This Week’s Question from Matthew Evans at Calvary Lutheran Church, California
“One of the struggles we have each fall is getting our team together for safety training. Someone is always committed elsewhere or missing. How do we get better engagement?”
Matthew, you’re not alone in facing this challenge. I pulled your question because I know how real this issue is for many church safety and security leaders. I’ve been there myself spending time and budget to secure a trainer, only to find half the team absent, despite assuring the pastor it would be worth the investment.
Give Yourself Some Grace
First and foremost, thank you for your service. Leading a safety program at a church isn’t easy, so my first piece of advice is to give yourself some grace. Remember, most churches operate with volunteers. I’m one of those volunteers myself, and if I’m being honest, I’ve had to step back in recent years due to family commitments, taking on more of a strategic role helping with policy development and offering guidance when needed.
Why is this important to mention? Because like many of you, I’m balancing the responsibilities of being a father to two boys, aged 13 and 11, and it’s tough to prioritize church along with everything else. Volunteering becomes even harder. Jim Theis, the security director at my church once said, “Whatever people can do to support the security ministry is valuable,” and that mindset has been essential in keeping our team engaged.
Set the Dates Well in Advance
My next piece of advice: Set your training dates well in advance. To avoid scheduling conflicts, plan your training 6 months ahead ideally, have a 12-month training schedule. This gives people plenty of time to adjust their plans. When onboarding new members or meeting with current ones, you can tell them exactly when the training is, allowing them to commit early.
Stick to the Schedule
Here’s a vital tip: Don’t cancel the training, even if some people can’t make it. You’ve worked hard to arrange a speaker and plan the sessions, and cancellations can derail all that effort. Stick with the date. Whoever shows up, train them. Set the date and stick to it someone will always be missing. Whoever can attend, attends!
Understand Different Learning Styles
A crucial but often overlooked factor in improving engagement is understanding that everyone learns differently. We’ve talked about giving yourself grace and planning ahead, but now let’s address learning preferences. Not everyone likes in-person training. Some people, myself included, prefer video or online learning. I enjoy reviewing material repeatedly to cement it in my long-term memory, and others might feel the same.
Instead of focusing on why people aren’t attending in-person training, reverse the question: How does your team prefer to learn? Some might benefit from distance learning, where they can go at their own pace between family and work commitments. Offering online learning options can be a game-changer letting people take 20 minutes here and there, rather than committing to a 2-hour block all at once.
Get Creative with Training Formats
Think outside the box when offering training. Aside from video learning, consider audio options. Many of us, myself included, catch up on church security podcasts or educational content during long car rides. Could you get creative and offer training in different formats, like audio lessons for when people are commuting or running errands?
Make Key Trainings Mandatory
If you’re developing a roadmap for training over the next 6-12 months, consider making certain critical sessions mandatory. I don’t recommend requiring attendance at every session, but do your homework. Which trainings are non-negotiable whether due to an outside speaker or the critical nature of the content? Let your team know in advance that they are expected to attend these particular sessions, and then follow through with clear expectations.
Lean into Difficult Conversations
Finally, if someone is consistently missing training, don’t shy away from having that tough conversation. It could be a busy parent who no longer has the bandwidth to serve in the same capacity but might still want to contribute in other ways perhaps helping with scheduling or working behind the scenes.
Matthew, you’re not alone in this. Try incorporating these strategies and see if you can get your team back on track with training engagement.
Do you have a question about church safety, security, or risk management?
Want to ask the security editor a question? Email sosamoh@worshipfacility.com to get your question answered in one of our weekly program.
Simon Osamoh serves as the editor of Security Connections and is nationally recognized for his work in safeguarding houses of worship. He began his career in England, spending 14 years as a detective specializing in serious and organized crime before leading Counter Terrorism at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Simon founded Kingswood Security Consulting and the Worship Security Academy, providing security solutions to houses of worship. He is the author of two Amazon bestselling books and the host of the Church Security Accelerator Podcast.
