Should your (any) church have security guards? - digg this
Given the recent shootings in Colorado Christianity Today has a poll up that asks the titular question. What do you think?
- Yes, but they shouldn't be armed.
- Yes. My church needs armed security guards.
- No. My church is too small to need security guards.
- Churches shouldn't have armed security guards.
- Churches shouldn't have any security guards.
An article there talks to a variety of people and gets their opinions. Personally I understand why some do. A lot of money moves through some of the bigger churches. Dale Annis, director of Church Security Services, a consulting firm in Bakersfield, CA makes a good point and has a good closing line. "Churches are really easy pickings if you think about it," he said. "You've got several hundred people, all in one place with their heads down and their eyes closed. I tell my security team to pray with their eyes open."
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Total Number of Comments: 5
How many church shootings in how many years? Considering the sheer number of churches in America (about 350,000) makes this a rare event even within the same day! The fact that security measures is even being talked about in light of the recent shootings is an over reaction. It sounds like what people need are some insecurity guards.
I'm not so sure that this is just about the shootings. Churches have been robbed, vandalized, etc. over the years. As churches are trending bigger/richer I could see things like this happening more often.
The bigger churches here in Tulsa have been using off-duty TPD officers as security for years now. They do a lot of traffic control and off-hour surveillance and are paid by the church as volunteers (like restaurants and clubs do).
They are armed as well.
Bigger and richer than Catholic Cathedrals, which have been big and rich for centuries? Also, I'd like to see the numbers. What is the Church crime rate? Has it really increased over the last decade or, like violent crime in general, has only the reporting of those crimes risen? I suspect it's the latter.
...er, that's a double 't' for that last word, right?
Good point on the Cathedrals, though in America there are probably far more Protestant churches with cash money on hand. And you may well be correct regarding perception vs. reality. I do know that you're correct about the spelling of "latter" if nothing else.