of the Holy Spirit. I know most people here think this is hogwash, and that is your right. But there are those of us who know it is real, or more accurately, He is real. If we didn't believe that, we wouldn't be in there in the first place. We trust in God to lead us and direct us. He guides and we act. I will close with some advice taken from the book of Nehemiah:

Nehemiah 4:15-18 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me.

It is a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other for me.

[Gkgas]

I to this point do not usually carry to church. Maybe I need to rethink it....

[LastManOut]

Good points P.P., enlisting level-headed team members is of course key to properly dealing with various levels of disturbances/threats. An active and vigilant "welcoming team" (ushers, parking lot attendants, security) can be the ones in Condition Orange so the flock doesn't have to be.

It is a shame we even have a need to discuss this.

[TaePo]

Pennsy,

Have one of the more gregarious or extroverted be designated as the one who identifies and attempts to strike up conversations with the new ones.

Of course, you don't want to scare people off, but a friendly chit chat might garner some needed info and the behavior of the unknown individual. Some will think it friendly as long as it is not too invasive.

Otherwise you are left with suspicious glances which, if noticed, can put people off, too.

That should cover 95% of the cases, I think. If they act odd, then keep an extra eye out.

This may even dissuade an evil doer who is counting on total anonymity before striking with surprise. Engage them early, they may change their mind for a number of reasons.

[ccphilly1984]

last time i went to church, the power went out... no joke... haven't been in one since. if i did go, i'd be concealed but i guess i'd be a bodyguard of sorts to the church.

[ddefazio]

I am looking into this for my church right now and I do appreciate the coversation. I think that it would be good to find out who is Law Enforcement in the church and have them become your eyes and ears of the church. This could be a great source of ministry for them especially if they are not apt to invest their gifts elsewhere... I do believe the best defense for a church is us being on our knees. Steven in acts was stoned to death while Saul later called paul held his cloak and his very words were Father forgive them for they know not what they do... I believe that this was something that Paul held onto later in his ministry as he was inprisoned, shipwrecked, beaten, stoned to death. Through it all his concern was still for the church and he never had to raise a fist and changed the world as we see it... I am not saying that we should not use guns to protect ourselves I just agree that with prayer and relying on the work of the Holy Spirit He will defend us from these things. If someone tried to hurt my child or my wife you can bet that they will have a bullet gladly given to them.

[1861]

we have a small church , I always sit very back where I view all doors .