church security – Page 28

Biblical Lessons to Learn De-Escalating Skills

You’ll always prevail against a threat if you’re able to avoid the threat. Proper execution of situational awareness positions you to be aware of warning signs in advance of perilous occurrences, which in turn allows you to maintain enough physical distance as much as possible to stay in control of the outcomes. In his ancient book, The Art of War, late 6th century BC Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher Sun Tzu wrote, “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of being Aware ]

Practicing situational awareness applies to the verbal confrontations you might face as much as to the physical surroundings you encounter every day. The oral skill-set required to keep a heated argument from becoming a deadly altercation is known as de-escalation. It involves knowing what to say and not say, when to say it, and how to say it. That means the coordinated use of our brains and tongues can be just as important in our self-defense strategy as performing defensive shooting drills at the range. An excellent article on the subject is “The Truth About De-Escalation” by John Bostain, president of Command Presence Training, published in Michigan Police Chiefs.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of spiritual fitness ]

The world’s most influential book, the Bible, has plenty to say about the words that come out of our mouths. Consider the following Scripture verses as a framework to help you in building your de-escalation mindset.

▶ Death and life are in the power of the tongue…. Proverbs 18:21

▶ Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19

▶ Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 29:20

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

▶ Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:27

▶ Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Proverbs 13:3

[ Read the SemperVerus article, on Concealed Carry Daily Prayer ]

Live Life Left of Bang

The principle of situational awareness is taken to a deeper level in the book Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps’ Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life. Written for the US Marine Corps, the concept is just as applicable for everyone to apply for civilian self-defense against personal threats.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of being Aware ]

We encourage you to read the entire book and visit its website. In the meantime, here are a few lessons from it:

Interview: Building a Church Security Team

Lew Gosnell is a Rangemaster at Gunsite Academy and 20-plus year police officer and firearms instructor in California. He served as a Tactical Team Supervisor in the Marine Corps Military Police and worked private security, in addition to being a champion shooter in IPSC, 3-Gun, and cowboy action — including the first-ever Single Action Shoot Society End of Trail competition.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of Church Security ]

GUNS Magazine podcast host Brent T. Wheat interviewed Lew about how he got his start at the renowned firearms training academy, what he teaches students in his single-action pistol and lever gun classes, and his advice for congregations starting their own church security teams, which begins at the 15:50 mark in the embedded audio player below.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Shooting Analysis Reports ]

He says places of worship, by definition, want to be welcoming to people, so they have special training needs to ensure proper security practices at their facilities. He offers suggestions on how and who to select volunteers to serve on church safety teams, equipment needs, and draw development procedures.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense Training Directory ]

— Read other interviews on SemperVerus —

Learn about the Sheepdog Church Security certification program for your church safety team

Invite SemperVerus^® to present its 5 life-changing success-generating components—prepare, aware, be, know, do—to your organization to inspire and motivate your members.

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By semperverus
Posted on 08/04/202011/19/2024

Checklist: Categories and Their Items for Every Day Carry (EDC)

Preparedness is a vital element of SemperVerus mindfulness. One act of being prepared is to be intentional about selecting specific practical items to keep with you in your pockets, purse, belt pack, day pack, or vest as you travel through your day.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, SemperVerus and the Noble Foundation of Scouting ]

Everyday carry (EDC) is the collection of useful gear you consistently tote on your person to help you overcome simple everyday problems and to anticipate unexpected and possibly dangerous situations. Your selection of tools you consider to be essential is a personal decision. An item you think is vital may not even enter the mind of someone else. But that makes it no less important for you. You need to balance practicality and preparedness with weight, bulk, and comfort. Each component of your EDC should serve a purpose or have at least one specific, useful function.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Prepper Survival, Travel, Leadership, Reader Apps ]

Every day, your EDC essentials prepare you for the worst and empower you to do your best.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Questions to Ask Yourself ]

To help you think through your own EDC, here’s a list of major categories to consider and item ideas for each one. You decide what and how much you want to carry every day.