Written by: Nathan Ecarma, Editor-in-chief
Devin Kelly walked into a small church in Sutherlands, Texas and allegedly killed 27 people. He targeted women and children, leaving an eight month pregnant woman, a five year old boy and a 14 year old girl on the ground. He shot the pregnant woman point-blank and shot the boy five times.
Dylann Roof walked into a black church in Charleston, S.C. where he racially killed nine churchgoers. Emanuel Samson walked into a church in Antioch, Tenn. wounding eight and killing one.
These shootings have all occurred in the past two years. The usual response beyond grieving is, “It wouldn’t happen here. We’re too small of a town.” Yet the town in Sutherlands has a population of 600. And the shooting in Antioch occurred only two and a half hours from Dayton.
Churches around the nation have begun preparing for the worst by setting up security protocols. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention are hosting regional conferences to prepare churches. Leigh Jones from World found that “Members of at least 10 churches have died in shooting attacks since 2012.” Along with their Bibles, a Wall Street Journal article noted, churchgoers may start packing more than usual.
But are churches here safe?
Dayton Chief of Police, Chris Sneed, said “a lot of churches [around here] have security measures in place. They designate certain individuals to monitor the parking lots and hallways.” Sneed said churches need to put protocols into place that would address different types of events, whether an active shooter or someone disgruntled.
“You have to be proactive and observant,” Sneed said. “Consider certain situations and events. You can’t wait around and then react.” He added how we have fire drills in schools, so when do you hear about children dying in fires of the school?
Ken Pierce, pastor of First United Methodist church explained how they do not have a policy set in place, but “we’re coming up with a plan.” He also mentioned how members come with a gun to church. Secretary Salina Wehse of Grace Bible Church explained how her church has a security team set up. It has a team of two who patrol during services.
But should churches set up security?
John Sterling said some churches have taken the approach that God will protect them so they don’t need weapons. A Texas pastor took the approach of having faith that God will protect his church with his gun.
“Everybody has a right, and in some cases, some have a duty,” Sterling said. “If you come onto Bryan College, there is a certain level of duty of safety that we owe. We put salt on the ice on the sidewalks, so people don’t slip and fall. We have a duty to maintain reasonable safety standards.”
Sterling added how Nehemiah oversaw the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall. He had everyone carry a tool in one hand and a weapon in another. Pastors can arm themselves to protect their flock as a shepherd would, it’s lawful to do so, and Sterling said he would, but he added how he cannot make it into a moral imperative for the pastor to do so.
“It’s the responsibility of the church,” Sneed said. “People need to feel safe at a place of worship. If people feel the need to carry, they have the right to do so.”
Later this month, Sneed is hosting a seminar to help pastors organize protocols to protect their churches. They will be meeting at First Baptist on Nov. 20.
Some churches are seeing these atrocities as a warning, and some are not. Yet what would be if Robert Engle had not risen, after being pistol whipped, and run for his gun to fend off the shooter in Antioch? What would be if Stephen Willeford has not confronted the shooter in Sutherlands?
Nathan Ecarma studies Bible, culture, and language. He serves on the Worldview Initiative and as Editor-in-Chief for the school newspaper, the Bryan Triangle. Follow his Twitter: ecarmanathan