In today’s environment, many churches are forming security/safety teams. It is important to remember the primary mission of the safety team.
The mission of the safety team is not to gather a bunch of people with guns and stand at the front door. The mission is to carry out the mission of the church. It is important to look for team members with a heart for ministry.
Everything we do should be viewed through the filter of the church's mission.
For example, at Central Bible Church, the mission is "Making God known by making disciples who are changed by God to change their world." If your team's primary focus is on the mission of your church, you will eliminate the feel of policing your building and congregation.
Ultimately, we don't provide security to keep people safe. We provide security to create an environment free from distractions so people can engage in worship and hear God's Word, so that the mission of the church can be fulfilled. If the safety team focuses on creating this environment, it will also provide the safety needed for the congregation.
We keep in mind that we are not here to police and order people around, but to help the staff carry out the church's mission. The specific mission of our safety team is to minister to the staff and other leaders of the church so they can minister to the congregation and carry out the overall mission of the church.Â
Some of the specific areas of public safety responsibility for our team are:
- Traffic
- Medical response
- Fire evacuation
- Emergency weather procedures
- Missing children / people
- Investigations
- Active shooter response
- Pastor Protection Detail (PPD)
- Public Information Officer (PIO)
Serving the staff and congregation in these areas is a ministry to the church and the city, and is our team's way of using our specific skills and gifts to honor God and make Him known.
On our safety team, we think of Nehemiah 4:16-18 as a key passage: "From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me." While our security officers may have weapons, we are both doing and enabling the larger work of the church, to carry out God's larger mission for His people and the world.