By Aaron Weaver
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — At the Tri‑State CBF Assembly in Chattanooga, Cooperative Baptists wrestled with a paradox: how to welcome neighbors while safeguarding the vulnerable. That tension framed a breakout session titled “A Secure Welcome: How to Organize Your Church’s Safety & Security Team,” led by Jay Kieve, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s abuse‑prevention advocate.
Grounded in Scripture
The workshop opened with a litany of biblical texts. Kieve quoted Psalms 18 and 46 — “God is our fortress” — and recalled Jesus’ image of the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. He cited Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12 to overcome evil with good and the widow’s mite story in Mark 12. “Our ultimate security is in God,” he told the group, “But the Bible teaches a duty to care. The Good Samaritan didn’t ignore the risk; he acted.”
Kieve urged churches to hold openness and protection together. “God wants people to hear the gospel and find community,” he said. “But we can’t let wolves in sheep’s clothing roam freely.” Safety planning, he added, is a ministry of hospitality.
Assessing risk
He told participants that risk is where threats, vulnerabilities and consequences meet. The hazards congregations face go beyond mass shootings to include storms, fires, accidents, medical emergencies, mental‑health crises and cybercrime. A faith‑based network recorded 841 attacks on U.S. houses of worship in 2024, but Kieve noted that sexual abuse is statistically twice as likely as a violent crime. “Hope is not a plan,” he warned.
Five steps to preparedness
At the heart of the workshop was a five‑step framework: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. Churches, he said, should list their specific hazards, harden their facilities and ministries against those dangers, train volunteers to notice when something is wrong, assign clear roles for emergencies and evaluate and revise plans after drills or real events. “Plan, do, check, act,” he said. Greeters play a role too. Kieve called eye contact and a friendly hello both welcoming and an early warning system.
Addressing targeted violence and domestic threats
Kieve spent time on targeted violence — assaults planned by someone with a grievance. These acts, he said, can sometimes be prevented when churches learn to recognize warning signs and share concerns with law enforcement.
He cited a study of 30 church shootings since 1999 found that most perpetrators were known to the congregation and many were connected to domestic violence. “See something, say something isn’t gossip,” he said.
Kieve also encouraged congregations to imagine their property in three perimeters — outer boundaries, middle grounds and inner sanctuaries — each requiring visibility and clear lines of sight. Good lighting, trimmed shrubs and greeters who know the flock help keep danger at bay.
Soul safety and trauma‑informed care
The conversation expanded to “soul safety” — the harm done when abuse or trauma occurs in sacred spaces. Preventing sexual abuse, he said, requires robust policies, consistent screening of volunteers and training for both parents and workers. He encouraged mental‑health first‑aid training and trauma‑informed responses to avoid re‑traumatizing survivors.
Building a culture of safety
Kieve closed by pointing attendees to resources.
CBF offers a behavioral threat‑assessment team and abuse‑prevention toolkit, and federal agencies publish guidelines. But none of those tools matter, he cautioned, unless congregations practice them. “If your people don’t know the plan, you don’t have a plan,” he said.
Laura Stephens‑Reed, a clergy coach from Alabama, said the workshop demystified a daunting topic.
“Jay provided scriptural grounding and statistics that indicated the urgency,” she said. “When he detailed the areas of congregational life that need action plans, I felt much more motivated and equipped.”
Kieve urged churches to assemble safety teams, walk their campuses with fresh eyes and schedule a drill within the year. “Don’t let this stay in Chattanooga.”