Articles by semperverus

CCW Safe Lessons: How, When, and Why to Use a Firearm Lawfully

CCW Safe is the self-defense legal coverage membership program that connects members with a criminal defense attorney and helps pay for legal expenses involved in a court case following a self-defense incident. It also provides educational resources on the topic of self-defense.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of INTRODUCTION TO FIREARMS ]

One resource is The Armed Defender’s Dilemma. This 36-video-and-written series teaches legal and tactical lessons compiled from more than a decade of real-world court case analysis alongside criminal defense attorney Don West and firearms instructor Steve Moses.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The 4 Basic Rules of Gun Safety ]

Released one a month for the next 36 months, the series emphasizes that self-defense includes understanding how, when, and why to use a firearm lawfully. The lessons encourage a mindset rooted in restraint, preparation, and the ability to disengage rather than escalate, exploring the judgment and split-second decisions that determine the eventual legal outcome.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The 5 Elements of Self-Defense Law ]

Developed by self-defense litigation expert Shawn Vincent, the debut episode shown below, titled, “The Goal of Self-Defense is to Break Contact,” explores why awareness, de-escalation, and less-lethal options give armed defenders more control. It’s a clear reminder that breaking contact isn’t weakness; it’s the smartest, most defensible strategy for surviving both the fight and its legal aftermath.

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Americans’ Religious Affiliations if the US Were 100 People

If the United States consisted of only 100 people, 62 of them would be people who self-identify as Christian, according to a new Pew Research Center study, based on the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study. Another 29 people would be religiously unaffiliated (atheists, agnostics, or people who identify religiously as “nothing in particular.”) And seven would identify with non-Christian religions, including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Free Online Educational Resources to Grow Your Spiritual Knowledge ]

According to a study by Gallup, the percentage of Americans now identifying as Christian is similar to those of Western and Northern European countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, and Denmark, nations with strong Protestant traditions. Yet religion continues to play a larger role in daily life for Americans than for people in those countries.

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Interview With Cody Blocker, Certified Protection Specialist

SemperVerus interviewed Cody Blocker, Certified Protection Specialist, founding member and past president of the Midwest Church Security Coalition, author of Protecting Your Church: Thoughts on Church Security and Leadership, and founder of Safety Systems Group, self-defense training company.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

Please describe Safety Systems Group.
Safety Systems Group is my consulting and training company that focuses on church security. I teach volunteer church security teams all the “hard skills” like defensive tactics and handguns, but I specialize in training volunteer teams in the “soft skills” of awareness, threat assessment, behavior recognition, and verbal de-escalation.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Gentle Response De-Escalation Training for Church Security Teams ]

Why have you included the topic of church security in the training you provide?
Security falls under the umbrella of stewardship. We need to protect what God has entrusted to us. I started as the director of security for a large church in the Midwest and saw the need. I have a passion for the kingdom, and I don’t like churches being seen as soft targets. I believe each church needs to have a strong stewardship value and protect itself.

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Exposing Lies on Child Gun Death Statistics

The following excerpted quotes are from an Op-Ed article by Dr. John R. Lott Jr., the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center. He served as the senior advisor for research and statistics in the Office of Justice Programs and the Office of Legal Policy in the US Department of Justice during 2020-21.

“Gun control advocates often claim that guns are the leading cause of death among children — but that is false….Over the last couple of years, the media has continually pushed the assertion regarding children being at risk….What defines a child? For those under 18, vehicle deaths consistently outnumber firearm deaths.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Active Shooter Prevention Saves Lives in Wayne, MI ]

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