Actual safety is the result of God’s Providence. Some think that He is responsible alone for protecting us with no action on our part, while others believe our responsibility as Christians is to promote safety in submission to His love.
I John 4:11
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
In short, His love increases our responsibility for each other. Where is our love without our actions?
Safety is about everyone going home in the same physical condition in which they arrived. The challenges to safety include subjects from sanitation, to hazards on the playground and in classrooms, electrical issues, access concerns, first aid, physical limitations, traffic in the parking lots, fires, arson, emergency evacuations, serious weather events, unlawful entry, theft, intimidation of violence, violent attacks, abductions, breaches of protective orders, and mass murders. Added to the desire for safety is the mission of the church to demonstrate the love of Jesus. Love does not include enabling sin against believers when simple and practical methods can prevent it.
In many churches, the Buildings and Grounds Committee looks after the buildings and grounds, but facility safety is bigger than this. A culture of safety must be present throughout the church–classrooms, kitchen(s), coffee pots, toys, floors, the sanctuary, playground areas, parking lots, and spaces where people commonly walk, work, sit, or play on the property. This also includes an awareness of what is going on outside the building, from weather and traffic to someone loitering outside watching the doors or windows of the children’s areas, to thieves in the parking lot, and more. A safety culture begins with education about dangers and then includes effective plans and communication about how to deal with those dangers.
One major concern is the normal reaction of the congregation to threats discovered while in church. Many are likely to bolt for the doors, run to their cars, and rush through and out of the parking lot. Others will freeze in place and scream. The resulting traffic congestion can slow professionals responding to 911 calls and may result in accidents in the parking lot, or even hallways. Criminals know this, too.
The aftermath of a major incident involves surprising stresses. Just the emotional stress and trauma from a major incident might eliminate trust for almost everyone involved. By preparing together to prevent and prepare for major incidents, the church members should develop more trust, and think farther ahead toward the future of serving Jesus. Improving safety efforts can promote resilience through major times of stress because the positive preparation promotes thinking through the trauma to life afterwards.
In the aftermath of a major incident, church leadership often wonders what to do next. A Safety Committee and Safety Teams are what many churches then initiate.