Dillon Burroughs, PhD, writes for the Standing for Freedom Center and serves as an adjunct instructor at Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. In his article, When the Church Becomes a Target: Shepherds Must Defend the Flock With Armed Security, he makes the biblical case why churches are obligated to maintain trained and armed security ministry teams. Excerpts from the article are below:
Violent attacks or threats against Christians and arson crimes against churches in Europe spiked sharply in 2024, according to a report by the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe).
[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]
The research shows that, while the 2,211 hate crimes targeting Christians recorded across the European continent in 2024 were a drop from the number of incidents in 2023, the nature of the crimes had grown more violent.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Terrorists Call for Attacks on Christians ]
Key findings include:
Acute situational awareness and sharp, clear thinking needed to anticipate and train for self-defense and church security threats are dependent upon the proper amount of sleep your body requires.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Components of a Strong Mindset for the Legally Armed Citizen ]
Do you appropriately prioritize sleep in your everyday living?
[ Read SemperVerus articles that speak to the topic of MINDSET ]
In our high-pressure world, it’s easy to view rest as an unearned luxury or a sign of weakness. But your body and mind tell a different story through persistent fatigue and a fog that makes it hard to focus.
When emergencies strike, every second counts. The Sheepdog Church Security Academy free Emergency Response Visualization Guide helps you mentally rehearse key scenarios ahead of time so you can respond with confidence and clarity when it matters most.
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This free guide trains your mind before a crisis occurs by walking you through realistic church safety scenarios so, when the time comes, you’re able to respond with confidence, clarity, and control.