Church and Nonprofit Security
Protect your house of worship and ministry from active shooters and violent incidents.
Learn how to protect your congregation while staying true to your mission.
In a perfect world, the words “church” and “security” would never need to appear together. But recent headlines, including the mass shootings in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., have shown otherwise. In addition to atrocities that make headlines, nearly 2,000 violent acts at churches have been documented between 1999-2018.
Still, most churches have little or no security. Reasons include:
Denial of the risk
Fear of projecting a militaristic image
Lack of a plan or resources
We’re here to serve. The information on this page will help you understand:
The risks of church violence and its sources
How to begin a church security ministry with just two volunteers
Insurance to protect your church from lawsuits related to church violence
Active Shooter and Violent Incident Insurance
The risk
The number of assaults at houses of worship and workplaces is increasing. An assailant could attack a church or nonprofit, resulting in serious injuries or death.
Risk scenarios
An injured person or family member of someone who was killed or injured sues your organization for failure to prevent an attack (even if you did everything you reasonably could to prevent it).
Coverage
Active Shooter Liability Insurance. This helps fund an organization’s legal defense against claims of negligence. We recommend insurance be coupled with security training and the development of a church security ministry. A related coverage is Catastrophic Insurance, which funds counseling and other services related to recovering from a traumatic event.
Download the Free Church Security E-book
Watch Church and Nonprofit Security Training Videos
Vaughn Baker: Churches and Nonprofits Can Prevail in a Security Crisis
How to respond to an active shooter? Lock Out, Get Out, Take Out.
When it comes to church and nonprofit security, the best can become the enemy of the good. An organization doesn’t have to figure out every detail in order to begin. In fact, you’ll never figure it all out because society and security continue to evolve. In this Ministry Pacific Insights interview, Strategos International President Vaughn Baker explains the company’s unique “Three Outs” approach to responding to a potentially violent threat.
Vaughn Baker on Church Security in an Age of COVID, Conspiracy Theories and Extremism
We live in a polarized and violent age.
Vandalism against churches has reached record proportions. COVID lockdowns have created social anxiety and disconnection. These phenomena add to the strain of previous societal fracturing that led to violence at houses of worship. These include:
The 2017 Sutherland Springs, Texas, massacre, resulting in 27 deaths and more than 20 wounded.
In 2014, a gunman killed nine members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Faith Based Security Network reports 1,967 deadly force incidents occurring at churches between 1999-2018. Incidents include “abductions, attempted abductions, attacks, suspicious deaths, suicides and deadly force intervention.”
How can churches be prepared to respond to security threats in this ever-evolving and challenging environment? In this interview, Vaughn Baker, president of Strategos International, and Roy Harryman, of Ministry Pacific, address:
What is the greatest physical threat to churches?
How can a church with no security ministry get started?
Does your church need a security ministry if some of its members carry concealed weapons?
What kind of insurance should a church have to protect it from security-related lawsuits?
Does the presence of a church security team scare people away?
What kind of church security training is available and what topics are covered?
Is church security in conflict with the tenets of faith?
About our guest
Vaughn Baker is president of Strategos International, a Kansas City, Mo.,-based firm that provides security training, consulting and executive protection services. Baker has 20 years of experience in law enforcement including patrol, investigation, SWAT and special operations. He has trained thousands of school, health care, government, law enforcement and military personnel in security practices. Baker has also developed specialized intruder response curriculum for schools and churches, including some of the nation’s leading training on behavior pattern recognition. He is the author of “The Church Security Handbook” and, with Mark Warren, “Active Threat.” In addition, he served as deputy director of training and as an instructor for the Surefire Institute, a California-based tactical lighting manufacturer and tactical training company. He is also the director of security for a church of more than 7,500 in the Kansas City area, a position he has held for more than a decade.
Vandalism is on the rise: Is your church or nonprofit prepared?
security expert Vaughn Baker SHARES practical ways churches and nonprofits can counter the rising tide of vandalism.
Churches have always experienced vandalism. Yet for a variety of reasons, they’re increasingly being targeted by vandals and arsonists. Some of the attacks are driven by anti-religious bigotry and political ideology. Some are merely fueled by a primal desire to destroy. Recent attacks go beyond graffiti and broken glass. Some church buildings have been damaged to the point they've become unusable apart from expensive repairs. Vaughn Baker, president of Strategos International, is an expert in both business and church security and provides several practical suggestions that can be implemented by congregations of all sizes.
Barry Young on Fundamentals of Church Security
Any size church can begin a security ministry, and it’s not “one size fits all.” Learn how to keep your organization safe while staying true to your mission.
When it comes to violence at church, many congregations used to think, "It could never happen here." This view was maintained in spite of a growing body of statistical evidence demonstrating that attacks at churches have been increasing at an exponential rate.
The mass murder at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017, got the attention of many churches. All of the "it couldn't happen here" boxes were checked in that shooting. After all, this church was small, rural and self-reliant. As a result of this shocking attack, many churches began developing security ministries. Yet much of this activity came to a screeching halt when the health restrictions of 2020 locked churches down. Yet as churches have reopened, security challenges have re-emerged.
In our Insights video interview, church security expert Barry Young, shares insights including:
1. How a small church can have security ministry.
2. The surprising motivations behind most church attacks.
3. Simple things every church can do to deter attackers.
4. The many faces of church security, from armed and uniformed to unarmed and unassuming.
5. The role of church security training.
6. And more …
Contact us to learn more about church security training and liability insurance to protect your congregation in the event of an attack.
About Barry Young and Strategos International
Barry Young was the director of church security for Strategos International until October of 2021, at which time he chose to begin an evangelistic speaking ministry. Barry has served as a pastor, trainer, security consultant and police chaplain and is a recognized authority on church security. Strategos International is a leading provider of security training, consulting and protective services for churches, schools and corporations.
