Transcript CHURCH SECURITY - The Watchman's Academy

CHURCH SECURITY
&
THE WATCHMAN’S ROLE
STEVEN PADIN
MATTHEW 26:38
“…tarry ye here and
watch with me.”
“WATCH” –
to take heed lest through
remission and indolence
some destructive calamity
suddenly overtake one
Fred Winters
First Baptist Church
Maryville, Illinois
Last service 3/8/09
WALKED IN 10
Nameless
MINUTES LATE
– WITH
COAT
Shot
and killed
ON
Fred Winters
BACKWARDS
 “…authorities say the
criminal appeared to have
planned the attack, since
he referred to Sunday as
‘death day’ on a planner
found in his Troy home
and he carried enough
ammunition to kill 30
people.”
John 18 records that when the
soldiers came to arrest Jesus,
several of his disciples were with
him.
He stood up to the soldiers, insisting
that his disciples be let go.
 You protect your flock because you
love them!
 And when we are “under the
influence” of love - we are protective
of others!
 In Acts 20 Luke writes that we are to
have a watchful and protective eye
towards each other.
 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS.
 They were conscious of threats against
them, and took precautions.
 They often met in secret - an act of
defense - because they knew about the
opposition outside their doors.
Use of force
 DID JESUS EVER USE “FORCE” TO
ACCOMPLISH GOD’S PURPOSES?
 Yes, He did! When He entered the
Temple and saw that they had
turned it into a marketplace, He
made a whip and drove them out!
ESTABLISHMENT OF
CHURCH SECURITY RULES
 Should they be a part of the church
 Should they have a distinguished
uniform
 Should they be armed
 Spiritual maturity
GUN RULE AT CHURCH
Jeanne Assam
Dec 9, 2007
Colorado Springs
Subject ‘s killing spree was stopped by this
armed church security guard, saving the lives
of 100 + persons
1- Select the LEADER (not pastor)
2- Leader –
* chooses others, or
* accepts nominations
3- Conduct background
checks
4- Leader selects 1 or 2 as a
kind of “lieutenant”
5- Initiate interview process
NEXT…
 EE TEAM meets and
forms a
“security policy”
for the church
NEXT…
 EE TEAM meets and
practices
Protecting the
people when they
gather at the
church
Identifying those who might
cause harm
 Domestic Violence Issues
 May 2006. Man enters church in
Baton Rouge, shoots and kills 4
people, abducts wife and 3
children – later kills wife
 February 2006. Detroit –
shotgun in hand, man kills 2.
Police say it’s domestic dispute
related
Lovingly confront
known sexoffenders who
attend your church
PARKING LOT
TROUBLE can possibly
be detected and deterred here
FIRST LINE of DEFENSE
FOYER (point of entry)
After
RECOGNIZING
suspicious behavior,
RESPOND
 RESPONDING
Approach the suspicious
person with a partner

Strike up a conversation
using “contact-cover”

Use great care in HOW
you speak to this
individual

Conversing with the
suspicious
Never touch anyone unless
you’re ready to respond to
their action
 Make sure there are 2 of
you
 Touch is a last resort.

DISARMING AN ARMED
SUSPECT
Your very best effort at
providing security at your
church is NOT ENOUGH !!!
Psalm 127:1
More than anything, we need
to rely on the Lord for if we
don’t , our efforts are in vain.
PSALM 127:1
…except the Lord keep the city,
the watchman waketh but in
vain.
TWO THINGS YOU MUST KNOW
1- Recognizing your adversary
2- Resisting your adversary
Ephesians 6
“For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness
in high places.”
So what are we to do?
 We must use our SPIRITUAL
WEAPONS just as surely as we
would use our physical weapons.
 Joshua and the people of Gibeon
 Your weapons:
 Prayer
 Discernment
Acknowledgement to
police officer
Jimmy Meeks
for providing majority
of slides