Many small churches have members who do not see the need for child protection policies and other policies to keep the church safe. The common excuse is that we are small and we all know each other.
Recently all churches, especially small ones, received a wake up call as a small church in Texas, in a “safe” area, was the site of a mass shooting where over two dozen people were killed with as many more injured. It seems that no one in the sanctuary was unharmed. The ages of the victims ranged from 18 months to 77 years old. Families were together during the service and multiple generations of families were mortally wounded. It was a heartbreaking incident.
So what is a small church to do to protect itself from the evil of this world that seems to be growing?
I do not presume to be an expert. An initial step is to contact local law enforcement and have them offer guidance. Many churches utilize greeters who may abandon the doors once the service begins. Have the greeters, or another individual stay by the door during the service to monitor people approaching the building. The shooter in Texas apparently threatened a member of the church, a domestic situation. Encourage members to share any threats so that a heightened, pro-active response can be initiated if warranted.
The truth is that in a church, there are a lot of people in a small place. If someone enters and opens fire, then the outcome will not be good.
Medium to large, and mega churches are more likely to have people who conceal-carry and an organized security team. In a small church, your main line of defense may be locking the doors and having someone standing guard. It could slow the attack, get a warning out, and minimize the impact.
When I served in a small church, I often stood in the back by the main entrance. People often questioned why. It was specifically for this reason. To attempt to keep everyone safe. Any one could have walked in behind everyone and done a lot of damage, or headed downstairs unseen where the children met. Did I expect trouble? I did not, but I knew that the possibility, however slim, existed.
