I don’t remember hearing the sound of the gunshots, but I can still hear the screams of my schoolmates. I will never forget the panic in everyone’s voices as we started hearing bits and pieces of information about what had just happened. Not many schools had protocols for handling deadly force incidents inside their buildings in the mid-1980s. It’s not surprising then that my school simply sent us all home even though the shooter had fled. The one place in the world we knew he wasn’t should’ve been the safest place for us all to be!
It’s hard to blame whoever made that decision. It wasn’t a problem we ever thought we’d need to address at my small-town high school. We didn’t have a plan because we didn’t imagine it could happen to us. But it did happen. Today, our houses of worship have to accept that a deadly force incident could happen to them at any time.
My school didn’t have a plan, so the response in the moment wasn’t well thought out. Don’t make your response to an emergency like a deadly force incident during the crisis. Now is the time to make a plan so your church is ready to respond in the best way possible. Every church is unique and will need a custom safety plan. To keep your congregation as safe as you can, let’s look at the basic concepts that must be considered as your team formulates that plan.
Intentionally Create a Church Security Culture
It is important to cultivate a culture of security within your church. This involves promoting a mindset where safety is a shared responsibility, not just a task for the security team. Encourage the congregation to be proactive about reporting any unusual activity. The more eyes that are assessing the surroundings the better.
Church leaders and staff must maintain a high level of awareness about what is happening around them, both inside and outside the church. It’s important to teach your staff and volunteers to identify warning signs of a potential threat. Encourage regular observation of surroundings, and remind people to be mindful of unusual behavior or unfamiliar faces.
Have Trained People Ready to Engage and Defend
Churches should designate individuals who are trained in security procedures. These people could be part of a church safety team, ushers, or members of the security ministry.
Trained individuals should be able to act quickly in defense of the congregation, and they need to understand their role in the context of the larger safety plan. This could include having the authority to make decisions and knowing how to communicate with law enforcement and other first responders. A robust training program should also include de-escalation techniques and how to respond under stress.
Physical Security Measures
Budgets can be tight, so don’t neglect your low and no cost options. Limit the number of entrances and exits to make monitoring easier. Have a security checkpoint or a welcoming team at the doors to screen individuals. If you are able, install security cameras around the church property to monitor for suspicious activity. These cameras can help law enforcement in investigations after an incident.
Ensure that the church property is well-lit, especially in areas around the parking lot or near entrances to make it more visible and reduce the opportunity for attacks in dark corners. Install lockdown systems on doors and windows that can be quickly engaged during an emergency, particularly in children’s and other vulnerable spaces.
Run, Hide, Fight
When a threat occurs, evacuate the building immediately if you can. Encourage members to know the nearest exits and to leave belongings behind. This is the safest option if you have a clear and easy way out. Let people know where designated meeting points are outside the church. Lock down entire wings if you can, or individual gathering places. Trained security members should be the only people encouraged to fight, and they must be trained to use force only as necessary.
It’s important to note that many people experience freeze responses in high-stress situations. Leaders and trained personnel need to be prepared to identify individuals who may freeze during a crisis and guide them through the incident response—whether that means helping them run, hide, or fight.
Plan to Keep Vulnerable Populations Safe
Churches are home to many vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and individuals with special needs. In a crisis situation, these groups require specialized attention. Develop a lockdown and evacuation plan for areas like the children’s ministry or special needs rooms. Ensure that these areas have designated staff trained in safety procedures, and make sure there are clear, practiced protocols for securing and evacuating these spaces.
Regular drills are critical so everyone knows their roles and can act swiftly if necessary. Have a system to keep track of children during an evacuation, such as using a check-in/check-out system to ensure that all children are accounted for. Make sure parents and guardians know the emergency procedures and designate specific spots for family reunification.
Communications Plan and Tools
Effective communication during a crisis can save lives. Your church should have a communications plan that includes internal and external communication procedures. This plan should outline how to alert staff, volunteers, and congregants about an active threat and provide them with clear instructions.
Consider a mass notification systems (text messages or automated phone calls) to reach people. Have a backup communication system in place in case primary systems fail, such as walkie-talkies for the safety team or group messaging apps for key personnel. The church should also maintain a direct line to local law enforcement and emergency responders for quick coordination. Your communication strategy should include clear procedures for updating the public, families, and the media after the event. Keep the focus on transparency, support, and safety.
Law Enforcement Partnership and Involvement
A solid partnership with local law enforcement can significantly improve your church’s preparedness for a deadly force incident. Inviting local law enforcement to conduct a security assessment of the church grounds can provide valuable feedback on vulnerabilities that may not be immediately apparent.
Working closely with local police for active shooter training and simulation drills can help build a relationship and ensure that law enforcement is familiar with your church layout. It’s also a good idea to have a law enforcement liaison within the church’s safety team, someone who has a direct line to the local authorities in case of emergency.
Ministering to Victims
In the aftermath of a deadly force event, church leaders must be prepared to provide ongoing support to those affected. The trauma from such an event extends far beyond the immediate victims. Primary Victims are those directly affected by the threat, including anyone injured or physically involved. Secondary Victims include witnesses or those who experienced emotional trauma from the event. Tertiary Victims encompass the broader church community, including families, friends, and others connected to the church.
Lead with compassion, and remember that a church’s role is to bring people through trauma with the love of Christ. After an incident, a church may face significant emotional and psychological challenges, including divisions within the congregation, anxiety, or even abandonment by members. A church needs to prepare for long-term recovery and resilience-building after an event of deadly force.
Offer special services and prayer gatherings to heal the congregation and strengthen faith after the crisis. Create peer support groups or grief counseling sessions to help people process emotions and support one another. Engage with the broader community and show that the church is a place of refuge.
Ongoing Safety Training and Drills
One of the most important aspects of church safety is not only having a plan, but ensuring it is practiced and refined regularly. Ongoing safety training and drills should be part of the church’s annual or bi-annual calendar. These drills should include scenarios for active shooter events, natural disasters, and other emergencies, such as fire or severe weather.
These drills should involve all staff, volunteers, and key church members, so that everyone knows their role, whether they are in the sanctuary, children’s area, or fellowship hall. Drills should also focus on evaluating how well the communications systems work under pressure. These evaluations will ensure that staff can quickly execute plans with confidence during a real crisis.
Churches are places of sanctuary and peace, yet, in today’s world, even these sacred spaces may face the threat of deadly force. Church leaders must take proactive steps to ensure the safety of their congregants in such tragic situations. Preparing for an active threat in your church is critical. By staying aware, training key personnel, preparing for different emergency scenarios, protecting vulnerable populations, maintaining effective communication, and providing thorough pastoral care, you can ensure that your church remains a safe place for worship, healing, and community. Let us face these challenges not with fear, but with faith, preparedness, and a commitment to safeguarding God’s people.
About the author
Lori Morrison is a member of her church’s security team, a retired private investigator, a former church staffer, and serves on the Worship Facility Editorial Advisory Board.
Her training guide, “Reclaiming Sanctuary: Enhancing Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Safety in Our Churches” helps church leaders adopt a new mindset, build a customized
strategy, and launch a sustainable plan for the protection of their flock. You can grab your copy on Amazon here, and schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation here.
