| Sunday brought heartbreaking news: a gunman opened fire at a Taiwanese congregation in California, killing one person and injuring five others before a former pastor and other church members subdued him. Our hearts grieve with those affected by this horrific event and the senseless loss of life caused by it. May the Lord grant peace and comfort to this church and the surrounding community during this time of suffering and sadness. Moments like these naturally prompt church leaders to ask whether something like this could happen to their congregations. Though shootings at churches are statistically rare, they still happen. That’s why planning and preparation are important. Toward that end, Church Law & Tax has made the following six articles available to members and nonmembers for the next two weeks: “Responding to Gun Violence Concerns at Churches,” by attorney and senior editor Richard R. Hammar (offering four possible ways to reduce risks of shooting incidents); “In an Era of Mass Shootings, a Call to Prepare—Not Panic,” by me (recognizing the infrequency of church shootings, but also identifying the safety and security precautions all churches should nonetheless take); “Responding to Threats,” by attorney Gisele Kalonzo-Douglas (providing ways church leaders can assess security threats); “A Shooter in the House,” by a California police officer (offering tips for church leaders from a law enforcement perspective); “Q&A: Gun Laws and Church Security,” by attorney Frank Sommerville (explaining how churches can learn the laws in their states and plan accordingly); and, “Why Domestic Violence in the Home Endangers Your Church,” by Ruth Moon (looking more closely at the dynamics that could prompt a violent incident to occur on church property). Also this week: LAST CHANCE: Join Church Law & Tax and Christianity Today’s Big Tent Initiative tomorrow for “Should Your Church Get Political?” In this free webinar, attorneys Sally Wagenmaker and Erik Stanley from Church Law & Tax’s advisory boards, alongside three church leaders, will wrestle with that question and more. |
