Should Churches Lock Doors During Service Trends

I came across an interesting bit of church history today.

Should churches lock doors during service trends.

A general understanding seemed to exist that held these locations as sacred and in most people s minds places of worship were viewed as areas of refuge where you could pray meditate reflect or seek spiritual counsel no matter what time of day or night it might be. All other entrances should be inaccessible from the outside of your church. However you can see in though the doors and the service is piped into the ante room. Churches for some reason are averse to locking their doors even at the expense of putting people and church property at risk.

This is all for church services. No locked doors during assembly fire extinguishers in working order fire alarm system operational no blocked exits etc. One of our armed men stands next to me every sunday as i shake hands at the main door. Yes many churches now need to be locked in the evening.

The reformers were. During the week we have all doors locked and to get in a person must press an intercom button and when they do a camera comes on and records them and i can see them. In part this was meant to discourage superstitious activity. Or see if another church in your area or near work has evening masses prayers services or a perpetual adoration chapel.

During sunday or midweek worship services interior church doors should be secured unless a specific function is going on in that room or wing recommends chuck chadwick founder and director of gatekeepers alliance. In schools businesses and most other organizations you do not expect to walk right in. During an emergency establish what the emergency is and direct. Usually the doors are locked and there is an intercom or some other screening device.

Assign an usher or team member to lock doors once your service starts. Only a few decades ago it was a common practice for churches and other places of worship to leave their doors unlocked practically 24 7. Local churches have started locking either some or all of their doors during worship services in response to safety concerns from recent mass shootings. The fire warden should also be responsible for the following.

Any unlocked doors should be actively monitored. Four said they locked either some or all of the doors during worship three said their doors remained unlocked during services and one said the congregation has discussed security measures but not yet made a decision. Mrs sally january 5 2010 9 29pm 4. Sensitive areas of the church should have an access control.

Why we should lock the church doors. The press journal talked to religious leaders at eight churches and asked about their security protocol. Mark beuving july 3 2012. During services assign a volunteer to monitor an unlocked door or two volunteers for the parking lot.

Monitor doors and lots. Our church closes the door and has ushers on the outside that let people in during certain points in the service so that the noise and movement do not bother those inside during the very quiet contemplative times. Ensure that the building meets fire prevention code. John calvin insisted that the churches in geneva remain locked outside of regularly scheduled worship times.