As a church/synagogue/temple leader have you ever thought about these situations?
A child goes missing from the children’s ministry during Sunday Service. A violent or unstable person enters and disrupts the sanctuary during an Evening Service. Your receptionist is confronted by a hostile person at the church/synagogue office. A non-custodial parent takes their child from the ministry classroom without proper authority and leaves the church/synagogue/temple. A church mission trip to Mexico turns into a hostage situation with a group of missionaries from your church. A person shows up at your place of worship with a gun…What do you do? Are you prepared? Is your ministry team prepared?
Safety and Security is becoming increasingly important for churches, synagogues and faith-based service providers. From acts of violence and vandalism to disruption of church services, there has been a steady increase in security threats to places of worship across the country. With the recent events in Charleston, South Carolina, churches/synagogues/temples today simply must be prepared for a variety of threats and crisis situations, such as medical emergencies, domestic violence, child care protection, disruptive or violent visitors and preparing for a safe mission trip. Faith-Based Communities must be prepared for any emergency. Safety and security are critical operational issues for churches and synagogues of all sizes that are often overlooked or not emphasized. The facts show that 44 percent of churches with more than 200 attendees don’t have a formal security program for their congregation during worship services.
During this 8-Hour Class, participants will gain a better understanding of the need for ministry safety and security. Students will learn about intimate partner violence, domestic violence, and workplace violence. They will learn about the importance of developing a safety / security policy and a child protection policy. They will be able to recognize high risk areas in their place of worship and offices. Students will learn about the legal, insurance and liability issues. How to prepare for an emergency such as medical, natural disasters, an active shooter and other forms of extreme violence. Students will develop a church/synagogue/temple security assessment checklist that includes persons and property protection, financial protection, transportation protection and mission team protection. We will discuss various incidents, how to address the aftermath of a critical incident and working with the media.
Target Audience
All church/synagogue/temple leaders (pastors, clergy, rabbis, church staff, etc.) and leaders of their congregations (elders, deacons, etc.). Training is also excellent for all members of the criminal justice community and political leaders.