Articles with research

Intel & Tactics to Defend Against Drone Threats

To meet the challenges of drone warfare, the Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force–401 (JIATF 401) has published the 89-page Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Quick Reference Guide, a collection of intelligence and tactics surrounding the use of weaponized and military drones that is also applicable to civilian domestic threats, including church security.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Increasing Threat of Drones to Church Security ]

The guide begins with an overview by Matthew Ross, Brigadier General, US Army, director, Joint Interagency Task Force 401: “The proliferation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is changing the character of warfare and creating new challenges at home and abroad. Drones are increasingly capable, accessible, and adaptable, giving state and non-state actors the ability to conduct surveillance, disrupt operations, and deliver lethal effects. The threat is evolving rapidly, and our defenses must evolve with it.”

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More Than 500 Million Christians Worldwide Face Bible Access Restrictions Despite Increased Availability

The 2026 Bible Access List highlights the complex issue of Bible access and shortages worldwide, revealing that persecution-related restrictions, socioeconomic barriers and safe digital access limitations continue to put Scripture beyond reach despite increased availability.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of the BIBLE ]

Released by Bible Access Initiative, a coalition of ministries committed to Bible accessibility, the report evaluates 106 countries—88 more than were evaluated in 2025—and pinpoints the countries facing the greatest obstacles to Bible access.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, 100 Million Christians Lack Access to the Bible ]

“We often hear that the Bible is more accessible than ever, but we must not confuse availability with access,” said Wybo Nicolai, co-creator of the Bible Access List. “Persecution-related Bible access restrictions can make accessing Scripture difficult or dangerous, while socioeconomic barriers can put a Bible beyond people’s reach. Even where Scripture is available digitally, limited internet coverage or unsafe online environments can still prevent people from accessing it.”

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Lessons from Executive Protection to Adapt to Church Security

What can past attacks teach us about protecting executives today? The report, Historical Patterns in Attacks on Executives: Threats Exposure and Protective Strategy by Joe LaSorsa of LaSorsa & Associates, examines recurring motives, vulnerabilities, and practical lessons for security teams, such as:

  • Visibility, predictable routines, and access help shape an executive’s exposure.
  • Threats can involve overlapping motives, including grievance, financial gain, and ideology.
  • Digital privacy and physical security need to work together.
  • Protection plans should include family support, medical response, and business continuity.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Protection Book Review: Just 2 Seconds ]

While the report focuses on violent incidents in the corporate and political worlds—involving Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, J. Paul Getty III, Ronald Reagan, and others—the defensive principles extracted from these executive protection attacks can be applied to church security environments—including ministry leaders, congregational attendees, and the church building—such as the following:

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Enhance Your Self-Defense and Church Security Training With the ASP Unlimited App (Review)

ASP Unlimited is the membership app of Active Self Protection, founded by John Correia. ASP’s mission is to “help others develop the Attitude, Skills, and Plan to better protect themselves and their loved ones from harm” through research-informed evidence-based lessons.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

A fee-based subscription service for either iPhone or Android, ASP Unlimited gives you access to the entire Active Self Protection library—featuring John Correia, Neil Weidner, Stephannie Weidner, and the entire ASP team.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview With John Correia of Active Self Protection About Church Security Teams ]

This video and text content is rich in self-defense education, equipping you with the mindset, skillset, and toolset to safeguard you, your loved ones, and your congregation if you’re a member of your church security team.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense and Church Security Lessons by John Correia Reviewing an Attempted Carjacking ]

Church security team members should regularly watch ASP’s video analyses to learn defensive principles they can apply in their church contexts. As John Correia says, “While we do cover church incidents when they arise, the main value for church safety teams in learning from the daily ASP analyses is to have mental reps of real situations that happened to real people, giving team members a broad experience of actual incidents to draw from in their own encounters.”

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2.2 Million Defensive Gun Uses Per Year in America: Latest National Firearm Survey

88 million American adults—32.7% of the adult population—own 461 million firearms: 208 million handguns, 154 million rifles, 99 million shotguns, according to the 2026 National Firearms Survey by William English, PhD, assistant professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of THE 2ND AMENDMENT ]

The research shows that

  • 60 million AR-15 and similarly styled semi-auto rifles are owned by American adults; 30% of gun owners
  • 37.6% of gun owners have used a firearm defensively—about 2.2 million per year
  • 44.5 million adults own magazines holding more than 10 rounds—50.5% of gun owners—539 million such magazines in total (roughly 265 million handgun magazines and 273 million rifle magazines)—88% cite defensive purposes for owning such magazines.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Senior US District Judge Declares Gun Magazine Capacity Limits Unconstitutional ]

The research sample size was 51,398 US residents aged 18 and over, including 16,688 self-identified gun owners, and the survey was conducted in July and August 2026 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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