How long do you wait before you implement security practices or plan for emergencies?

I had a Pastor recently tell me that sometimes when he is up in front of his congregation preaching, he thinks, “What would I do if….” and then he would mention several emergency situations.

I guess he could tell by my silence that my thought was that, being in the middle of preaching, is not the time to be thinking about something that should already be in place.

The number of incidents continues to accumulate: arson, burglary, robbery, plotted attacks; over 60 in the last few weeks in 15 states across the country. Small and large, city and country; churches, ministries, schools – risks are ever present.

Yet, I still read in almost every news article, church leaders or staff stating, “I never thought it could happen here” or “We were going to….”

There is no tomorrow once an incident occurs.

It is always unsettling to think that the next time you are in church, you may face what no one hopes they ever have to face.

And as anyone who follows the Christian Security Network knows, we are not “alarmists”, we don’t advocate extreme measures or creating a police state or a church that becomes so unwelcoming that people feel uncomfortable.

It is not always about the person walking in with the gun; it is about the plans when severe weather strikes or a fire starts or someone has a heart attack during your church service or a child is missing from your Sunday school class.

These are basic plans that need to be in place – today.

The risks will only increase against the Christian community in the U.S. – it is the nature of our political and ideological position in the world.

If the church is not prepared to respond to the situations that occur every day, how will they ever be prepared when things get really bad?

There is no “tomorrow” once new threats arise.

This often reminds me of the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus in John 3:12; Nicodemus was having a hard time comprehending the basics of being saved and born again and Jesus told him “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (NKJV).

I get that kind of feeling when I talk about the future security of the U.S. and attacks that I believe will occur against the Christian community, much as it does in other parts of the world.

In the news this past week was another ominous warning against Christians, the headline read:

"Al Qaeda Leader Calls for Attacks in the West" 1/22/09 - ADL

If a church leader does not respond to the common criminal committing a burglary, how can they ever comprehend a terrorist attack?

There is no tomorrow – there is only now.

We need to stand firm as Christians and we need to stand together – this is the “network” that is part of our name!

In Christ,
Jeff Hawkins
Executive Director