The Complete Church Security Program

By Ed Sanow A church security program involves much more than defending against an armed intruder. It begins long before any threat of violence and includes what the congregation should do both during and immediately after the violence. It also includes how to handle nonviolent disruptions in a godly way. Assure All Doors Are Locked or Staffed The safety of church members begins with the control of building access. Tour the entire campus to identify every entrance door. Then decide if each door should remain (1) locked from the outside or (2) opened and staffed by greeters. Those are

November 7, 2018

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership

Simple Steps for Improving Security at Your Church

IDES offers a “Safe Worship” training program to help churches increase their safety and security. By Jim Nieman Shootings at houses of worship are becoming more common in the United States. But there are simple, straightforward, low-cost steps churches can take that minimize the potential for such incidents. “The very first thing to do is address building access,” said Ed Sanow, a 30-year police veteran who serves as director of training with International Disaster Emergency Service, Noblesville, Ind. In his role with IDES over the past two years, Sanow has conducted 50 “Safe Worship” training programs at churches across the