Church Security Demands a Higher Standard Than Mere Every Day Carry

Volunteering during worship services and church events as an armed security team member is not the same as being a cursory, every day, concealed firearm carrier for your own self-defense. It requires a higher level of commitment. If you’re going to carry a weapon to protect congregants, you need to approach shooting as a professional skill.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

So says Keith Graves, retired police sergeant and founder/trainer of Christian Warrior Training, in his article, Holding Armed Church Security to a Higher Standard.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview with Keith Graves of Christian Warrior Training ]

He writes, “The responsibility of protecting the flock requires more than occasional practice and casual familiarity with your gun. You need to train as if one day you may face the unthinkable—an armed threat during a service. The odds may be slim, but they are not zero.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security ]

He says standards are the measure of a true professional. “That means armed team members must qualify to a set bar of performance, and that qualification should not be easy. Some won’t pass….Lives are at stake, and professionalism demands a clear line between those who are prepared and those who are not.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Team Pistol Qualification Course ]

He emphasizes that professionalism “requires training, repetition, standards, and documentation. If you’re going to serve armed, you must approach it as a calling to excellence. That means attending training courses, practicing under stress, maintaining quality equipment, and qualifying with your actual weapon. Casual carry may be fine for personal protection, but when you take on the responsibility of protecting the church, you must rise above hobbyist level and serve as a professional.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Team Handgun Qualification Drill ]

He concludes, “Professionalism means treating training as a biblical duty, keeping your edge sharp, and preparing faithfully so that God’s people can worship in safety.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Firearms Training: A Directory of Shooting Drills ]

Read his article in full.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]

Just as conscientiously developing and maintaining marksmanship is a vital skill set for church security volunteers, so is the methodical attention to deepening and enriching your character, soul, knowledge, and resolve to action; all qualities found in the SemperVerus Brotherhood virtues: Prepare, Aware, Be, Know, and Do, culminating together into the strategic and tactical element of Self-Defense: the intelligent ability to responsibly protect yourself from menacing spiritual and physical threats.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of BE ]

— Get the SemperVerus booklet, The Case for Biblical Self-Defense —

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