Does Your Church Have a Shooter Policy?

Last updated on: April 9, 2018 at 10:56 pm by Jayson D. Bradley

Does Your Church Have a Shooter Policy? 2018-04-09T22:56:36+00:00 Jayson D. Bradley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It’s crazy that I need to ask you this question, but for the sake of all involved, does everyone at your church know what to do if a shooter shows up? I know that there are a lot of opinions, on both sides of the gun issue, but your leadership needs to have this critical discussion.

After the church shooting in South Carolina, I remember a pastor saying that if everyone were packing this wouldn’t have happened. And even though many combat veterans, SWAT members, and police officials say otherwise, there’s a firm belief among some (many who are in your church) that only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun.

What are you going to do?

Think about this for a minute—visualize it in your mind. It’s the middle of a service, the minister is up front praying, and someone bursts into the sanctuary with an assault rifle and starts firing. It’s going to be instant chaos—people will be diving to the floor and running for exits. It’s going to be chaos.

Now imagine one or many other people in your congregation stand up and start returning fire from various areas of your sanctuary. Now the mayhem is amplified. Honestly, people carrying firearms in your congregation are going to have different training and readiness for a situation like that, despite what they’ve learned from watching action films.

Can you see the problems that could develop in a crowded church if your leadership team hasn’t come up with a plan and communicated it?

Things you need to know/consider

Do you know who is carrying in your church? Have you come to a consensus on how you feel about that as a church, and what you’re communicating about it?

If you do subscribe to the idea that you’re safer with people carrying weapons into your church, are they placed strategically? Do they have the leadership’s blessing to stand up wherever they are (even if they have to shoot over the panicked heads of their fellow congregants) and start firing at potential danger? Do you need to deputize a couple of people and ask others not to return fire?

I know . . . it seems crazy for me to have to write it.

Do you have a way to communicate with and lock down kids classes and the nursery? How about if a shooter starts there?

I don’t want to be an alarmist, but let’s be honest, it’s getting more and more likely that this is a reality that we need to prepare ourselves for.

Here are some things I would encourage you to do:

Find out who what the concealed carry laws are in your town.
Find out how many concealed weapons might be in your church. (You might send out an email asking people with concealed weapons permits to alert the leadership if they are carrying in church, but there’s a high likelihood that many won’t tell you. You can also send out a free survey via SurveyMonkey).
Discuss scenarios with the leadership and decide whether you want to allow guns in your sanctuary. Under the law in most states, to prohibit carrying a firearm in church the church is required to post a sign saying that no guns are allowed, at every entrance to the building.
If you decide to allow firearms in your church, you need to consider the possibility that there are quite a few. It’s probably best that you don’t leave it open to everyone’s best judgment on what to do in a high-stakes, dangerous situation. The leadership team needs to have this conversation and communicate it openly at an open meeting and in writing.
Look through all areas of ministry and consider the security that’s in place. Do teachers and helpers know what to do if a gunman/woman is in the church?

I can’t believe I have sat down to write this all out. It seems so insane, but it looks like we’re at the place where we need to accept this is the way of life in America. I guess we need to consider how it will affect the people in our care.

Previous Post

December 17, 2015

Why in God's Name Would I Blog through Matthew?

Next Post

January 7, 2016 My Place in Matthew's Messy Genealogy of Jesus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ask Jayson Blogging Evergreen Giveaways Guest Posts Interviews and Reviews Jesus Matthew Politics Scripture Social Issues Social Media Spiritual Formation The Church Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2023 March 2022 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 August 2017 April 2017 February 2017 January 2017 August 2016 July 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 January 2013 December 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What sign did God give Hezekiah to show he would be healed?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The sun's shadow went backward Fire from heaven Rain in drought A river turned to blood