The church is under attack!

This phrase is screamed from pulpits across America and has been repeated from generation to generation, acting as a battle cry to rally the troops into a spiritual war against the world. While I agree the church is under attack from the forces of Satan, I do not believe this is the only attack that threatens our churches.

Churches in the West have benefitted from a neutral societal view of Christianity for decades.[1] But as sin grows, society changes. No longer is the church looked at as a neutral force in America. Instead, Churches are considered evil for forcing their ideologies on the public. This hostility is levied at churches through social forums, civil litigation, political procedures, and physical attacks. This war against truth is only the beginning, as more hate and evil will come.

As a result, churches have found themselves searching for a way to protect their sheep spiritually and physically. Unfortunately, pastors are not well trained in the physical aspect of this equation, leaving them to wonder how to minister the Word while protecting the sheep from that which means them harm. One common response to this growing problem is to establish a church security team and task them with the protection of the church.

Though a common response, every church has taken up the task of physical security differently, from one man stationed at the front door to a small army of men keeping watch over the service and everything in between. With most churches simply figuring it out as they go, it is time for a resource dedicated to the physical protection of the church. After all, every pastor’s office contains book after book explaining the ins and outs of protecting the church spiritually. So why not add a brief article exhorting them to protect the church physically?

Why Is a Safety Team Needed?

You may have clicked on this article and asked why? Why would a church need to task a group of men with protecting the church? After all, violent attacks on churches in the U.S. are rare. However, violent attacks are not the only thing a church needs to be concerned about. The job of a safety team is far less concerned with worst case scenario and far more focused on ministering to the flock.

As sin grows, society changes. No longer is the Church looked at as a neutral force in America.

Unfortunately, many church security/safety teams miss this point. Often, the safety plan of a church involves one or two males who sit in the lobby with firearms as a way of missing service. Or it is a group of guys who look and act like a militia. Unfortunately, neither of these options address the typical kinds of threats a church might encounter. As a result, many churches suffer from what I call “the fallacy of the gun” and believe that simply arming individuals will solve the problem. This decision may make the congregation feel better, but it does not necessarily make the church safer and in fact, may make for a more dangerous environment.

Violent attacks, active shooters, or mass causality events are the incidents at the forefront of everyone’s mind. But, how often do these incidents happen? According to the Family Research Council (FRC) acts of hostility carried out against churches have been on the rise in the last several years.[2] Studies show that, between January 2023 and March 2023, 69 acts of hostility were reported. That is more than the first quarter reports from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined, and it is more than the total amount of incidents reported in 2018, which saw 50, and in 2019 which saw 54. The clear rise of these incidents is alarming, as it will soon become a matter of “when” it happens as opposed to “if” it happens.

Out of the 69 incidents reported in the first quarter of 2023, only three percent involved a firearm. The remaining incidents fall into the following categories: arson, bomb threats, vandalism, and less violent acts. With such a wide array of safety concerns, churches should not focus exclusively on stopping violent threats. Instead, the teams should be well-rounded and focus on ministering to the flock by creating a safe and secure environment for gospel proclamation.

A Ministry of Defense

Any church that establishes a safety team or security plan must have a ministerial view. If the church is deemed unsafe, it becomes difficult to preach the gospel, worship, fellowship, and perform the sacraments, all of which are vital for a congregation. The majority of churches in America can agree with the preceding remarks. However, knowing how to promote church safety can be confusing and overwhelming. After all, church safety does not exist in the loci of systematic theology. Nor does any seminary employ a professor of church safety. For these reasons, I have listed a few approaches below to help church leaders think through these issues.

Hired Guns

The first option of any church is to hire a security team or law enforcement and task them with keeping the church safe. The concern with this idea is threefold. First, not every church can afford to hire professional security guards or law enforcement officers. Secondly, there is no guarantee that those hired will rise to the occasion. We can all remember the infuriating video footage of law enforcement officers standing in the hallway of an elementary school, feet away from dying children, and doing next to nothing to end the carnage. Lastly, hired men will not show the same care for your church as a member-led team. Safety and security are more than just defending against active shooters. It includes keeping children safe from predators, interacting with possible protestors, and creating safe environments for elders to counsel.

The Approved Skipper

Another option for churches is the ‘approved skipper’. Unfortunately, when it comes to safety, a lot of churches settle for one or two armed men sitting in the lobby waiting for a worst-case scenario situation to unfold. While the men who volunteer for these roles mean well and likely would rise to the occasion, their souls will suffer in the process. If any other church member came to church and did nothing more than sit in the lobby and occasionally walk around, he would be questioned by the elders. So why is an exception made for those who do the same thing in the name of security? While this option may make the church feel better and allow some guys to serve, it fails to view safety as a church ministry.

The Let God be Sovereign Crowd

Unfortunately, some churches see the threats in the world and decide to do nothing. This view usually stems from a failure to understand what it means to love one another. Some Christians have argued that out of love for the one doing wrong, they would not fight back if they or their loved ones were under attack. Instead, they would submit and attempt to influence the heart of their attacker by preaching to them the gospel. While this seems to be a noble task, it ignores the fact that one way to show love to your adversary is by stopping them from doing evil deeds. Additionally, in the context of a church, you must show love to your neighbor and the visitors of your congregation by providing a safe environment.

Although you may feel called to be a martyr, the children, elderly, and vulnerable in your congregation may not have such a call. Furthermore, a perpetrator who is carrying out a mass casualty incident is unlikely to ask you to deny Christ. Ultimately, being a victim and being a martyr are not the same thing, and we as Christians must trust that the Spirit will guide us when these situations occur. Regardless of how you personally feel, you are commanded to love your neighbor (Mark 12:31), and laying down your life for another is the greatest display of love (John 15:13).

Safety Team

The final option, and in my opinion, the best option, is to form a safety team. A safety team, unlike the other options, is first and foremost a ministry of the church. Instead of viewing safety as an afterthought, it recognizes that establishing a safe location for the saints to sing and pray is vital to the health of a church. By calling the team a “safety” team instead of a “security” team, you reorient their focus, helping them see the broader application of the team. This team is not only focused on the worst-case scenario but concentrates on the overall safety of the congregation.

By taking into account medical emergencies, missing/vulnerable children, natural hazards, and civil liability, a safety team cares for the church in numerous ways. While active shooter and terrorist attacks may make the headlines, such events are considerably rare when compared to the likelihood that a member slips and falls during service or that a car accident occurs in the parking lot. A safety team can address and handle these types of matters, allowing the saints to focus on worshipping.

A proper mindset for church safety begins with a correct understanding of the church, biblical manhood, and womanhood, understanding the preservation of life, and focusing on the spread of the gospel.

The key to establishing a team like this is focusing on the right guys instead of the best guys. While your church may have an elite shooter, a gun hobbyist, or a veteran in its membership, those may not be the best option to lead or serve on a safety team. Instead, this ministry needs to be treated as a ministry and must be led by men who exemplify wisdom and discretion. Men who can look at a struggling church member and give him wise counsel. Men who can give the gospel to a hurting and angry drunk who may have stumbled into service. Men who can keep their composure while being yelled at by protestors. In essence, they should be deacon-qualified men.

These men are in every church, and while they may not have the background in safety, they have the foundation needed to protect the flock. Once you have the right men, training them in the nuances of self-defense is the easy part. A helpful paradigm for training a team is found in the following categories: mindset, tactics, skill, and gear. While skill and gear are important, they are last on this list because mindset and tactics are a higher priority.

A proper mindset begins with a correct understanding of the church, biblical manhood, and womanhood, understanding the preservation of life, and focusing on the spread of the gospel. Even if a pastor lacks knowledge in physical security, he should be well-equipped to teach and preach God’s word on cultural issues, which is paramount to creating a safe and healthy church. Tactics, on the other hand, deal with the procedures and policies, such as evacuation sites, routes of egress, and the locations of medical kits and AEDs. These foundations, coupled with the right men, allow your church to gather and worship safely and with peace of mind.

If you are a pastor or church leader, I exhort you to think through these issues. Seek counsel from those skilled in this area and prioritize the physical safety of your congregation. The wolves are coming, and only a well-equipped shepherd can defend his flock spiritually and physically.

[1] https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/02/the-three-worlds-of-evangelicalism

[2] Family Research Council. “FRC’s New Report Shows Escalating Attacks on Churches in First Three Months of 2023”. Frc.org, https://www.frc.org/newsroom/frcs-new-report-shows-escalating-attacks-on-churches-in-first-three-months-of-2023. Accessed 19 June 2023

In 2000, my sister, Joy Dyer, tried to pay for a purchase at a department store but could not make her hand write out a check. That was the first sign that something sinister was attacking her body. Almost one year later to the day, cancer took Joy’s life. The following article is taken from the upcoming book, Suffering with Joy, which is comprised of letters that were written out of a desire to walk with Joy, her husband, Dean, and their family and friends through this hard journey. My hope is that these letters will provide comfort and encouragement in Christ to other fellow sufferers who are walking a hard path.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12

Joy had her first treatment of new chemotherapy on Monday. The side effects were hard on her. She was very sick Monday evening and night and unable to sleep at all until Tuesday afternoon. Her next treatment is scheduled for July 17. Continue to pray for Dean and Joy, specifically that this new treatment would eradicate the cancer cells and that the side effects would not be as difficult next time. Most importantly, pray that they will continue to experience God’s grace and strength to help them through this. Their faith remains intact. Despite the number and intensity of the assaults this ordeal keeps bringing against their faith, they continue to trust Christ. They are looking to God for strength day by day. In other words, they are fully engaged in what the apostle Paul calls the “fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12).

Our next Joy Verse comes from the same book as last week’s verse. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

The word translated “temptation” is the same word translated in the plural as “trials” in verse 1:2. Trials become temptations to us because, when we go through them, we are often plagued with doubts about God’s goodness or sovereignty or wisdom. Such doubts are natural, and we might even say inevitable at points. But when doubts and questions give way to despair and unbelief, then we have moved from being tempted to actually sinning. While it is never right or helpful to fall into this kind of sin, it is easy to do.

Everyone who loves Joy and Dean is facing this temptation right now. Why has God let this happen? Why doesn’t He miraculously intervene? The simple truth is we do not have definitive, complete answers to these questions. So we must live by faith and trust God through this trial. The things we have learned about Him from His Word are still true. He is still good, sovereign, and wise. He does not make mistakes. Successfully resisting the urge to quit believing these truths during severe trials is what James means by “endur[ing] temptation.”

That person is truly blessed who lives through trial and does not give in to unbelief. Such endurance proves the genuineness of his or her faith. Real faith lasts. It doesn’t always soar on the wings of eagles. Sometimes it barely walks. But it never finally quits. 

What does real faith look like amid a severe trial? There is a great deal of confusion about this in our day. Some well-meaning but wrong-thinking Christians have taught that real faith will always be bright, almost happy-go-lucky, no matter what kind of trial it goes through. But this kind of superficial spirituality is foreign to the Bible. In the Old Testament, Job provides a great example of one whose faith was severely tried. He lost his family, his wealth, and his health. But he did not lose his faith. He faced his trial with genuine agony and sorrow. And at times he entertained serious doubts about God and looked like he was right on the brink of cursing God and turning away from Him. But in his weakness and brokenness, he persevered. And his faith was rewarded with a deeper knowledge of God. 

Real faith lasts. It doesn’t always soar on the wings of eagles. Sometimes it barely walks. But it never finally quits. 

An even better example is given to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. As He hung on the cross, dying in the place of sinners, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46).He felt utterly abandoned by His Father and expressed His sorrow of heart in that cry. But even as He asked this question of His Father, He prefaced it with, “My God.” Jesus did not give up His confidence in God even at the point of feeling most forsaken by Him. 

So what did faith look like for Job in his trial? And what did it look like for Jesus on the cross? Glib, superficial pronouncements that all is well? No! Rather, in both cases real faith was demonstrated by what John Piper calls, “an uncursing hope in an unfelt God.”[1] For Job, the refusal to curse God, even when God seemed so uncaring, so distant, was faith. And for Jesus, the refusal to come down off the cross and to turn away from His planned death was faith. 

So for us, humble submission to God in steadfast hope may be the clearest demonstration of our faith when we are going through trials. James says such tested, proven faith will be rewarded with a crown of life, just as the Lord has promised. Like every reward that comes from God, this crown will not be given because we have deserved it. It is not because we have in any way earned it by our faith. Faith does not earn or merit God’s gifts; rather, it accesses them. 

The crown of life, which is eternal life with God in heaven, is given to everyone who loves God. We love Him because He first loved us. We trust Him because He has given us faith to believe. As we go through trials, we must fight to keep trusting Jesus Christ. We must remember all that God has done for us and is for us. And we must hope in God, knowing that a crown of life awaits us on the other side of the grave.

[1] John Piper, “We Do Not Lose Hope,” desiringGod.org, April 11, 1998, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/we-do-not-lose-hope. Accessed April 19, 2024

Several years ago a fellow pastor who served with me at Grace Baptist Church told me how he came to study the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints as a new believer. Shortly after he was converted he became involved in his church’s evangelism efforts, eager to be a part of the work of making disciples.
Employing the methods that he had been taught, he noticed that a large percentage of the people who made professions of faith seemed to have no interest in the things of the Lord. Even most of those who agreed to be baptized drifted away from participation in church life after a few months.
When my friend asked his pastor about this phenomenon the answer that he received startled him. “Some Christians start backsliding as soon as they are converted.”
I was reminded of his story recently when I came across comments David Miller made years ago while preaching from Acts 2:42. That verse says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (KJV).
In his sermon, David explained what the phrase, “continued steadfastly,” meant for those new converts:
I don’t have any background in the biblical languages, and I’m not a scholar, but I do have a homespun definition of what that phrase means. I believe it means they did not backslide right off. They didn’t join the church one Sunday morning during the heat of the revival service and have company come in that afternoon and not be able to make it out to the evening worship service. You’ve encountered the person who comes to church one Sunday and, the next Sunday, they had to go out of town in their new car ten miles to visit with Granny out in the country and she needed help with the noon meal and they couldn’t attend church out there. You know the ones. They stay visiting much longer than they intended and by the time they got home late that Sunday afternoon, about 2:30, they were so worn and weary, they couldn’t make it back to the worship service that evening. And the following Wednesday, they had so looked forward to the mid-week Bible study and prayer time, but the little ten-year-old boy came home with a high temperature of 98.7 and they didn’t think he ought to be out in the night air. Brother, unlike these people, the folks converted in Acts just didn’t backslide right off.
The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) dedicates a whole chapter to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. It affirms the biblical truth that those whom God saves, He keeps, not merely out of hell and for heaven, but He keeps them in the way of faith. He keeps them repenting, believing, and following Christ.
As the first paragraph of that chapter states,
Those God has accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect can neither totally nor finally fall from a state of grace. They will certainly persevere in grace to the end and be eternally saved, because the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. Therefore, he still brings about and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit that lead to immortality. Even though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet these things will never be able to move the elect from the foundation and rock to which they are anchored by faith. The felt sight of the light and love of God may be clouded and obscured from them for a time through their unbelief and the temptations of Satan. Yet God is still the same; they will certainly be kept by the power of God for salvation, where they will enjoy their purchased possession. For they are engraved on the palms of his hands, and their names have been written in the book of life from all eternity.
This does not mean that Christians cannot or will not fall into seasons of spiritual lethargy and even temporary apostasy. Rather, it is the nature of eternal salvation so to work in believers’ lives that they will not successfully remain in a pattern of blatant rebellion to the ways of the Lord Jesus who purchased them.
Again, as the confession puts it,
They may fall into grievous sins and continue in them for a time, due to the temptation of Satan and the world, the strength of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation. In so doing, they incur God’s displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit; their graces and comforts become impaired; their hearts are hardened and their consciences wounded; they hurt and scandalize others and bring temporary judgments on themselves. Nevertheless, they will renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.
Christians don’t back slide “right off.” Neither do they backslide forever. As Jesus said,
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:27-30).
The grace that saves a person also sanctifies that person. The grace that regenerates also preserves. So, too, the faith that unites a person to Christ also perseveres in trusting and following Christ.

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