When it comes to weather and natural disasters, planning and preparation are essential. In this case, it means being ready to keep those in the church safe while facing funnel clouds. Preparation for tornadoes, as for other weather situations, means knowing what to do just in case the twister comes, and having in place what is needed.

Being too forceful can make a bad name for the church in the local community, the very people we are trying to reach for Christ. Being well trained is one of the ingredients in measuring up, meeting the qualifications for safety and security team members, so we can prove ourselves honorable by protecting the church in a professional manner. So how do we apply this to use of force?

Whether we call the organization for the safety and security of our congregation a Safety/Security Ministry, Safety & Security Ministry, Safety Ministry or Security Ministry does have implications, not only for identity but for liability, and in some jurisdictions for legal standing.

When it comes to church safety and security, we are there to protect the flock. As such, we may become the targets and have to defend ourselves as well as the others. Do you know what the law says about self defense? Where would you draw the line in how far you would go to defend the flock?

Verbal de-escalation essentially is defusing an explosive situation before it blows up. It works best when we see trouble coming – we recognize a situation with the potential for disruption, perhaps even violence. Would you be ready to use this skill in your church when the situation requires?

Citizen’s arrest is a good thing when needed, but it can be a cause of chaos and injustice if used indiscriminately and unwisely. Federal law and state laws have defined the boundaries for the right and responsibility of ordinary citizens to make arrests.

Natural and man made disasters usually displace some people or leave them stranded, needing a place to stay, if even for just a night or two. To house refugees from a disaster, the church must be prepared.

Sexual abuse in the church is not a rare as we would like to think. How is your church protecting the most vulnerable of its flock - the children - from becoming victims of sexual abuse?

Whether it is a severe winter storm with heavy snow, ice and brutal cold, or a hurricane, or lightning and hail, or a tornado, we want to hide, to take refuge from damaging forces. The real question is, “Where is the best place to hide?” We in church security can help people in our churches to know where to go and how to get there.

Those of us in church safety & security ministry have an obligation to protect our children, the most vulnerable, from fire. Steps must be taken to prevent fires. Measures must be taken to detect a fire and transmit an alert. And we need to know how to respond to a fire. The response, including warning and evacuation, has to be planned.