Jul 15, 2026 · 32 min · 9 segments
Today, our listeners ask the questions, and our fearless hosts, Carl and Todd, have the answers. From the debate on church security measures to the topic of compassion fatigue among pastors, they…
Todd PruittHost
Carl TruemanHost
Here's an interesting one, and I really do think this is an interesting one, 'cause we've, we've had discussions about this at our, at our church, and we actually have some plans.
But, um, uh, one brother wants to know, I, "I'd like to hear a discussion about the criteria to consider in matters of church security measures, um, during Lord's Day worship." Um, you know, we, there, there have been incidents where, uh, violence has occurred at churches.
... um, uh, over the last couple of years there have been, uh, shootings at churches, um, at Christian schools, and I know that churches are, m- more than any time I can remember, thinking about, uh, security measures.
Now, I'm in the Shenandoah Valley, and there's a very strong Anabaptist, um, kind of culture here, and so if you know anything about, you know, uh, Mennonite culture, um, that kind of degree of, of, of Anabaptism, then, then you know that, that there's a strong emphasis placed on, um, pacifism.
And that, and so this debate is actually, um, kind of hot here in the Shenandoah Valley, 'cause, you know, we have folks that say, uh, you shouldn't have any security measures, because if you have a security measure, that means you're gonna be resisting an evildoer, which we're not supposed to do.
Uh, we have folks that, or, or there are churches that have folks that, you know, have concealed carry licenses, that kind of thing.
Um, uh, Carl, h- how do, how, how do you think we ought to think about security measures in our churches?
Well, I, you know, I, first of all, on the, on the, y- the, it's a much bigger debate about resisting an evildoer.
... and I'm gonna a- I'm gonna assume at this point that, uh, protecting the innocent in a defensive way is a perfectly legitimate thing for Christians to do.
... about resisting an evildoer, but I think that, that takes us off as a bit of a tangent at this point.
Secondly, I, you know, I've heard the, "Oh, we have people who are packing in our congregation."
Um, uh, much if not all of the research would indicate that amateur people packing weapons are more problems.
Here's an interesting one, and I really do think this is an interesting one, 'cause we've, we've had discussions about this at our, at our church, and we actually have some plans.
But, um, uh, one brother wants to know, I, "I'd like to hear a discussion about the criteria to consider in matters of church security measures, um, during Lord's Day worship." Um, you know, we, there, there have been incidents where, uh, violence has occurred at churches.
... um, uh, over the last couple of years there have been, uh, shootings at churches, um, at Christian schools, and I know that churches are, m- more than any time I can remember, thinking about, uh, security measures.
Now, I'm in the Shenandoah Valley, and there's a very strong Anabaptist, um, kind of culture here, and so if you know anything about, you know, uh, Mennonite culture, um, that kind of degree of, of, of Anabaptism, then, then you know that, that there's a strong emphasis placed on, um, pacifism.
And that, and so this debate is actually, um, kind of hot here in the Shenandoah Valley, 'cause, you know, we have folks that say, uh, you shouldn't have any security measures, because if you have a security measure, that means you're gonna be resisting an evildoer, which we're not supposed to do.
Uh, we have folks that, or, or there are churches that have folks that, you know, have concealed carry licenses, that kind of thing.
Um, uh, Carl, h- how do, how, how do you think we ought to think about security measures in our churches?
Well, I, you know, I, first of all, on the, on the, y- the, it's a much bigger debate about resisting an evildoer.
... and I'm gonna a- I'm gonna assume at this point that, uh, protecting the innocent in a defensive way is a perfectly legitimate thing for Christians to do.
... about resisting an evildoer, but I think that, that takes us off as a bit of a tangent at this point.
Secondly, I, you know, I've heard the, "Oh, we have people who are packing in our congregation."
Um, uh, much if not all of the research would indicate that amateur people packing weapons are more problems.
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