Answering a Church's Armed Question

I recently was writing a proposal for a church in Iowa and the staff member that I was in communication with asked a very good question.  This church is just getting started and are looking to the future of having an armed component.  The question that this staff member asked was "What prerequisites do you recommend and liabilities should we consider to help determining who qualifies as a good candidate for armed carry?" 

Before I share my answer to his question, I want to stress that the likelihood of an active shooting incident happening at your church is very remote.  BUT, that does not mean that we don't prepare for one.  There are way too many companies out there that are focusing on training active shooter response and forgetting about the prevention and the ministry of safety and security..  I tell people all the time that we can't lose the focus that the church is here for the hurting and the broken.  Let me share a note from a pastor at my church after dealing with a couple of situations this past weekend.  "With each person - security made appropriate and relational contact. What I observed is the security team approaching each gentlemen in an intentional, genuine, and relational manner - not in an "we have our eyes on you, buddy..." There was genuine care and concern - they wanted to do what they could for the gentlemen -the security team was warm, friendly, and even smiled when talking to the guys :) :) - but you could tell there was a deeper intentionality in why they approached these gentlemen. It was great work."

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