Ego, credential flexing, and public contempt are damaging the culture of church security training and discouraging the volunteers who are trying to protect their congregations.
Try not to focus on the Facebook debate about weapon mounted lights. That is just an example of the overall problem.Try to focus on how we are interacting with each other to lift each other up. That part, iron sharpening iron, has been lacking. I’m not gonna lie, it has taken me by surprise that we aren’t lifting each other up.
Cannot agree more. Qual flexing is tiresome at best in the secular arena but downright shameful as servants of the King. (That being said, the guy OBVIOUSLY isn’t from California, KG is widely considered GOAT in LEO circles out here)
Great article! Servant leadership is excellent, and pride is ugly. For us who have been saved and are being saved by the grace of God, our hope of glory is Christ in us (Colossians 1:27). Yeah, shooting well is cool (and super fun). Sparring and rolling are awesome. Being able to lift a lot of weight is great. But nothing compares to knowing Christ. Thanks brother!
I serve on a church security team and I carry a handheld flashlight as well as a WML. Church services frequently go from well lit to almost pitch black during transitions from sequences to something like video presentations and such. If someone was to pop off in the dark, the last thing I’d want to be doing is fumbling around with a handheld flashlight when I would need to be illuminating the target and returning fire at the same time. This is exactly what a WML is for!
All Church Security Teams should first and foremost be a Ministry and an extension of the body. Team selection is critical in building a Team of men who display humility, a true love of the Lord and critical thinking skills. I spent 38 yrs in LE with local and Federal LE experience, which I use to enhance training and leading Not to dominate or prove how much I know. Those who do usually end up showing how little they know…..
Thank you for the bold truth, which hopefully offends those with Ego just enough to refocus their objective to protecting the Flock and not building a resume.
As Glenn H. Reynolds used to say at Instapundit, "Embrace the healing power of AND." I used to be opposed to weapon-mounted lights, and carried only a separate flashlight, but have recently been convinced there's a good case to be made for having both. Yes, you don't want to point a pistol at anything you aren't ready to shoot, and yes a weapon-mounted light also shows where YOU are. But you also need to be sure of your target and what's behind it, and you only have two hands. As it turns out, it was my instructor who convinced me of this, just last month.
A podcaster I listened to today said one needs a light for the reason you state, but he didn't specify which, as it's your choice, but train with it/them. Two incidents this past year show that a light is necessary. Homeowners shot and killed their daughters at night in darkened houses because they merely fired at shadowy silhouettes. One's heart breaks...
How well I know! Several years ago I contacted a good friend who was the swat team leader at our police department. He came up to our church twice and we got some substantial and tough training. I traveled some distance to another group forming east of town and learned more from law enforcement. Lot’s of travel and lots of training. Ultimately formed a team of 9 or 10 and conducted monthly training at our local gun club. I had also gone through an expensive and exhaustive training myself with a master NRA instructor for a year and guy who’d been with the IDF who’d left Israel and to say we learned some different strategies is putting it mildly! Our team was strong, we practiced at least monthly and were ready.
Then one of the elders in the church who seems to be a bit impressed with himself decided to replace me with a man…apparently a woman leading a security team is “unacceptable”. I did stay with the team for a couple of years and “retired”. My replacement? Not one training session, not one gab session on how to improve, no contact with the PD who would have sent someone up for training, and down to maybe 2 or 3 now.
Denise. I know the feeling. I was asked to form a Safety Team, but after seeing that the Elders were not serious about following the policies and operational manual I developed with the help of a retired sheriff from a large department and large church.
The Elders didn't even follow their own Children's Ministry policy handbook which I supported. After a couple complaints from teachers towards our safety team. The Elders brought me in for questioning instead of calling in the teacher that had violated Children's Ministry policy. I saw the writing on the wall that I could not count on the Church to back us up. I resigned. The Safety Team dissolved. Since then 3 years have gone by. They have one volunteer at the door. No training no leadership.
Excellent article Keith. Humility is the indispensable virtue in leadership, instruction and just giving advice. I was an early SWAT team member 45 years ago. Staying calm and humble goes a long way in unit cohesion. Pride and arrogance are very destructive.
Keith, I appreciate you putting this out and I think the underlying conversation about WML doctrine is worth having. But citing Mas Ayoob's guidance from what was likely a law enforcement newsletter written before most of today's shooters were born as the primary counter-argument to a modern WML is a rough look in 2026.
For the better part of twenty years, hundreds of thousands of service members ran WMLs in two combat theaters, operating in tight stacks and clearing rooms alongside their teammates at ranges where a muzzle covered a buddy was a routine geometrical fact of life. The doctrine wasn't 'never point your gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.' The doctrine was train constantly, trust your teammates, and operate at the level your collective competence earns. By any reasonable accounting, the WML didn't produce the friendly-fire catastrophe that older guidance predicts it should have.
That's not a knock on Mas Ayoob, who was writing for a different audience in a different era with different equipment. It's an acknowledgment that doctrine evolves and that a caveat written for the solo concealed carrier in 1987 isn't the final word on how a trained team should operate in 2026.
And that's really the crux of it: the question isn't whether a WML is categorically safe or unsafe. The question is whether your team trains together enough to build the trust and mutual competency to use their equipment at the level the situation demands. For church safety teams specifically, that means shared range time, force-on-force scenarios, and enough repetition that your people know how their teammates move, think, and react under stress. If you have that foundation, the WML becomes a tool. If you don't, you have bigger problems than the light on the end of the gun.
The debate is worth having. The Ayoob citation just isn't doing the work it used to.
Well written and professionally presented Mr. Graves. Having served 36+ years in government service I have seen the good the bad and the ugly in instructors.
Digital conversations seem to provide a wall of anonymity that encourages people to say things they wouldn't in person. I hope anyway.
Great article Keith, always try to lift those who are serving up, especially with the safety team. I’m trying to get them to use the Disciple Warrior approach. As instructors we called to lift them up that way when the devil comes, they’ll be ready and win the fight.
Fantastic article Keith! I am an instructor who has the privilege of instructing and serving on my church security team. I pray that I have the maturity, leadership, and skills to help my team protect the flock. Thanks for all you do!
Brother Keith, I thank GOD ALMIGHTY for you and Brothers like you. LORD willing I'll be 73 in a few months, and I am retired after almost 38 years law enforcement service, and I have learned so much from you over the past couple of years, and you remain in my prayers. GOD Bless you and everyone that is here to learn and grow in The Mighty Name of JESUS.
Everyone,
Try not to focus on the Facebook debate about weapon mounted lights. That is just an example of the overall problem.Try to focus on how we are interacting with each other to lift each other up. That part, iron sharpening iron, has been lacking. I’m not gonna lie, it has taken me by surprise that we aren’t lifting each other up.
Cannot agree more. Qual flexing is tiresome at best in the secular arena but downright shameful as servants of the King. (That being said, the guy OBVIOUSLY isn’t from California, KG is widely considered GOAT in LEO circles out here)
If we really want to have some fun, let's talk calibers and ammo types...LOL!
Actually, you should carry both a handheld & WML. 2 different usage scenarios!
Great article! Servant leadership is excellent, and pride is ugly. For us who have been saved and are being saved by the grace of God, our hope of glory is Christ in us (Colossians 1:27). Yeah, shooting well is cool (and super fun). Sparring and rolling are awesome. Being able to lift a lot of weight is great. But nothing compares to knowing Christ. Thanks brother!
I serve on a church security team and I carry a handheld flashlight as well as a WML. Church services frequently go from well lit to almost pitch black during transitions from sequences to something like video presentations and such. If someone was to pop off in the dark, the last thing I’d want to be doing is fumbling around with a handheld flashlight when I would need to be illuminating the target and returning fire at the same time. This is exactly what a WML is for!
Good points; plus, sometimes power goes out, usually for a benign reason, but one can't be sure, initially.
BZ, @Keith Graves!! Great, GREAT advice and counsel for anyone who would be a teacher or instructor, anywhere.
You could not me more Correct in your assessment.
All Church Security Teams should first and foremost be a Ministry and an extension of the body. Team selection is critical in building a Team of men who display humility, a true love of the Lord and critical thinking skills. I spent 38 yrs in LE with local and Federal LE experience, which I use to enhance training and leading Not to dominate or prove how much I know. Those who do usually end up showing how little they know…..
Thank you for the bold truth, which hopefully offends those with Ego just enough to refocus their objective to protecting the Flock and not building a resume.
God Bless
Rg
As Glenn H. Reynolds used to say at Instapundit, "Embrace the healing power of AND." I used to be opposed to weapon-mounted lights, and carried only a separate flashlight, but have recently been convinced there's a good case to be made for having both. Yes, you don't want to point a pistol at anything you aren't ready to shoot, and yes a weapon-mounted light also shows where YOU are. But you also need to be sure of your target and what's behind it, and you only have two hands. As it turns out, it was my instructor who convinced me of this, just last month.
A podcaster I listened to today said one needs a light for the reason you state, but he didn't specify which, as it's your choice, but train with it/them. Two incidents this past year show that a light is necessary. Homeowners shot and killed their daughters at night in darkened houses because they merely fired at shadowy silhouettes. One's heart breaks...
How well I know! Several years ago I contacted a good friend who was the swat team leader at our police department. He came up to our church twice and we got some substantial and tough training. I traveled some distance to another group forming east of town and learned more from law enforcement. Lot’s of travel and lots of training. Ultimately formed a team of 9 or 10 and conducted monthly training at our local gun club. I had also gone through an expensive and exhaustive training myself with a master NRA instructor for a year and guy who’d been with the IDF who’d left Israel and to say we learned some different strategies is putting it mildly! Our team was strong, we practiced at least monthly and were ready.
Then one of the elders in the church who seems to be a bit impressed with himself decided to replace me with a man…apparently a woman leading a security team is “unacceptable”. I did stay with the team for a couple of years and “retired”. My replacement? Not one training session, not one gab session on how to improve, no contact with the PD who would have sent someone up for training, and down to maybe 2 or 3 now.
Indeed not great.
Denise. I know the feeling. I was asked to form a Safety Team, but after seeing that the Elders were not serious about following the policies and operational manual I developed with the help of a retired sheriff from a large department and large church.
The Elders didn't even follow their own Children's Ministry policy handbook which I supported. After a couple complaints from teachers towards our safety team. The Elders brought me in for questioning instead of calling in the teacher that had violated Children's Ministry policy. I saw the writing on the wall that I could not count on the Church to back us up. I resigned. The Safety Team dissolved. Since then 3 years have gone by. They have one volunteer at the door. No training no leadership.
Excellent article Keith. Humility is the indispensable virtue in leadership, instruction and just giving advice. I was an early SWAT team member 45 years ago. Staying calm and humble goes a long way in unit cohesion. Pride and arrogance are very destructive.
Keith, I appreciate you putting this out and I think the underlying conversation about WML doctrine is worth having. But citing Mas Ayoob's guidance from what was likely a law enforcement newsletter written before most of today's shooters were born as the primary counter-argument to a modern WML is a rough look in 2026.
For the better part of twenty years, hundreds of thousands of service members ran WMLs in two combat theaters, operating in tight stacks and clearing rooms alongside their teammates at ranges where a muzzle covered a buddy was a routine geometrical fact of life. The doctrine wasn't 'never point your gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.' The doctrine was train constantly, trust your teammates, and operate at the level your collective competence earns. By any reasonable accounting, the WML didn't produce the friendly-fire catastrophe that older guidance predicts it should have.
That's not a knock on Mas Ayoob, who was writing for a different audience in a different era with different equipment. It's an acknowledgment that doctrine evolves and that a caveat written for the solo concealed carrier in 1987 isn't the final word on how a trained team should operate in 2026.
And that's really the crux of it: the question isn't whether a WML is categorically safe or unsafe. The question is whether your team trains together enough to build the trust and mutual competency to use their equipment at the level the situation demands. For church safety teams specifically, that means shared range time, force-on-force scenarios, and enough repetition that your people know how their teammates move, think, and react under stress. If you have that foundation, the WML becomes a tool. If you don't, you have bigger problems than the light on the end of the gun.
The debate is worth having. The Ayoob citation just isn't doing the work it used to.
Thank you for reminding all to stay humble.
We are not a special ops team but humble servants of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Excellent statements. Biblically based 🤙
Well written and professionally presented Mr. Graves. Having served 36+ years in government service I have seen the good the bad and the ugly in instructors.
Digital conversations seem to provide a wall of anonymity that encourages people to say things they wouldn't in person. I hope anyway.
Great article Keith, always try to lift those who are serving up, especially with the safety team. I’m trying to get them to use the Disciple Warrior approach. As instructors we called to lift them up that way when the devil comes, they’ll be ready and win the fight.
Fantastic article Keith! I am an instructor who has the privilege of instructing and serving on my church security team. I pray that I have the maturity, leadership, and skills to help my team protect the flock. Thanks for all you do!
Brother Keith, I thank GOD ALMIGHTY for you and Brothers like you. LORD willing I'll be 73 in a few months, and I am retired after almost 38 years law enforcement service, and I have learned so much from you over the past couple of years, and you remain in my prayers. GOD Bless you and everyone that is here to learn and grow in The Mighty Name of JESUS.