Watchmen on the Wall
Why Church Security Teams Must Conduct Perimeter Checks Before and After Service — Be First In, And Last Out
By Goldbar Defense
Faith. Preparedness. Stewardship.
Churches exist to proclaim the Gospel, shepherd believers, and welcome the lost. Yet Scripture, history, and modern reality all affirm the same truth: what is sacred must be guarded. This blog establishes why disciplined interior and exterior security checks before and after worship services, and the operational principle that church security teams should be the first to arrive and the last to leave, are essential to faithful ministry in today’s environment.
Drawing from:
Biblical theology (Old and New Testament, with Hebrew and Greek analysis),
Military doctrine regarding security and perimeter control,
Law enforcement principles of deterrence, situational awareness, and post-event security,
this blog demonstrates that church security is not a contradiction of faith, but a form of biblical stewardship and love for the flock.
Goldbar Defense affirms that preparedness honors God, protects His people, and preserves the mission of the Church.
I. Security as Sacred Stewardship
At its core, church security is not about fear, paranoia, or militarization. It is about stewardship.
In Scripture, stewardship always involves care, accountability, and vigilance. When God entrusts people with lives, property, or mission, He expects those entrusted to watch over what has been given.
Psalm 127:1 states:
“Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”
This verse does not negate the role of the watchman; it affirms it. The watchman’s vigilance is meaningful precisely because it operates under God’s sovereignty. Divine protection does not excuse human responsibility, rather it gives it purpose.
Goldbar Defense approaches church security from this framework: God protects His people, and He often does so through prepared, disciplined servants.
II. The Biblical Role of the Watchman
A. Old Testament Foundations
The Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly emphasize the role of the watchman.
The Hebrew word שׁוֹמֵר (shōmēr) means guardian, keeper, or one who preserves. It is used for:
City guards
Shepherds
Gatekeepers
Those entrusted with valuables or lives
In Ezekiel 33:7, God declares:
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman (שׁוֹמֵר) for the house of Israel.”
The watchman’s duty is proactive. He is accountable not for causing danger, but for failing to warn of it. If he sees the threat and does nothing, the guilt is his.
This principle directly applies to modern church security. Awareness without action is negligence. Responsibility begins before danger manifests.
Nehemiah understood this well. While rebuilding Jerusalem, he combined prayer with perimeter defense:
“So we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” (Nehemiah 4:9)
Prayer and security were never in conflict. They worked together.
B. New Testament Vigilance
The New Testament continues this theme using precise Greek language.
Jesus repeatedly commands His followers to stay alert, using the verb γρηγορέω (grēgoreō) — to remain awake, attentive, and ready.
“Therefore keep watch (γρηγορεῖτε), for you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)
Peter applies the same word to real danger:
“Be sober-minded; be watchful (γρηγορήσατε).” (1 Peter 5:8)
This is not fear-based instruction. It is clarity-based discipline.
Church leaders are also commanded to oversee and protect the flock. The Greek verb ἐπισκοπέω (episkopeō) means to look upon carefully, inspect, and care for. Oversight includes presence, observation, and action.
From a biblical standpoint, physical security is part of spiritual oversight.
III. Military Doctrine: Security Is Continuous
Goldbar Defense training draws heavily from military principles because they are proven, disciplined, and applicable far beyond combat.
One foundational military truth is this:
Security is never passive, and it is never complete until the mission is complete.
Military units conduct:
Reconnaissance before occupying an area
Continuous security during operations
Rear and clearance security after movement or engagement
Failure most often occurs during transitions, not during the main event.
A church service is no different. Arrival and departure phases are statistically more vulnerable than the service itself. For this reason, perimeter and interior checks must occur before people arrive and after people leave.
Security that ends when the sermon ends is incomplete security.
IV. Law Enforcement Reality: Timing and Deterrence
Modern law enforcement data consistently shows that crimes and violent acts occur when:
Supervision drops
Attention shifts
People are distracted or transitioning
Church environments naturally create these moments:
Before service, when staff are preparing
After service, when people linger, socialize, and disperse
A trained security presence during these times provides:
Deterrence through visibility
Early detection of anomalies
Rapid response capability if needed
One of the greatest successes in security is the incident that never occurs. Deterrence does not generate headlines, but it saves lives.
V. Why the Security Team Must Be First to Arrive
Being first on site is not about control, it’s about awareness.
Early arrival allows security personnel to:
Establish a baseline of what is normal
Identify environmental or structural hazards
Confirm access control points
Detect anomalies before they blend into routine activity
Proverbs 27:12 teaches:
“The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”
Prudence requires time. A security team that arrives alongside the congregation forfeits the advantage of preparation.
Goldbar Defense teaches that preparedness begins before the first handshake at the door.
VI. Why the Security Team Must Be Last to Leave
Just as military units maintain rear security, church security must remain until:
All congregants have safely departed
The building is cleared
Vulnerable individuals are accounted for
The facility is secured
Isaiah 52:12 provides a powerful image:
“The LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”
God values completion. So should His church.
Remaining until the end is not overkill, it is faithfulness (I would rather have a pound of overkill than an ounce of underkill any day). This communicates care, responsibility, and respect for every person entrusted to the church’s care.
VII. Addressing Common Objections
Some fear that a security presence makes a church feel unwelcoming. Goldbar Defense rejects this false dichotomy.
True hospitality requires safety.
A shepherd who welcomes danger is not loving, he is careless.
Others argue that security reflects a lack of faith. Scripture teaches the opposite: wisdom prepares, love protects, and vigilance honors God.
Faith is not the absence of preparation. Faith is obedience in action.
I’ve Said it Once I Will say it Again - Security is a Ministry
Church security is not about power, fear, or force. It is about presence, vigilance, and love.
From the watchmen of Israel to the overseers of the early church, Scripture affirms the call to guard what God has entrusted. Military and law enforcement doctrine confirm what Scripture already knew: security must be proactive, continuous, and completed.
For this reason, Goldbar Defense teaches that church security teams must be first to arrive and last to leave, conducting thorough interior and exterior checks before and after services—not as an act of fear, but as an act of faithfulness.
Preparedness is stewardship.
Vigilance is love.
Security is ministry.
Goldbar Defense
Training Churches. Protecting People. Honoring God.
Remember when seconds count and help is minutes away, you are your own first responder.
Stay safe my friends.
Pastor Bart Goldbar
Goldbar Defense LLC
