PLANO, Texas — Prestonwood Baptist Church announced it will host “Church Security in the 21st Century,” a free security seminar at its Plano Campus on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The seminar, co-sponsored by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, will equip church leaders, volunteers and security personnel to prevent and respond to security threats.
Within days of the initial announcement, over 120 churches from the region — representing Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Orthodox, Pentecostal, nondenominational and Spanish and Korean-language congregations — had signed up for the seminar. The churches range from congregations of less than 100 members to megachurches with more than 10,000 weekly attendees.
In all, over 300 pastors, elders, deacons, church elders, security personnel, volunteers and operations directors have registered for the seminar.
“The seminar will equip congregations of any size to be able to increase their level of security without necessarily incurring any expense,” said Mike Buster, executive pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church. “There are always simple steps and procedures congregations can take and implement to make their places of worship safer.”
The seminar will train attendees to assess threats and identify vulnerabilities in their churches, develop emergency and preventative procedures, such as implementing background checks, and instruct them on how to form security and medical teams from within their congregations.
A key focus of the seminar will be training church leaders to build a culture of awareness throughout the church’s entire staff and volunteer team.
“It begins in the parking lot and moves inward all the way to the sanctuary,” Buster said. “Every volunteer plays an active role in security, assessing and identifying any possible threats.”
When it comes to law enforcement, the seminar will encourage churches to build relationships with local authorities and EMS entities. Basic action steps, such as inviting law enforcement officers to become familiar with the church’s facility, help authorities when responding to an emergency.
“We are living in dangerous days,” said Dr. Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church. “It is important that every church, no matter how large or small, have a security procedure in place.”
Individuals interested in attending the free, church security seminar can register here.
What: Church Security in the 21st Century, sponsored by Prestonwood Baptist Church and Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
When: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Prestonwood Baptist Church, Student Ministry Building, 6801 W Park Blvd, Plano, TX 75093
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Dr. Jack Graham is the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America. He is also a noted author, and his PowerPoint Ministries broadcasts are available in 92 countries and are heard daily in more than 740 cities. He has served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the honorary chairman of the 2015 National Day of Prayer.
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