Articles with church security

Church Security Armament Recommendations By Tom Givens, John Correia, and 6 Other Professionals

SemperVerus asked 8 firearms training professionals for their recommendations as to what they consider to be optimal for church security team volunteers to carry while on duty, having as their objective to protect others rather than concerning their own everyday self-defense.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Training: Decision Decks Help You Think Through a Crisis Before It Happens ]

Every one of the questioned professionals stresses the absolute #1 prioritization of obtaining ongoing defensive mindset and quality skill training as the primary requirement before considering what guns and gear should be used. It’s not the weapon that makes the defender succeed; it’s the defender’s superior training and mental acuity. Once that is understood, they offer their equipment recommendations.

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

The categories to which the professionals responded are:

  • Brand of firearm
  • Style (full size/duty size, compact, subcompact, micro compact, pocket, etc.)
  • Optics/Sights (red dot, reflex, night sights, 3-dot sights, black out rear site, fiber optic, tritium, etc.)
  • Carry method (IWB, OWB, appendix, shoulder, pocket, ankle, off-body, etc.)
  • Action Type (revolver, semi-auto)
  • Action (single, double, DA/SA, hammer, striker, etc.)
  • External Safety: (yes, no)
  • Magazine (single stack, double stack)
  • Magazine Capacity
  • Number of Extra Magazines
  • Caliber
  • Ammo Brand
  • Weapon Mounted Light (yes, no)

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of AMMO ]

Click each of the following names to view their recommendations:

What to Take to the Shooting Range—Including a Prayer

Whether you go to the shooting range to qualify for volunteering on your church security team or to train to improve your personal armed self-defense skills, you go to increase your defensive marksmanship to be consistently accurate.

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

The more you train, the more you become proficient in handling firearms and the safer you are as a defender, because you know you are responsible for every bullet that leaves your gun.

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

The time you spend at the range is not an expense, it’s an investment, since…

Interview with Keith Graves of Christian Warrior Training

If you’d like to be interviewed to share best practices of your own church security/safety team, contact SemperVerus by emailing staytrue@semperverus.com.


SemperVerus interviewed Keith Graves, founder and trainer of Christian Warrior Training, which empowers churches with the knowledge and tools they need to create a safe and secure environment for their members.

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

Why have you focused your tactical attention on providing your professional expertise for church security teams?
Churches are often seen as safe havens, but they are not immune to violence or threats. As a retired police sergeant and a believer, I’ve witnessed the rise in targeted attacks on places of worship. I focus on church security because it aligns with the biblical call to protect the flock (Acts 20:28). A well-trained security team ensures that worshippers can gather safely and focus on their relationship with Christ, knowing that someone is standing guard.

Interview with Matt Witte, Church Safety Consultant

If you’d like to be interviewed to share best practices of your own church security/safety team, contact SemperVerus by emailing staytrue@semperverus.com.


SemperVerus interviewed Matt Witte, Church Safety Consultant at Blue Arrow Consultants, LLC, which believes that individuals, church security teams, and businesses utilizing threat assessment knowledge to make a location more secure—and to prepare people for what dangers may occur—can lessen the need for force, reduce the chance of physical harm, and minimize liability.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Tactical Training for Individuals and Church Security Teams to Thwart Active Violence Incidents (Part 1) ]

Why is it important for a church to organize a safety/security team?
It’s important for the church to have a safety/security team because even back in the days when the disciples were with Jesus they had the mindset of protection among themselves. They may not have dealt with the same threats that we do today, but none-the-less it’s our duty as church members to protect our flock.

Along with that, no matter the size of your church, it’s crucial to have some kind of medical response team ready to jump in when the need arises. The devil is always at work to disrupt or destroy where people gather to worship Jesus. We need to be ready for whatever he plans to use against us.