Planning and Armed Congregants Top Church Security Measures
Around 4 in 5 US Protestant Pastors (81%) Say Their Church Has Some Type of Security Measure in Place When They Gather for Worship.
By Aaron Earls
Most churches have some type of security measures in place during worship services. Pastors point to intentional plans and armed church members more than other measures, but compared to three years ago, fewer say they have plans and more say they have gun-carrying congregants.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]
Numerous fatal shootings have occurred at churches in recent years. In March 2023, an armed assailant killed six people at The Covenant School, a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. Shootings have also occurred at other places of worship like Jewish synagogues and Sikh temples.
[ Read articles in the SemperVerus category of Church Security ]
When asked about their protocols when they gather for worship, around 4 in 5 US Protestant pastors (81%) say their church has some type of security measure in place, according to a study from Lifeway Research. Still, more than 1 in 6 (17%) say they don’t use any of the seven potential measures included in the study, and 2% aren’t sure.