Church Security Readiness: A Practical Response to Real Threats

In today’s climate of rising hostility toward churches, being prepared is essential. While we trust in God’s protection, we also have a responsibility to act wisely and proactively in the face of potential threats.

The following checklist outlines practical steps every church can take to reduce vulnerabilities, ensure the safety of congregants, and respond swiftly in the event of a security breach. From limiting building access to training volunteers and maintaining up-to-date records, these measures are designed to give your church peace of mind—and a plan.

Every detail matters. Every second counts.

• Take seriously and report any threats to law enforcement that have been made to or against the church or individual members.
• Limit building access by only allowing main doors to be used for entry during services, activities, and during the week, and keep all other doors locked from the inside during and prior to services so no one is able to enter from the outside.
• Post safety team or other designated persons at the doors of all entrances and around the property. This also provides greeters for visitors and identifies persons who seem out of place or agitated.
• Keep in the church office a list and pictures of sexual offenders who live near or attend the church, and ensure safety team members and greeters know how to discreetly communicate their attendance.
• Schedule safety patrols of the property before and during services, including all occupied buildings, the parking lot, and outdoor areas.
• Designate a code word for security breaches that can be communicated from the pulpit, loudspeaker, or other methods to alert the security team of an active threat.
• Post emergency contact information in visible and high-traffic areas. Maintain a contact list of emergency medical personnel within the church.
• Designate persons to call 911 and to contact medical personnel within the church when necessary.
• Verify that the church has adequate nighttime and outdoor lighting and repair/replace lights quickly when they fail.
• Ensure all locks are in working order and that areas such as nurseries, church offices, and classrooms remain secure.
• Educate all workers on security protocols and regularly practice drills (fire, severe weather, lockdown, etc.), especially for nursery and children’s workers who rotate more often.
• Document unusual incidents or breaches as soon as possible, and provide reports to police if necessary.
• Discourage people from remaining in vehicles during services to avoid suspicion about their motives for being on church property.
• Prior to locking up, designate persons to check all rooms, bathrooms, and pews to ensure no one has been left in the building.
• Keep a security log of all incidents, including medical events, suspicious persons, visitors asking for money, door locking times, and alarm settings.