Church Security/Active Shooter

It is obvious that the world is getting worse and churches are not exempt from terrorist attacks and active shooter situations such as Columbine, as well as robbers who are there to steal the offerings. In addition, your church may very well have to deal with delusional visitors or congregation members. The threat is real, and your church needs to be prepared to handle things should something happen.

Christians are coming under attack on a daily basis and we are going to be targeted more as times goes on. Jesus told us that we would be persecuted because of Him. John 15:19-21 (New International Version)19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'[a] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. What does persecution mean to you? Could it mean that churches will be targeted for terrorist attacks in the last days? Absolutely!

A number of churches choose not to deal with worldly situations because “God will take care of them”. God expects us to do our part and part of that is being prepared to handle situations by having precautions in place such as a Church Security Detail. Some Christians don’t believe in killing anyone and that there is no need for self-defense, guns, etc. In the Ten Commandments it says in many translations “Thou shall not kill”, which really means murder. Killing someone in self-defense is not a sin and was not what the Ten Commandments meant. Taking the life of someone in cold blood is murder, but defending yourself is not. Truth of the matter is that Jesus said sell your cloak and buy a sword. Luke 22:35-37.

Assembling a Church Security Force is a necessity. There are two levels of team participation and they do not necessarily have to be armed with firearms to be effective. A good plan that is properly executed is better than any armed force. However, in these times a trained armed Church Security Team is ideal. When people come into your church armed with guns, attempting to negotiate with them may be futile if they are intent on killing innocent people. And with the threat of terrorism on the rise in this country, you can pretty much count on things getting worse for Christians. God expects us to protect ourselves and our church members and visitors.

Over the past several years there have been quite a number of church related shootings. You can Google them and find a number of them on the internet, but here are a few of them.

Church Shootings

Fort Worth, TX - September 17th, 1999

Milwaukee, WI - March 14th, 2005

Church Assaults

Middletown - WABC - May, 18th, 2007

There are two kinds of people in your congregation. The first one is sheep, and the others are sheepdogs. The role of both types of people is important. Sheepdogs (Church Security Detail) are necessary in order to protect the sheep. As a leader of your church, it is your job to protect your people. With that in mind, if you do not have a security team in place (whether they are armed or unarmed) then assembling a team should be at the top of your priority list. As a pastor or elder it is your duty to be the watchman or designate watchmen. As leaders you are accountable to God for how you lead your people. Well, protecting your people is your job as well. So, assembling and training a security team is really not an option is it?

Now, if you have a security team in place, getting them properly trained is very important. Just because someone has Military or Law Enforcement background does not necessarily make them an ideal candidate for training your team.

From the following scriptures you should be able to see God’s guidance in having Church Security Forces in your church.

Chronicles 9:21
21 And later Zechariah son of Meshelemiah had been responsible for guarding the entrance of the tabernacle.22 In all, there were 212 gatekeepers in those days, and they were listed by genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed their ancestors because they were reliable men. 23 These gatekeepers and their descendants, by their divisions, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the house of the LORD, the house that was formerly a tent. 24 The gatekeepers were stationed on all four sides—east, west, north, and south.

Ezekiel 33:5-6 (King James Version)
5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

Innovative Tactical Concepts staff consists of highly qualified individuals and we can offer your church professional training at an affordable price. We are committed to working with you and your staff to develop a good plan and provide your staff with high caliber training. Our training is very affordable! We are confident that you will not find anyone who will offer this type of training at our costs!

We can help you prepare at all levels from planning and placing surveillance systems in your church to training an in-house Special Response Team (SRT) to handle situations at all levels. There’s a saying that holds true, “When seconds count Law Enforcement is just minutes away”. This is not a statement that is derogatory, but it is a fact. It could take up to 45 minutes or longer for your local SWAT/SRT Team to arrive on the scene, that is, assuming that you have one in your city or a nearby city. By then, many lives could be lost.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you to get the process started of assembling and training you security team.