Are churches safe? How to run church security: A conversation with John Mark Caton and Paul Cobb

Dr. John Mark Caton, Paul Cobb, and Dr. Mark Turman discuss church safety, how to run a safety team with laypeople and specialists, and why church security is a hospitality ministry.  

 

Show notes: 

 

Paul Cobb begins by addressing how we so often don’t think about safety at churches, and they explain what church safety should look like (2:23). They go over some stories of crime and medical emergencies that took place at their churches (6:25). Dr. Caton explains how he became aware as a pastor of the need for better church security (16:20). They go over the biblical foundation for smart church security (21:58). Cobb discusses the principle of victim avoidance and deescalation (33:43). They also point to the importance of churches having hospitable, friendly security teams (39:41). Cobb briefly talks about their firearm policy for churches, then they return to the importance of taking security seriously, and how lay people can be involved (50:16). 

 

Resources and further reading:

 

• Congregational Security Inc. - Paul Cobb
• Century One Consulting
• Faith Based Security Network 
• “What does the Bible say about self-defense?” - Mark Legg
• “What does the Bible say about gun control?” - Mark Legg

 

About the hosts 

 

Mark Turman, DMin, is the executive director of Denison Forum. He received his DMin from Truett at Baylor and previously served as lead pastor of Crosspoint Church. 

 

About the guests 

 

John Mark Caton, Ph.D., is the Senior Pastor at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church for twenty-seven years and the author of several books. He received a Master of Theology from Criswell College, and a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2001.

 

Paul Cobb consults with churches for their security and safety needs. He’s worked in corporate America, serving in the banking industry, and data centers, and specializes in project management. He serves as an elder at Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas.