No One Is Coming: Why the FBI Won’t Warn Churches
Why the FBI stays silent on church terror threats and why your safety team must prepare when no one is coming to help.
When I released my analysis of the ISIS newsletter calling for attacks on churches, the question I heard over and over again was this: “Have you told the FBI?” The truth is, the FBI already knew. They saw the same propaganda when it was published. So did DHS and every other federal counterterrorism unit. But notice something. The only reason you heard about it was because I reported it. You didn’t hear it from the FBI, DHS, or local law enforcement. And you certainly didn’t hear it from the mainstream media.
This isn’t an accident. It’s a pattern. And it proves a simple truth that Christians need to understand: no one is coming to help you.
Watch the Video After Reading the Story and Hear my Thoughts
The Coeur d’Alene case: a clear example
Last year, an 18-year-old in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, pledged loyalty to ISIS and planned to attack multiple churches on a Sunday morning. The FBI arrested him the Saturday before his planned assault. What they didn’t do was warn the churches he had targeted. Not a single congregation received advance notice. They were left in the dark.
Federal officials celebrated the arrest, but the fact remains: if the timing had been off by a single day, congregations in northern Idaho could have walked straight into a bloodbath with no idea the threat was real and immediate.
That case highlights what I have seen repeatedly. The federal government often has awareness of threats against churches, but those warnings don’t make it to the people who need them most.
Why the silence continues
Federal agencies are structured to investigate and prosecute cases, not to prepare churches.
Fear of panic keeps warnings bottled up.
High thresholds for “credible” threats mean propaganda doesn’t trigger alerts.
Investigative secrecy protects cases but leaves communities uninformed.
No more terror alert levels—DHS replaced them with vague bulletins, not the clear alerts people once recognized.
Whatever the reason, churches are not warned, even when threats are public knowledge.
What churches must do
If you wait for the government to call your pastor when ISIS directs lone wolves to attack churches, you will wait forever. That responsibility falls to you. Here is what works:
Assign an intelligence officer. Every safety ministry should have someone responsible for monitoring open-source intelligence, the same way I monitor ISIS propaganda. This role ensures your team sees threats early.
Make your safety team visible. Members should wear uniforms, not hide in plain clothes. Visibility deters attackers and reassures the congregation.
Control entrances. Place trained greeters or guards at every entrance. They provide a welcoming face and a first line of observation.
Use CCTV effectively. Cameras give real-time awareness and help track suspicious behavior before it becomes a crisis.
Train continuously. Firearms, less-lethal options, close-quarters tactics, and medical response should be part of your regular rotation. Train as a team, not just as individuals.
This isn’t about building a bunker. It’s about discernment and stewardship. Churches must be welcoming places of worship while still being alert to threats.
Why Christian Warrior Training exists
This is exactly why I built Christian Warrior Training. We don’t just talk about security—we provide both training and intelligence. When ISIS issues a call to attack churches, I report it to you the same day, long before you’ll see it in the news or hear it from officials.
That work is only possible because of those who support this ministry. Paid subscribers make it possible for me to do this full-time, gathering intelligence, producing training, and making resources available to churches who could never afford it otherwise. If you are one of those supporters, know that your faithfulness equips thousands of churches to be ready.
A biblical perspective on self-reliance and trust
The Bible is clear about where our trust belongs and what God expects from His people.
Jeremiah 17:5 warns: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” If we put our confidence in government agencies instead of God, we are leaning on broken reeds. Our first reliance must always be on the Lord.
Psalm 144:1 says: “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” This is not a contradiction of faith—it is a reminder that preparation itself is a blessing from God. He equips His people to act wisely and to defend what He has entrusted to us.
Acts 5:29 proclaims: “We must obey God rather than men.” When government systems fail to protect or to act, our obligation does not vanish. We obey God by protecting His flock, stewarding His church, and standing ready.
Together, these verses draw a picture of Christian responsibility. We do not hide in fear, nor do we sit idle waiting for others to act. We trust in God, we train with the tools He provides, and we step up when no one else will.
Final word
The federal government will continue to investigate, arrest, and prosecute. But they will not call your church when propaganda surfaces or when a radical is plotting nearby. That is why churches must prepare on their own terms, in God’s strength, with wisdom and vigilance.
No one is coming to help you. The responsibility is yours. And with God’s help, you can be ready.
In His Service,
Keith Graves
Thank you, Can you set up a training guide line for an intelligence officer. I would not have a clue as to where I should look for this information. Would my local PD be able to help guide me?
Super work, as always, Keith. I can think of two reasons for the FBI not notifying the churches involved - one good (as you’ve noted here), and one that really causes me bother. I don’t want to think ill of others, but sometimes we need to be alert for overt failures.