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Safety Measures in the Church?

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If you struggle with the idea of having safety policies and perhaps even a security team in the church, think about this:

“love protects” (1 Cor. 13:7)

Safety measures let people know you love them enough to protect them.

Further, when you intentionally plan for church security you do the following:

Prevent problems

The policies themselves can be a deterrent for some people. But, knowing that people are alert to the risks and are keeping their eyes open to potential harmful situations, provides an extra layer for people who would do harm.

Risk assessment & management

You are able to prevent problems because you are taking a proactive approach. You see where the problem areas could be and work to minimize danger or hazards.

Open dialogue

When people know you are for them, they are more likely to bring concerns to you if something doesn’t seem right. Having policies says it is okay to talk about it.

Trained observers

Proper training helps people be more alert to potential danger. When you have greeters, ushers, teachers, and those specifically assigned to a be on a security team, able to recognize potential danger, much can be prevented or the consequences lessened because you were able to move into action.

Emergency readiness

The unthinkable can happen in a church whether it be a person having a heart attack or other medical issue in the middle of service, someone opening gun fire, a child being abducted, a fire, or natural disaster of some sort. When you are ready to respond, you can avert some of the collateral damage.

Cut costs

Taking care of issues after the damage is done can be very costly financially, but also for people’s well-being, healthy relationships, and the reputation of church. You could be looking at people seeking compensation, liability suits, increased insurance premiums, and more. Some will complain that you can’t afford a safety program. The real question might be if you can you afford not to take these measures.

Trust Builds

The Bible warns about wolves in sheep’s clothing. You can’t always prevent problems. But, when people know you are doing what you can they will tend to feel more secure and put the focus where it should be while attending your church. For example, screening workers lets parents know you take the welfare of their children seriously. That along with other measures you take, can lessen their worry about leaving their children and going to their own classes or service.

We are talking about church safety because love protects. We aren’t just following the ways of the world or doing it because other churches are doing it. We love people and therefore do what we can to keep them safe — to PROTECT.

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2 Replies to “Safety Measures in the Church?”

  1. Suggestion, just lump it all into a category of “First Responders” within the church fellowship and leadership team. But, do not forget the Biblical example (Two key New Testament passages (1 Tim. 3:1-13 and Tit. 1:5-9) provide us with the essential qualifications that such men must demonstrate in order to be qualified to serve the local church) of the distinct roles of church authority and leadership. As a lay minister and church leader, there have been unique examples of fast response team actions. In one large mega-church the “red flag” of an existing problem maker was for the signal of “taping the top of our head” to others in the response team: elders, deacons, ushers/greeters, etc.) and we went into action. In another smaller fellowship the pastor asked me personally to wear my concealed carry weapon during church as a security backup person. Then there’s the burden of performing a sincere and gut wrenching personal background check on anyone dealing with children in the church. I was in one church, and subsequently left it because of weaknesses in the church, because there was a man who admitted to having been accused of inappropriate behavior with his own niece and he had an ongoing addiction to pornography. And he was involved in the children’s ministry too! Such sloppy oversight by church leaders is an abomination and leaving themselves open to legal problems if/when the man became a pedophile aggressor in the church.

    • Thanks, Winston, for providing examples. Part of a “shepherd’s” duty is to protect the sheep which sometimes requires making some difficult decisions but the welfare of all the sheep must be of utmost concern.

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