church security – Page 16

IDPA: Practical Training for Self-Defense and Church Security

If you conceal carry for the purpose of being ready to defend yourself or others in the event of a lethal threat—including while volunteering on your church security team—you should consider becoming a member of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), the shooting sport that simulates self-defense scenarios and real life encounters.

[ Read articles in the SemperVerus category of Church Security ]

Regularly conducting drills at your local gun range by standing in a lane and firing at a static bullseye target is important and helps develop and maintain your shooting skill and marksmanship. But it doesn’t reflect real-world environments where you need to move, draw from your concealed holster, seek cover, and make on-the-spot “shoot” and “don’t-shoot” decisions against one or multiple targets.

The Importance of Being Civil and Polite

The third element of the five SemperVerus components is BE, which emphasizes the importance of intentionally reinforcing rectitude in yourself. It’s stated thusly:

III. Be: developing rich personal leadership character of exemplary moral and ethical quality.

The 18th-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant put it this way: “It is not necessary that while I live, I live happily; but it is necessary that so long as I live, I should live honorably.”

In his article, Why Politeness and Etiquette Matter, blogger Scott Monty references the handbook George Washington wrote when he was only a teenager titled, Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. Washington’s final rule is a guiding light for all of us, “Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, 10 Lessons From Benjamin Franklin’s Daily Schedule ]

Monty’s list of reasons why being civil is vital to a life well lived is because it fuels:

By semperverus
Posted on 11/04/202305/29/2025
1 Comment on The Importance of Being Civil and Polite

Church Security Training: Decision Decks Help You Think Through a Crisis Before It Happens

Here’s a simple way to prepare your mindset for the unexpected!

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]

Whether personal self-defense or serving on your church security team, anticipating potential threats is a crucial skill we must hone as rigorously as we sharpen our defensive shooting accuracy in the time we spend at the range.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security ]

One way to accomplish this is with Decision Decks, five packs of cards—60 scenario cards per pack—to enhance situational awareness problem solving and decision making abilities, created by Simon Osamoh, founder and president of Kingswood Security Consulting and the Worship Security Academy, and former head of counter-terrorism at Mall of America, Minnesota, where he oversaw the internationally-recognized behavior threat assessment team.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview with Simon Osamoh of Kingswood Security Consulting ]

You already know about the benefits of dry-fire training in the comfort of your home; in the same manner, Decision Decks are pre-crisis mental workouts you can contemplate anywhere to sharpen your readiness.

Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security

[ Read articles in the SemperVerus category of Church Security ]

Among the ways of being prepared for unexpected self-defense or church security situations is to intentionally engage your mind to think about possible dangerous scenarios you could encounter and the ways in which you’d respond to them.

[ Read articles in the SemperVerus category of Situational Awareness ]

To help you conduct these mental exercises in a “gaming” fashion, SemperVerus has created the chart below listing at least 36 character personas that could be motivating factors in threatening crises. They represent the spectrum from seemingly minor incidents to major violent acts perpetrated by either males or females: from a “lone wolf” (a single bad actor) to a “wolf pack” (a gang with malevolent intentions); from rational to irrational behavior; from opportunistic to premeditated; from vandalism to synchronized active killers.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Gentle Response De-Escalation Training for Church Security Teams ]

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Components of a Strong Mindset for the Legally Armed Citizen ]

Regularly think through each persona and plan for your own actions in meeting them head-on. For example, what would be your first move if a lone and crazed person accosted you on the street? What would you do if, during your volunteer shift on church security, a coordinated attack of active killers (high on the synthetic stimulant Captagon like these terrorists) simultaneously entered your church through two wings of the building? Plan now to be prepared!

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Concealed Carry Daily Prayer ]