The modern church is no longer just a place of worship. It’s a community hub, a refuge and, unfortunately, a potential target for threats ranging from theft to active shooters. For ministry leaders, the challenge of ensuring safety can feel overwhelming. The pursuit of security is relentless, from crafting emergency operations plans to dealing with lost children, medical incidents and even embezzlement. But in today’s world, simply having a strong risk management program isn’t enough.
What churches truly need is a culture of security where every staff member and volunteer is empowered to challenge suspicious behavior, where governance policies form the foundation of safety, and where modern security technology seamlessly integrates into daily operations. The misconception that security tech is limited to surveillance cameras and access control is outdated. Modern security systems offer holistic, integrated solutions that actively support a church’s risk framework. A church that embraces a unified security platform can dramatically enhance its ability to prevent, detect and respond to threats.
One church that recognized this need for change was Peace Church in Eagan, Minnesota. In this article, we will use them as our primary example. With a congregation of 2,000 members and a 60,000-square-foot facility, they knew they had to rethink their approach to security. Like many churches, they initially relied on a patchwork of security solutions—some cameras, basic access control and a loosely structured safety team of volunteers. However, as incidents involving houses of worship continued to rise nationwide, church leaders at Peace understood that they needed a more strategic and proactive approach.
Assess Strengths and Weaknesses.
Recognizing that the threat landscape had changed, Peace Church embarked on a journey to redesign its security program. They started with a comprehensive vulnerability assessment, a process that would give them a complete view of their security posture and expose gaps in their existing approach.
This assessment evaluated three core areas. The first was administrative risk, which examined how the church managed background checks, whether they had a dedicated risk and threat assessment team, the effectiveness of their staff training, whether they had legal counsel on retainer, and how comprehensive their emergency operations plan was.
The second area was physical security, which focused on the structural vulnerabilities of their facility, including doors, locks, windows, money storage and overall building design. Lastly, they examined security technology, reviewing their access control measures, surveillance system, mass notification capabilities, and communication tools.
The results were eye-opening. The assessment revealed that while the church had invested in some security measures, they were fragmented and lacked integration. There were surveillance cameras, but coverage was inconsistent, leaving significant blind spots. Their access control system provided basic security, but they lacked the ability to remotely lock down the building in case of an emergency. Most concerningly, they had no formal mass notification system to quickly alert staff and volunteers in the event of a threat or emergency.
Build a Security Road Map.
With a clear understanding of their vulnerabilities, Peace Church set out to build a strategic, layered security approach. They partnered with Grove Security, a security integrator specializing in nonprofit and house-of-worship technology. This partnership was crucial because houses of worship have unique security needs. Unlike businesses, which primarily focus on keeping all but their clientele out, churches must balance security with their mission of welcoming people in—including individuals who may be experiencing personal crises.
To close the gaps identified in the assessment, Peace Church implemented several key technological enhancements. First, they upgraded their surveillance system, ensuring comprehensive camera coverage at all entrances, hallways and gathering spaces. This eliminated blind spots and provided clear visibility across the entire facility.
Next, they enhanced access control at all major entry points, enabling church leadership to remotely lock and unlock doors. This significantly improved their ability to respond to external threats such as active shooter incidents while also providing better governance by tracking who accessed certain areas and when.
One of the most overlooked aspects of church security is the ability to communicate effectively during a crisis. Many lawsuits arise not because of the incident itself but because organizations fail to notify people in a timely manner. Churches have a duty of care to those inside their buildings. Without real-time mass notification, congregants may be left vulnerable and unaware of what to do.
So perhaps the most transformative change for Peace Church was the implementation of a mass notification system. They chose Alert Protection Services’ real-time notification system, which allows staff and volunteers to receive immediate alerts on their phones in case of an emergency. Whether it’s an active threat, a severe weather event or a lost child, this system ensures that critical information reaches the right people instantly.
Power Up an Integrated System.
While these individual enhancements were crucial, the final and arguably most important step was ensuring that all security systems worked together. In many churches, security measures are implemented piecemeal, resulting in a patchwork of solutions that don’t communicate with each other. This fragmentation can lead to inefficiencies, delays and confusion in an emergency.
Peace Church solved this problem by adopting a fully integrated security platform that centralizes all security operations within a single system. They now have one log-in and one platform for managing access control, surveillance, visitor management and intrusion detection. This streamlined approach eliminates the need for multiple software systems and ensures seamless communication between different security functions.
The benefits of this integration go beyond convenience. Verkada, the system the church chose, offers automated analytics that provide valuable insights into security trends, helping church leaders make data-driven decisions about their risk management strategy. Additionally, the platform’s compliance tools allow Peace Church to generate reports that demonstrate adherence to safety regulations, an essential factor for liability protection.
An integrated system also ensures a faster and more coordinated response to emergencies. For example, if an unauthorized person attempts to enter the church, the access control system can automatically trigger a security camera to record the event, send an alert to security personnel, and activate the mass notification system all within seconds. This kind of real-time response is critical in high-risk situations.
Create a Safer Future.
Peace Church’s journey illustrates how security should be approached not as a set of isolated measures but as a comprehensive ecosystem where risk management, security culture and technology work together. Their experience provides four valuable lessons for other churches looking to strengthen their security programs.
- Start with a vulnerability assessment. This will help you to gain a full understanding of your risks. Without this your church could invest in security measures that don’t address your most pressing vulnerabilities.
- Implement a layered security approach. Make sure to combine administrative policies, physical security and technology solutions.
- Partner with experienced security integrators. Choose ones who understand the unique challenges faced by houses of worship.
- Ensure all security systems are fully integrated. This unified approach maximizes efficiency and effectiveness.
As threats against churches continue to evolve, it’s no longer enough to simply react to incidents. Churches must take a proactive stance leveraging modern security technology and risk frameworks to create safer environments for their congregations. Security isn’t just about having cameras and locks; it’s about fostering a culture of vigilance, preparedness and resilience.
For Peace Church, this journey required an investment of time, effort and resources. The result was a security program that not only protects their congregation but also empowers their leadership with the tools and knowledge needed to prevent crises before they happen.
Houses of worship must recognize that safety is not an option; it’s a responsibility. The question is no longer if an incident will occur, but when. The real challenge is whether your church will be prepared when that moment comes.
Editor’s Note: Businesses referenced in this article does not imply editorial endorsement.
Simon Osamoh serves as the CEO and founder of Kingswood Security Consulting, a Minneapolis-based security risk management firm, and as the host of Church Security Talk podcast. He also founded the Worship Security Academy, providing security solutions to houses of worship and nonprofits.
