| Zechariah 9:8 |
"But I will defend my house against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch." |
| 09/14/09 - Church Security: remembering a tragic incident |
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On Tuesday, September 15th it will be 10 years since a gunman walked into Wedgewood Baptist Church in Ft. Worth Texas during a Wednesday night service of about 150 people, mostly youths. The offender detonated a pipe bomb and opened fire with a 9-millimeter handgun killing seven people and injuring another seven before taking his own life. Wedgewood Church was not the first to experience such a tragedy and unfortunately it wasn't the last. Before that time and since that time there have been many others in Christian churches. As with all of these senseless "active shooter" situations, especially in a house of worship, people are shocked, no matter how many times they happen and we should never lose that. I know the people at Wedgewood still feel the pain of that day and I have read how their Pastor has stated that he does not want his church to be defined by that incident because his church is so much more. But I do believe it is important not to forget, especially when so many lives were lost. When we forget, we lose sight of the dangers that are still present and the price that has been paid by those already lost. A couple years back I was in Wisconsin, heading a security protection detail, and while I was at the venue getting ready for the evenings activities I started speaking with a woman who managed the facility that was hosting this event. She asked me about my job and I mentioned that we have to do what we do because you never know what can happen. She just kind of stared at me and said "Don't we know that...". I was a little lost because I wasn't sure what she meant. She went on to say that they experienced in their small town a tragic active shooter situation in a church in 2005 and 7 people were killed. Then I realized that I was in Brookfield, Wisconsin. I had never been to Brookfield Wisconsin before, but I use that incident as a training example in some of my talks. I had the details, I mentioned this incident many times, but I didn't realize that I was there, in their town. Further, this woman's brother was on the local police department and one of the first to arrive, so it was even more tramatic for this family. I felt a bit embarrassed that, in the field I am in, I didn't even realize where I was and the significance of the event. Afterwards I realized it was still fresh in many people's minds. I am sure this is what many people at Wedgewood are feeling this week. Whether it is one life lost or many, a senseless shooting in a church is a nightmare for everyone involved. And even though Wedgewood doesn't want to be defined by that incident in 1999, it is important that people do not forget...for the ones that lost their lives...for the ones that still live with the aftermath. Remembering is important because it is a reminder that it can still happen, any time, at any church. The church as a whole still is a soft target where a gunman with evil intentions can enter without resistance to carry out a death wish. After the Wedgewood shooting, then President Clinton stated "Yet again we have seen a sanctuary violated by gun violence....We have to redouble our efforts to protect our children....We know that there is nothing we can do to assure that this will never happen again; but there is a lot more we can do to assure that it will happen more rarely." We have not done so and I am sure those words have long been forgotten, however there needs to be that effort. To protect our children, to protect all believers who come to our churches with the desire to worship, in peace, and without fear. Our thoughts and prayers will be with our brothers and sisters in Ft. Worth this week, as they remember and grieve. And we will remain dedicated to ensure, with the Lord's help, that no evil prevails in His House. In Christ, Jeff Hawkins Executive Director |
