Does your church have a plan?

January 19, 2013 // Posted by Brad Hoffmann // 2 Comments

Be prepared – it should be every congregation’s motto. Given the day and time in which we find ourselves, we must consider an action plan on how to respond to an active aggressor or shooter. The safety and security of campus attenders is a priority. You mustn’t dismiss the possibility of violent action. To ignore tragedy’s potential is reckless. How would you respond? What would you do? At Cool Spring, we have a team working on a response plan in the event of an aggressive or violent act on our campus. A friend of mine forwarded this video produced by the City of Houston Mayor’s Office. It’s worth a watch. What do you think?

2 thoughts on “Does your church have a plan?”

  1. brenda sanders

    The video would not work for me. I am very thankful for all of our resource police officers who are equipped with a gun and are there to protect the student’s and staff in any situation. My grandchildren, my daughter who is a sp. Ed. Teacher at Hanover High and me, a substitute teacher feel safer because of them. I hope all schools in the US will somday have a resource officer. Good luck and prayers for the response plan that you choose to use.

  2. Paul Frederick

    Unfortunately, shootings during church services or on church grounds are not uncommon. Just google “shooting at sunday church” and you will see that just this past Easter weekend, shootings occurred during services or on grounds. If you have no means of protection, obviously the steps outlined in this video are your best bet depending on the situation. Since the shootings in so called “gun free” zones in the past several months, I’ve often wondered what CSBC is doing to prepare in case such an event occurs.

    I realize that in Virginia, the law is a bit vague with respect to lawful conceal carry of firearms in a worship service. It is not allowed without “good and sufficient reason”. To do so would warrant a class 4 misdemeanor charge. Who determines what is “good and sufficient”?

    Myself included, there are a number of CSBC members who hold a CCW, shoot regularly and carry. I have never carried in the buildings of CSBC but have considered it at times for Sunday. I don’t ever want to be in a situation where I would be defenseless on church property simply because I, as a law abiding citizen, obeyed the law but the bad guy did not. If I carry concealed and an incident occurs where I am obligated to step in, I seriously doubt anyone would complain. If an incident never occurs, no one would ever know that I was carrying. If an incident ever occurred and for whatever reason, I decided to be lazy that day and leave my firearm at home or in vehicle, I’ll have to live (or die) with that decision. Sadly, others may die also because I chose to not be vigilant for a couple of hours. After all, a church is a “Gun Free Zone”. In my opinion, everytime a person who intends to do harm to others sees a “Gun Free Zone” or like message on a building, it is translated as “Killing Field – Little If Any Resistance To Criminal Activity Here”.

    Frankly, Brad, if there’s a plan for this type of incident, I’d like to know more about it.

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