Why Every Church Needs an Active Shooter and Emergency Response Plan

Every church, regardless of size or location, should have a current, congregation-specific, legally defensible plan

In 2017, Pastor Joey Spann was shot in his own sanctuary at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee. Years later, he told me, “You tell every church that if this could happen at our church, it could happen at any church.”

That warning applies to every congregation.

Churches are built around open doors. That openness is part of the calling, but it also creates exposures most other organizations never face: people entering without screening, volunteers rather than trained staff working the doors, children's and youth ministries operating alongside the main service, and large gatherings occurring at predictable times and locations each week.

Over the past two decades, houses of worship have experienced a recurring pattern of deadly-force incidents. Violence prevention planning was once treated as a nice-to-have in a risk management binder. Today, it has become an important part of a church's overall risk management strategy—and increasingly, a consideration in the insurance underwriting process.

Insurers serving the ministry space may look for a formal, board-approved security policy; appropriately trained and authorized security personnel; and background checks and regular training for volunteer security teams. Informal arrangements, such as volunteers carrying firearms or acting as ad hoc security without appropriate policies, training, authorization, or insurance protections, can create significant liability and coverage concerns.

Insurance coverage has evolved as well. Depending on the policy and carrier, security-related liability coverage may respond to allegations such as excessive force or wrongful detention, while management liability coverage can provide protection when a church's leadership decisions are challenged. A church that has not addressed these exposures may face both operational and financial consequences.

There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Plan

A 3,000-member suburban church with a full-time security director and a 20-member rural congregation face different realities.

Size, children's and youth ministry activities, campus layout, demographics, location, building access, and nearby law enforcement resources all shape what an effective emergency operations plan should look like. Whereas a checklist copied from another church and never revisited can create a false sense of security.

An effective plan starts with your church's actual profile: how people move through the building, who is present and when, what your volunteers can realistically sustain, and how quickly outside help can arrive.

From there, a comprehensive plan should address vulnerabilities, establish clear lockdown and evacuation procedures, define the roles of a trained safety team suited to the church's context, and provide reliable ways to communicate with staff, members, and visiting families during the first critical minutes of an emergency.

No Church Is Exempt from the Exposure

The risk is not limited to large churches, urban churches, or congregations in particular regions. Size, location, denomination, and a reputation as a safe community do not eliminate the possibility of a violent incident or other emergency.

Any church that gathers people in a shared space carries some level of exposure. The important question is whether the congregation has a formal plan about what it would do before an emergency occurs.

Planning cannot eliminate every risk. It can, however, help a church respond more effectively and reduce confusion when seconds matter.

Where to Start

A good plan takes more than good intentions. It takes partners who understand the work, including security professionals, legal counsel, and an insurance advisor who understands ministry risk.

Ministry America works with experienced law enforcement and security consulting professionals who help churches develop operationally sound and legally defensible solutions.

If your church does not have a current plan—or if your existing plan has not been reviewed recently—contact us. We will help you think through what makes sense for your congregation and connect you with the right resources and professionals.