training Archives - Page 16 of 26

Self-Defense and Church Security: Proper Firearm Defense in a Crowd

In a 5-minute video, Rob Pincus, professional trainer, author, consultant, and executive director for PersonalDefenseNetwork.com, examines specific considerations for responding to an active shooter or other bad guy in a crowded environment. Hitting innocent bystander(s) in addition to—or worse, instead of—the bad guy will only compound an already tragic situation. And many variables exist in a crowd that can affect what happens to the shots you fire. Taking the shot you need to take and believe you can make is important in any situation, especially in a crowd.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Concealed Carry Daily Prayer ]

Here is a preview video to the instruction video:

Situational Awareness Building Exercises

Photo credit: Unsplash Whether being ready to protect yourself or your loved ones every day, or volunteering on your church security team, developing keen situational awareness should be priority #1. Think of being situationally aware not as being paranoid, but as being aware-anoid!

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ]

In fact, “THE Primary Factor in self-protection/self-defense is situational awareness,” says Mark Hatmaker in his article, Warrior Awareness Drills.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Simple Chart for Situational Awareness ]

One way to sharpen your situational awareness into a consistent ironclad habit is to consciously and intentionally routinize it everywhere you go, wherever you are, all the time; turn it into a moment-by-moment personal sport.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Live Life Left of Bang ]

Hatmaker says, “A useful practice to return awareness/alertness to the fore is to gamify your awareness, that is, to use a series of specific awareness/alertness drills on a revolving basis that allow you to keep your mind a bit above the day-to-day routine while also making a bit of a game out of what may save your life.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense and Church Security: Make Scanning Your Priority ]

In his article, he offers three drills to improve your “eyesight:”

By semperverus
Posted on 09/09/202405/27/2025
2 Comments on Situational Awareness Building Exercises

Mental Health Toolkit: A Free Resource for Self-Defense and Church Security

Photo credit: Stormseeker, Unsplash Mental illnesses are common in the United States, affecting more than one in five US adults (57.8 million in 2021), according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Estimates suggest that only half of people with mental illnesses receive treatment.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security: How to Identify 25 Common Mental Health Behaviors ]

With your involvement in church security/safety, you’ve likely witnessed the growing struggles with mental health evidenced in unusual behavior by some in your services and among people in your congregation, since church is where broken people are drawn to find meaning in their lives.

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

Recognizing the signs of common mental health challenges is crucial for responding appropriately when disruptions occur.

A Treasure Trove of Gun Information: The Defensive Use of Firearms Website

The website you ABSOLUTELY MUST bookmark if you are at all interested in learning as much as you can about self-defense and firearm insight is spwenger’s Defensive Use of Firearms.

It’s founded and maintained by Stephen P. Wenger, whose extensive credentials include hundreds of hours of law enforcement, self-defense, lethal force, armorer, public safety, and threat management training and teaching. He created the site in response to his frustration with seeing erroneous defensive tactics being taught by firearms instructors.

Along with the website, Mr. Wenger publishes the DUF Digest, a comprehensive examination of the practicalities and realities of the use of firearms for defensive purposes in a free, daily email digest of firearm-related news (subscribe at this list server site). He is also the author of the book, Defensive Use of Firearms (also see book information on Snub Gun Study Group), which he offers as a free PDF download.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Directory: Informative Free Email Newsletters From a Variety of Sources ]

The website’s valuable information is organized in the following categories:

Church Security at Temporary Rental Property: An Interview with Steven Jansen

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.

A church plant is defined as the process of starting a new, local gathering of Christian believers for corporate worship and group edification. Often church plants are sponsored by established churches as a way of reaching people outside of their immediate areas. Church plants usually begin holding weekly services in some type of rental location with the objective of eventually constructing and owning their own facility. The practices of church security in rented space can vary from those in owned property. SemperVerus interviewed Steven Jansen, the leader of a church safety team at a church plant in Michigan.

Why does your church believe it’s important to have a security/safety team?
Our church safety team exists to ensure a safe and secure environment in which our congregation and guests have an opportunity to worship our Lord.

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

What training do you see as being important for team members?
The Active Violence Incidents training Del Kostanko of Blue Arrow Consultants recently did for us (and has in some form for the last three years) is one of the most important training we do. I believe in his training so much that I would say anyone who has a CPL (Concealed Pistol License) should take his class! * Anyone who has a CPL on our team is also required to go to a group shoot with all of us each year.

Another training that we do is CPR/AED training. We have a meeting every year to go over what we’re supposed to be doing, how to do what we’re supposed to be doing, and go over any changes and improvements we can make.

We have multiple medical first responders who have their own required training outside of church for their state emergency medical license and we have a couple guys involved in CPL classes who have separate training for that as well.