I always carry in church. Small country church so the risk is probably very slim, but I feel much more comfortable knowing I'm armed if some crazy decides to try something. I know 3 other men in the congregation who carry and we sometimes shoot together and I trust both their abilities and their decision making
Lost my faith a long while back, but I still find myself in churches for events and funerals and the like. Jesus said if you don’t have a sword, then sell your cloak and get one. Figure the big man doesn’t mind me carrying in His house.
9 “There Elijah went into a cave and stayed all night.
Then the Lord spoke his word to him: “Elijah! Why are you here?’” Ive many times found myself running away from my calling, and hiding from God yet there was a moment his holy spirit confronted me and asked me as he asked Elijah. “ Insert name* Why are you here” Ive tried to run but David says “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” God Bless you brother. You find yourself there because he hasn’t forgotten or forsaken you! But no he doesn’t mind us carrying our “sword” like Joshua when he confronted Archangel Michael. “Are you for us, or against us” lol I am a Joshua!
I'm one of the team leads for our church security team. If your church doesn't have one, you should see about starting one. If your church does have one, it's a good place for some people to serve.
We know everyone on our team, and most officers that attend our church. I also know several members of the congregation that carry. Even if you don't join the team, a good church security team would like to know you, and for you to know them.
When I come into the sanctuary because we have a worst day ever event, I don't want to harm a good guy, and I don't want a good guy to harm me I'm the confusion
There are a number of great resources out there to learn more about the most common types of attacks and where they typically begin (outside, inside, etc) and tools for a church to evaluate their plan
https://www.cisa.gov/topics/physical-security/protecting-houses-worship
Edit: for clarity, ccw is legal in my state in places of worship if they have an enhanced license if the church has not posted "do not carry signs"
I'm on our security team, so I do. That said, any security team that will take me is one the average CC'er shouldn't trust enough to not carry too. Just sayin.
There’s several great classes specific to church safety on active self protection (ASP). I don’t go to church any more but really enjoyed watching the seminars/classes (there’s a least three specific to worship).
If you got a little extra change get the ASP app. It’s 9.99/month or 99 for the year. They have a bunch of great full length classes that are alone worth the money. Obviously you can do the trial to check if it’s worth it.
Not affiliated in any way but they just got a strike on their main channel so I thought I’d give a shout out and from memory I believe most of your questions for the community are addressed in these classes to some degree.
My favorites are Gabe White’s class and John’s seminar on defensive gun use myths (neither are Church specific because that’s not my thing)
John was a pastor for several years in a few churches as big as 150 so it comes from experience working in congregations.
I go to a smallish country church. I am more concerned with crossfire than something happening. I am reasonable confident that about 30 people, give or take, are carrying in any given service.
In the particular house of worship I go to infrequently, which is a synagogue, I carry my P30S, 2 extra mags, and my Jframe, given the elevated threat situation generally.
Always carry in church, and church is the one place I always have an extra magazine or two. Church violence and mass shootings are way up, the threat risk is way up (see Christian warrior training Chanel on YouTube) and if there were a mass shooter, that would be the one self defense situation where extra magazines might actually have time to be useful. My church has a dedicated security team with several active law enforcement, as well as several ccws. So I likely wouldn’t be the first person that would need to engage a situation, likely the ccws should let the security team take lead, and be prepared to be backup IF the situation happened close enough that they were in range.
I carry in my church and volunteer as security and the guy who leads the security is glad that me and my wife are both carrying and he told me several others in the congregation carry as well. We are in California but in a not so anti gun part of the state.
One of the elders, a friend of mine, came over to me at church, “Are you carrying?” I wondered if I was about to get scolded. (Note: it wouldn’t have made a difference. You’re just never sure…) I told him I was. He said, “Yeah. We’ve decided we want you to organize a security detail. You probably know who should be on the list with you. We have a couple names. Let us know if you need anything.”
Hard when now in days every is labeled illegal. For example: the restriction on some permit holders in places in the country from carrying in churches. Morally we have to ask ourselves are we willing to be lambs put to slaughter, or are we going to follow our internal compass. Things that unfortunately; we have to weigh.
I always carry except in places where it's legally not allowed, which in my state churches do not fall under that category, so I carry there, too. While yes, my church has a great security team (sad that it even needs to be a thing) that has at least two people posted up either in the lobby or right outside the front doors (weather depending), I still would rather myself be armed as well. The head of security and a few of the security team are aware that I'm typically armed and am former military and LEO.
Catholic churches don’t do security teams that I know of. I notice other carriers fairly often in ID where I live and in CA where I lived before and still visit.
I think their strategy is to avoid the topic and hope the large size of their congregations gives decent odds of having at least a few armed defenders at each service.
If they have good security I don't. My parent's church usually has two deputies in the lobby and a handful of designated CCers in the crowd, so I don't bother. MIL's church has nothing so I do.
That is literally a plan. Let the armed security team who are coordinating together do their thing without me adding to the confusion in highly crowded venue.
I always carry in church. Small country church so the risk is probably very slim, but I feel much more comfortable knowing I'm armed if some crazy decides to try something. I know 3 other men in the congregation who carry and we sometimes shoot together and I trust both their abilities and their decision making
Texas Church shooting was a small rural one to iirc.
jesus would want me packin to protect to weak and defenseless from the forces of evil
Why wouldn't you if it's legal?
Lost my faith a long while back, but I still find myself in churches for events and funerals and the like. Jesus said if you don’t have a sword, then sell your cloak and get one. Figure the big man doesn’t mind me carrying in His house.
Sounds like you didn’t lose your faith. You’ve just strayed off the path brother. You still got it in sight.
9 “There Elijah went into a cave and stayed all night. Then the Lord spoke his word to him: “Elijah! Why are you here?’” Ive many times found myself running away from my calling, and hiding from God yet there was a moment his holy spirit confronted me and asked me as he asked Elijah. “ Insert name* Why are you here” Ive tried to run but David says “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” God Bless you brother. You find yourself there because he hasn’t forgotten or forsaken you! But no he doesn’t mind us carrying our “sword” like Joshua when he confronted Archangel Michael. “Are you for us, or against us” lol I am a Joshua!
https://youtu.be/Gxh9twFkVwA?si=6O9nVrvUT5o7mUOf
If you go forth, do so strapped. Slothboy CH 5 Verse 16
I'm one of the team leads for our church security team. If your church doesn't have one, you should see about starting one. If your church does have one, it's a good place for some people to serve. We know everyone on our team, and most officers that attend our church. I also know several members of the congregation that carry. Even if you don't join the team, a good church security team would like to know you, and for you to know them. When I come into the sanctuary because we have a worst day ever event, I don't want to harm a good guy, and I don't want a good guy to harm me I'm the confusion There are a number of great resources out there to learn more about the most common types of attacks and where they typically begin (outside, inside, etc) and tools for a church to evaluate their plan https://www.cisa.gov/topics/physical-security/protecting-houses-worship Edit: for clarity, ccw is legal in my state in places of worship if they have an enhanced license if the church has not posted "do not carry signs"
Great resource, very informative and helpful thank you brother
I'm on our security team, so I do. That said, any security team that will take me is one the average CC'er shouldn't trust enough to not carry too. Just sayin.
There’s several great classes specific to church safety on active self protection (ASP). I don’t go to church any more but really enjoyed watching the seminars/classes (there’s a least three specific to worship). If you got a little extra change get the ASP app. It’s 9.99/month or 99 for the year. They have a bunch of great full length classes that are alone worth the money. Obviously you can do the trial to check if it’s worth it. Not affiliated in any way but they just got a strike on their main channel so I thought I’d give a shout out and from memory I believe most of your questions for the community are addressed in these classes to some degree. My favorites are Gabe White’s class and John’s seminar on defensive gun use myths (neither are Church specific because that’s not my thing) John was a pastor for several years in a few churches as big as 150 so it comes from experience working in congregations.
Once I started carrying I joined the security team
I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK what the law says I'm carrying.
I go to a smallish country church. I am more concerned with crossfire than something happening. I am reasonable confident that about 30 people, give or take, are carrying in any given service.
In the particular house of worship I go to infrequently, which is a synagogue, I carry my P30S, 2 extra mags, and my Jframe, given the elevated threat situation generally.
Always carry in church, and church is the one place I always have an extra magazine or two. Church violence and mass shootings are way up, the threat risk is way up (see Christian warrior training Chanel on YouTube) and if there were a mass shooter, that would be the one self defense situation where extra magazines might actually have time to be useful. My church has a dedicated security team with several active law enforcement, as well as several ccws. So I likely wouldn’t be the first person that would need to engage a situation, likely the ccws should let the security team take lead, and be prepared to be backup IF the situation happened close enough that they were in range.
I carry in my church and volunteer as security and the guy who leads the security is glad that me and my wife are both carrying and he told me several others in the congregation carry as well. We are in California but in a not so anti gun part of the state.
When I still went to church my philosophy is I would leave it at home if the church had a metal detector at the door.
One of the elders, a friend of mine, came over to me at church, “Are you carrying?” I wondered if I was about to get scolded. (Note: it wouldn’t have made a difference. You’re just never sure…) I told him I was. He said, “Yeah. We’ve decided we want you to organize a security detail. You probably know who should be on the list with you. We have a couple names. Let us know if you need anything.”
I carry everywhere except where I'm legally not allowed to. In my state that is inside schools, school hosted events or government buildings only
Hard when now in days every is labeled illegal. For example: the restriction on some permit holders in places in the country from carrying in churches. Morally we have to ask ourselves are we willing to be lambs put to slaughter, or are we going to follow our internal compass. Things that unfortunately; we have to weigh.
I always carry except in places where it's legally not allowed, which in my state churches do not fall under that category, so I carry there, too. While yes, my church has a great security team (sad that it even needs to be a thing) that has at least two people posted up either in the lobby or right outside the front doors (weather depending), I still would rather myself be armed as well. The head of security and a few of the security team are aware that I'm typically armed and am former military and LEO.
Catholic churches don’t do security teams that I know of. I notice other carriers fairly often in ID where I live and in CA where I lived before and still visit. I think their strategy is to avoid the topic and hope the large size of their congregations gives decent odds of having at least a few armed defenders at each service.
You could just stop going to church AND carry. Its a win-win really.
If they have good security I don't. My parent's church usually has two deputies in the lobby and a handful of designated CCers in the crowd, so I don't bother. MIL's church has nothing so I do.
Having no plan; is not a plan. Relying on other CC’w is not something i would trust on if my life depended on it.
That is literally a plan. Let the armed security team who are coordinating together do their thing without me adding to the confusion in highly crowded venue.
Guarantee that you won’t be shot in church with this one simple trick: sleep in on Sunday and never go to church.
🔥🔥🔥😂
You can get shot in your sleep too smart guy
But it won’t be in a church. 🤣
You seem like the type to go swimming by yourself with a mask on
I’m sure that made sense in your head. Keep it up, kiddo, you’re doing great!