Heard a most disturbing story. It seems that a few churches now have a security team equipped with guns! Yes, you heard right--guns. The idea is that certain men in the congregation are trained in case a gunman enters church with the intent of hurting someone. My friend told me that the church also has an emergency exit plan for the pastor and the pastor's family.
I'm glad people care about their pastor and will make plans in case of an emergency, but the thought of men carrying guns into worship makes me wince. There are just too many people with anger issues and, frankly, PTSD, to trust that someone might not use the gun they say they will protect you with and kill you or someone you care about instead.
Am I just out of the loop on this? How common is this? Do you have a security team at your church?
Happy Advent,
Kathy
December 1, 2011
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Kathy,
ReplyDeleteIt is actually becoming more commonplace than you realize, but so is the threat against houses of worship. The Bible even says that in the end times, the love of many will grow cold, and that some will turn from the faith even becoming enemies, family member against family member. Only few select incidents ever make big headlines such as the New Life Church in Colorado or more recently in a small Baptist church in Lakeland Florida. But scarily, statistics of violent crime occurring on church property is increasing in the US.
Here is one article:
http://www.prlog.org/11138688-securing-the-21st-century-church.html
Please keep in mind that these are only the crimes that get reported to law enforcement agencies. Oversees and in other countries the crime rate and acts of violence is much worse.
If you have any questions reagarding if it is biblical, I encourage you to check out www.biblicalselfdefense.com
The other thing you could do is set up a google search for news stories relating to church security. That is how I came across your blog today!
Proverbs 22:3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. (NLT)
Your post and the comment leave me speakless
ReplyDeleteshould be speechless
ReplyDeleteWe have too many guns in our society. Gun laws should be stricter. Too easy for the criminal element to gain access to high powered weapons. If no one had guns but the police, we would be just as safe. (My opinion.) Nona
ReplyDeleteRegarding stricter gun control laws. I think you should look at the crime rate of those areas that have the most stringent of gun control laws and compare it to those areas that allow for the law abiding citizen to carry guns. I think you will find that those areas that allow the law abiding citizen to carry guns have a much lower crime rate. Stricter gun control laws only affect those who obey the laws. Criminals are criminals because they do not obey the law. Criminals will always have guns regardless of the law. Examine the crime rate of London and compare the current rate to that of 10 years ago when every citizen was allowed to carry a gun. They now are forbidden by law to carry gun and the police are now outnumbered and out gunned. Case in point the London Riots a couple of months ago.
ReplyDelete