Church Security Training

Our next installment in Church Security Training involves basic security awareness. The challenge placed on Church Security Ministry Teams is complex but can be summarized in four easy items:

• Be Balanced
• Be Knowledgeable
• Be Realistic
• Be Willing and Able

These challenges can be accomplished by training your Church Security Ministry Team members to be observant, assess each situation as no two are ever alike, and then act in response to the situation based on prior training and skill set. Church Security Ministry Teams need to remember we are still representatives of our churches, and ultimately of God. We must act accordingly. Let’s be perfectly clear. We are not militarizing churches; simply put we are observing and assessing people and situations in hopes to be mindful, not fearful.

Having this preparation and training already established puts us in the driver’s seat should any emergency arise. Church Security Ministry Teams will know how to react appropriately and mitigate those emergencies we have talked about in this prior blog. Church Security Ministry Teams must always strive and never lose sight of serving with a purpose. In simple terms; Church Security Ministry Teams must fend off the wolf if he comes to prey on the innocent, just like the sheepdog does with the flock its set to watch over.

Let’s go over a quick lesson in observation-
• Observe with a purpose
• Check and scan hands, waist, and then eyes
• Make eye contact
• Don’t forget to smile and greet fellow church members
• Use reasonable judgment
• There is not one profile that represents a threat, past church violence showed no discrimination
• Observe unusual behavior, clothing, and emotions
• Look for environmental safety or security hazards in the church buildings

Here is a food for thought scenario.

While in the lobby you see a man who attends your church walk angrily up to a car driven by his wife and begins to yell at her. He kicks at the door and picks up a rock and breaks the window.

What would you do?

If you have any questions about how to implement a church security team ministry, need refresher training for an existing church security team, or you want to learn more about church security training, feel free to call or email Gideon Protective Services for a free, confidential consultation. See what Gideon can do for you. Check us out at http://www.executive-protection-services.comor our blog at http://www.executive-protection-services.net. Find out the many benefits to having a church security ministry team that benefit the church, church administrators, staff, and the congregation.

If you have any questions about how to implement a church security team ministry, need refresher training for an existing church security team, or you want to learn more about church security training, feel free to call or email Gideon Protective Services, Inc. or Mindsight Training, LLC.  for a free, confidential consultation.  See what Gideon & Mindsight can do for you. 

Check us out at http://www.executive-protection-services.com/ our blog at http://www.executive-protection-services.net/ or at http://www.minnesotafirearmstraining.com.

Find out the many benefits to having a church security ministry team that benefit the church, church administrators, staff, and the congregation.

During the topic of Church Security, one might ask why we need Church Security Ministry Teams. Churches are recognizing that the present days are evil. There is an increasing and alarming trend of violence towards all peoples of faith and church backgrounds. To meet this challenge, churches are organizing and implementing church security ministry teams. The member of their churches sacrifice their time and talents to provide a safe and peaceful worship atmosphere for all members at their particular Church. There are numerous national church security organizations that have formed over the last ten years. Some of these organizations are NACS, ICSARM, 212 Gatekeepers, and Congregational Security. Listed below are some of the latest trends that occur in the worst possible scenarios.

• In 2009 there were 29 church shootings
• Increase in societal pressures due to the economy (Domestic Violence, loss of income, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of God in people’s lives, etc.)
• Mostly Single Shooters
• Typically several firearms
• Large amounts of ammunition (co 1,000+)‏
• Specific Grudge or general hatred of Christians
• Shooting lasts for 3 to 10 minutes
• Most commit suicide
• Police are largely irrelevant to the outcome (this is because the avg. response time is 5-10 minutes)

OK, so there is some church violence. But the Bible surely doesn’t advocate defending yourself, does it? Lets examine one of several passages that support self defense.

• Nehemiah 4:17-19. ¹⁷Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other hand held a weapon. ¹⁸Everyone of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

What does the security ministry team do when there isn’t any violent crime occurring?

• Mitigate emergency and non-emergency situations (if and when they arise until the professionals arrive)
• Patrolling the facility inside and outside
• Assisting visitors with directions or questions
• Securing the preschool and nursery areas, lost parent/children issues
• Requesting and co-ordination of medical emergencies
• Clearing the parking lot, doors, and crowd for approaching EMS Units
• Escorting the offering from pickup to deposit into the safe or other safe location
• Special escorts
• Coordinate building evacuation

It all comes down to being the eyes and ears for the church reference security of all church members. There will be rare instances, but sometimes there will be, a call to action. Security Ministry Team members must serve with grace, a humble heart, and be mindful, not fearful. Besides the church security ministry team be integrated into the church operations and providing a valuable service to its members, there is another huge administration/ financial benefit to having a security ministry team. Insurance companies that know and see the value of having trained, on site church security ministry teams, offer a break/ discount to the churches insurance premiums for the churches active roll in lowering their overall liability exposure.

Follow along on next week’s church security blog to learn more about church security training. 

If you have any questions about how to implement a church security team ministry, need refresher training for an existing church security team, or you want to learn more about church security training, feel free to call or email Gideon Protective Services, Inc. or Mindsight Training, LLC.  for a free, confidential consultation.  See what Gideon & Mindsight can do for you. 

Check us out at http://www.executive-protection-services.com/ our blog at http://www.executive-protection-services.net/ or at http://www.minnesotafirearmstraining.com.

Find out the many benefits to having a church security ministry team that benefit the church, church administrators, staff, and the congregation.