“A prudent person foresees
danger and takes precautions.” (Proverbs 22:3)
Every church that wants to grow in today’s culture must make safety
and security a top priority. When parents walk in the doors of your church, they are wondering
“Is my child going to be safe here?”
We live in a new reality. And the reality is families can be
attacked at the store, while at work, while at the Movie Theater, at a sporting
event, at school and yes, even at church.
More than ever, we must have safety and security measures in place if we
are going to reach families. The average millennial parents are not going to
return to your church if they see that safety and security are lacking.
Here are 10 safety mistakes churches make:
1) No check-in and check-out plan, or not enforcing
the one you have.
It is crucial to have a security system that enables you to control
who picks up the children. Everyone should abide by this; that means even
if the Pastor came to pick up his child and he didn’t have a matching security
tag, he would need to have his ID checked to see if he is on the pick-up
list. Any pastor who values the safety and security of his church members
and their children, will be glad to abide by this.
If you don’t currently have a check-in and check-out system, I
recommend KidCheck. They can help you with your safety and security needs
and they are only $25 a month.
2) Allowing children to be alone with an
adult.
I was visiting a church a few years ago and I saw a preschool room
that only had one adult serving. Big red flag! Always, always,
always have two adults in your rooms. No exceptions!
3) Not running a background check on
volunteers.
Yes, it does cost to do this. But it is something you can’t
afford not to do.
4) Not having a safety and security team.
Every ministry needs a group of people who serve as volunteer
safety and security people. They should be identified by their shirts,
lanyards, etc. They should be visible in the children’s area. And if you
can, also have a uniformed police officer present as well. Parents will
appreciate this and feel better about leaving their children with you.
5) Not having an amber alert plan.
What happens when a child goes missing? It’s important to
have a step-by-step plan on what you will do.
6) Making the excuse of being a small
church.
I hear about many smaller churches that push back on having a
safety and security plan. You’ll hear “everyone knows everyone” or
“we don’t have enough kids to do this” or “we don’t like formal
processes like that, we are like a family.”
If that is your mindset, I want to remind you that several
shootings have taken place in small churches in small towns. Every
church, no matter the size, needs to have a safety and security plan.
7) Not locking down the children’s ministry
area when church starts.
Can people walk into your children’s area unhindered? If
possible, only allow people with a security tag in your children’s area, and
have a way to lock down the hallways and rooms once the service starts.
This can help deter an active shooter.
8) Not having a security camera in the rooms.
Having a camera in your rooms can be a lifesaver if something
happens. You’ll have clear evidence of what did or did not happen because
we had a security camera in the room.
I remember once we had a nursery volunteer that dropped a child
while trying to change his diaper. The baby was okay and it was helpful
to be able to see exactly what happened.
9) Not having an evacuation plan.
The fire alarm goes off. Not having an evacuation plan could
be devastating. The evacuation plan should be clearly mapped out and
volunteers should know what to do and where to go.
10) Not having a clear view for parents to be
able to see in the room.
Every room should have a window that enables parents to see inside
the room from the hallway. This also adds another level of
security. Most abuse happens behind closed doors. Eliminate that by
not having any rooms that are behind closed doors with no viewing access.
I would strongly advise a Church Risk Assessment be done in every
church at least once a year. I would be
happy to help you with that, or if you prefer I can provide a Free Church Self-Assessment Form template that’s done
as a Word document so it can be adapted to your situation. If interested just send me an email and I’ll
get back to you right away.
Integrity Security Consulting
Russ Sharrock
405-762-2471 |
integrityseccon@hotmail.com
I have
developed and made available to anyone interested, for FREE,
a series of Security & safety forms that can be printed for your use:
1) A Safety & Security Risk
Assessment Form
2) Church Security Plan Template
3) Church Emergency Plan Template
4) A General Fire Safety Checklist
5) A Bomb Threat Checklist
6) A
Bomb Threat Distance Chart: Includes various types of explosive devises
and to be referred to in an event of a bomb threat evacuation. These are
minimum distances to evacuate away from the area of explosion.
7) Facility Lockdown Checklist
8) Child Protection Covenant
These MS Word
documents can be adapted as necessary to fit your church size and needs.
I will be adding new forms as time allows.
For a copy of
any of these FREE forms, or if you have any
questions, contact me and let me know what your needs are.
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