In the early hours of January 1, 2025, at approximately 3:15 a.m. CST, a tragic incident unfolded on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. A 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas drove a rented Ford F-150 truck into a crowd of New Year's revelers, resulting in 15...
How Should Christian Schools Respond to the Threat of Gun Violence? Only three weeks ago, I was sitting in the head of school's office at a private Christian school in Minnesota discussing gun violence and their response to such a threat. There were three real options...
As we step into 2025, church safety and security leaders face an ever-evolving landscape of challenges and opportunities. From technological advancements to addressing the rising tensions in society, this year brings a renewed focus on critical areas of improvement....
A Cautionary Tale: What Happened and Why? In November 2024, Kaitlyn Fisher, a 31-year-old former administrative executive assistant for The Presbytery of Kendall in Idaho Falls, Idaho, was sentenced to three to ten years in prison for embezzling over $330,000. The...
Security and other video camera usage has become nearly ubiquitous these days. Nonprofits regularly install and often use cameras around entryways for security purposes and for monitoring children’s programs, as well as for now similarly commonplace videoconferences....
Last month, I attended the Church Facilities Expo (CFX) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, making my annual pilgrimage from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to present at the security conference. Whenever I have the opportunity to stand before an audience eager to learn about church...
In May this year, a Minneapolis teenager was sentenced to more than 30 years for a fatal shooting that shut down the Mall of America (MOA) in Bloomington, Minnesota during the holiday shopping rush in 2022. Nineteen-year-old Taeshawn Adams-Wright pleaded guilty to...
On October 6, 2024, an unfortunate incident unfolded at the Church at the Epicenter in Burnet, Texas. Jacob Wayne Tarver, a 45-year-old member of the church's volunteer security team, reported that two armed men were attempting to enter the church during the Sunday...
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...
In today's polarized climate, where a simple difference of opinion can spark conflict, how does a church, especially one serving as a federal voting station, prepare for the heightened tensions that accompany a presidential election? A few weeks ago, I was assisting a...
In a recent discussion, I sat down with Carl Chinn, Executive Director and Founder of the Faith-Based Security Network, to talk about his experiences with a deadly shooting at his church and how it affected his journey in security ministry. Carl, your journey in...
Last week, while visiting a church in Atlanta, we conducted two crucial tabletop exercises, one on responding to a bomb threat and the other on an active shooter scenario. These exercises reminded me of an essential truth: no plan survives its first real test. I’m...
Churches are sanctuaries of refuge, fellowship, and spiritual growth. In striving to embody radical hospitality, they must also remain vigilant in recognizing and addressing potential threats. Understanding behavioral threat indicators and the pathway to violence...
As a father and a Christian, I’ve often thought it would be invaluable for senior leaders at my church to preach about social media safety to teenagers or situational awareness to kids heading off to college. However, like many of you, I’ve never heard these important...
The recent assassination attempt on presidential candidate Trump may have seemed unimaginable until it happened this past weekend. Gun violence has tragically become the new norm, infiltrating our schools, workplaces, and even our houses of worship. According to data...
Embezzlement can strike anywhere, even in places we hold sacred. In May, a former employee of Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa admitted to stealing $775,000. This shocking case highlights the need for stringent financial controls in houses of worship. What...
Every church should have a medical kit. It's a simple way for us to be prepared to take care of those who walk into our buildings each week. Let’s take a look at some recommendations on what should be in those kits. We’re going to look at 2 ideas: first aid kits and...
Imagine walking into an elementary school and noticing a classroom door permanently unlocked, secured not by a lock but by several layers of duct tape. This is exactly what my team encountered during a recent vulnerability assessment at a high school in Minnesota....
This Week’s Question from Dustin Harward at Lake Forest Church “I’ve applied for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) multiple times, but each time my application has been rejected. What am I doing wrong?" Dustin supplied his previous grant applications to...
Working with churches big and small for over a decade, I’ve discovered that both face similar hurdles in developing their risk management programs it all starts with one person. Jim Theis, Director of Facilities and Security at Westwood Community Church in Excelsior...
As the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) gains momentum, the competitive landscape intensifies. This year, with funding down from last year's allocation, the challenge to secure funding is more competitive than ever. However, there's a silver lining: in 2023,...
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