Security As A Ministry

Church security is all over the news. Everywhere you look there's an incident of some type involving churches. Whether it’s people suffering from mental illness, vandalism, or anger suggesting active violence it seems like the church today is under attack now more than ever.

Did you ever think that in our lifetime we would be experiencing some of the things that are occurring in our churches? It wasn't too long ago where churches were places of solitude and safety. But that’s changing. And churches around the world are facing some of the toughest challenges in our history.

That’s why in this important season we must have excellent church security programs. And that’s also why men and women must rise up from within the church to develop and serve in this important area.

Many churches today believe that having an armed security guard or police officer is the answer to the growing number of incidents.  Other churches refuse to take any safety measures because they fear the perception of security will keep people away or make them feel unsafe. 

The Need for A Ministry

The answer is simple.  There is a critical need for church leaders to develop an organic security team that will act as a ministry.   A ministry that's focused on allowing the Holy Spirit to do what only he can do. We’re talking about building a ministry with the proper foundation, mindset and skillset which will empower you to operate your teams effectively and powerfully within your church.

Your church security program can only be successful if it’s built on solid ground. So, let’s start with the most important part, and that’s the foundation. As we build a church security program, it’s important that that we do it through the lens of ministry.  Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 3:11 “No one can lay any other foundation than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus”.

Friends, as you answer your calling, you can never lose sight of that foundation.

Think for a minute about how you would build a house.  It’s important that what's above the surface is based on the foundation that’s below the surface. Because your security program - your ministry – will only be as strong as the foundation on which it’s built.

 The Heart and Skills OF David

When we read about the early life of King David and the relationships that shaped his future, we see in David a unique combination of Godliness, wisdom, and warrior skills. 

As you grow your ministry, it is important that you and your team seek out and grow the heart of David. What do we know about the heart of David?  First, we know that God described David as a man after God's own heart.  Second, it’s about being highly skilled. Because of his heart for God, He grew David into an amazing leader and warrior for His people. 

As you develop your security ministry, keep these foundational principles in mind.  Because If we only take the methods of the world – such as police and military tactics - and insert them into our church security program…we will fail.

When we only rely on the tactics of the world, the church’s mission is going to be affected.  More than just affected, the church’s mission can become  infected  because it will have been based on something other than solid ground.

By contrast, when we build our teams on the foundation of Jesus Christ, we build a security ministry made up of members who are committed to having Christ-like attributes and prepared to offer protection over all aspects of the church. This is a difference-maker - and this is what’s powerful! 

We want your ministry to focus on the heart first.  And we want you to be encouraged and inspired to build your ministry on solid ground and to develop a team with the unique skills that equip churches to build the Kingdom.

The Ministry Mindset

Now let’s talk about our mindset and our motivation. Let’s start by telling you what we shouldn't do. We shouldn’t traffic in fear - and there’s a lot of fear out there today.

God is not the author of fear - and he doesn’t operate through fear.

Pastors will often say “Church security is so fear-based, that we can't take it.”  Or they say, “We don't want to hear that somebody's going to come and harm us” or that “having good security means we have to live like prisoners within our own church.”

So let’s be clear: if you are leading a team and you use fear tactics with your pastors, stand by for them to shut you down.  They don't want to hear it.  And you shouldn’t either.

When we speak to our pastors, they need to see our faith and hear our Godly wisdom. Fear is not only ineffective, but it is a powerful weapon used by the enemy. It is marked with doom and gloom.  And it is where confusion reigns. And these are all very dangerous for the church. 

Faith, however, tells a very different story. Faith is marked by life, hope, wisdom and direction.  Wisdom is seeking God for the things that we need to exercise faith, and preparation is putting everything together to walk out the plan.

If you find that your security ministry is being led by fear and operating with only the tactics of the world, I suggest you take a pause.  Start making a habit of pulling your team in close. Pray together, study the Bible together… and re-focus.

Friends, the proper mindset is a security ministry that’s clearly motivated by faith, wisdom, and preparation that is focused on Christ and operating in harmony with the church and its mission. The Bible tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” 

We hope you found this to be encouraging as you raise up a new church security program, lead your existing team or simply stand post so that others can worship the Lord in safety.