CHU501 Place of Worship Assessment for Safety and Security Graduate

5 credits

This course outlines measures to reduce risks and provide a secure environment for leadership, congregants and visitors. It will give you the tools to assess the safety and security of people, places, property, programs and processes. Church safety/ security seems to be a contradiction, but churches everywhere have been compelled to seriously address this issue. No place is sacred to the criminal, terrorist or natural disaster. All churches, large and small, are vulnerable. Church violence is a nightmare to every member and visitor. Natural disasters often occur without warning. There is no possible way to predict the “if, what, when and where” of a violent act or natural disaster. The key is to be prepared ahead of time and ready to act in the event of a disaster or hostile act.
In protecting lives, preparation is the proven key to success.

The Church Safety/Security Team members may have to deal with issues involving lost children, administration of first aid, de-escalation or containment of mentally unstable individuals, security for the “offering,” pastor/staff protection, security of all church special events and activities, and the list goes on.

After much prayerful consideration, we believe that the reasonable steps outlined in this course will bring worshipers together in a safer and more secure spiritual experience.

(Prerequisite: REN 503 Communion with God)