The threat to security at houses of worship has grown exponentially over the past two decades, with violent attacks rising dramatically. One man who experienced this firsthand, Carl Chinn, founded the Faith Based Security Network (FBSN) in response to his own encounters with armed assailants. Chinn, a devout Christian, had always believed that churches were safe havens, but after being taken hostage at the Focus on the Family ministry in 1996 and witnessing another shooting at a church youth training center in 2007, his perspective changed completely.
According to data from law enforcement databases, violent attacks are one of the leading causes of death in churches, accounting for around 1,050 deaths out of 2,361 total incidents between 1999 and 2020. The number one reason for these deadly force encounters is robbery (464 incidents, or 24.4. However, the second-leading cause is an alarming increase in hate crimes against religious institutions – a worrying trend that has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The Dolan Consulting Group examined 17 years of FBI data and estimated that there are approximately 480 incidents of serious violence at places of worship in the U.S. each year, resulting in around 46 deaths and 218 injuries annually. Churches are by far the most common target for these attacks, accounting for 94% of all violent incidents against houses of worship.
The FBSN aims to address this growing issue by teaching membership organizations how to be “ready, willing, and able” to protect their communities through various means such as raising awareness of potential threats, creating security teams and protocols, building physical security measures, and utilizing both deadly force and non-lethal means when necessary.
Chinn believes that this increased focus on security readiness is essential for the future of religious institutions in America, particularly given the deepening divisions within society today. As more people turn to places of worship as sanctuaries from the chaos around them, it becomes even more critical that these spaces are safe and secure. By taking proactive measures to protect their congregations, religious organizations can help ensure that they continue to serve as bastions of hope and healing in an increasingly tumultuous world.
