A Pattern of Violence Against Houses of Worship
The attacks are documented and recurring:
- Sikh Temple of Wisconsin (2012) — 6 killed, 4 wounded by a white supremacist gunman
- Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC (2015) — 9 killed during a Bible study
- First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, TX (2017) — 26 killed, 20 wounded during Sunday service
- Tree of Life Synagogue, Pittsburgh, PA (2018) — 11 killed in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history
- West Freeway Church of Christ, White Settlement, TX (2019) — 2 killed before an armed church member stopped the attacker
- Covenant Presbyterian Church, Nashville, TN (2023) — a connected school was attacked, 6 killed including 3 children
These incidents share a common feature: houses of worship are among the softest of soft targets. Congregations face the pulpit. Doors are open and welcoming. Security measures are minimal or nonexistent. An armed attacker exploiting that vulnerability can inflict mass casualties before anyone responds.
What Makes Churches Vulnerable
CISA’s Protecting Houses of Worship guide identifies the characteristics that make religious facilities high-risk targets:
- Open access with minimal screening
- Predictable gathering times and locations
- Large groups in confined spaces
- Limited or no security personnel
- Cultural resistance to visible security measures
The guide recommends layered security measures — starting with awareness training and extending through physical hardening of the facility.
Building Layers of Protection
"Cameras document incidents, but deterrents like Bolo Stick keep threats out and buy time. It’s about creating layers of security."
— Bill Barna, Bolo Stick founder and 33-year retired police officer
Effective church security operates in concentric layers:
Layer 1: Awareness. Train greeters, ushers, and congregation members to observe and report unusual behavior. Is someone loitering in an odd area? Wearing out-of-place clothing? Exhibiting nervous, agitated, or angry behavior? Trust your instincts — they are usually correct.
Layer 2: Planning. Develop an Emergency Operations Plan. Identify escape routes. Designate safe rooms. Assign a security team — even a small one — to monitor entry points during services. Conduct periodic drills with local law enforcement.
Layer 3: Physical barriers. Close and lock doors to nurseries, classrooms, and offices during services. Install door barricade devices that can be deployed in seconds to prevent forced entry. The Bolo Stick secures a door against more than 4,200 pounds of force with a single-step deployment — critical when adrenaline degrades fine motor skills.
Layer 4: Communication. Establish a rapid notification system to alert staff, security team members, and law enforcement simultaneously. Seconds matter.
Funding Church Security
The FEMA Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides federal funding specifically for houses of worship and nonprofit organizations at elevated risk of attack. The program awarded $454 million in FY2024 and has $274.5 million available for FY2025. Eligible expenses include physical security enhancements like door hardening, access control systems, surveillance cameras, and barricade devices.
Many congregations assume security upgrades are beyond their budget. Federal grants and the low per-unit cost of devices like the Bolo Stick ($69 per door) make physical hardening accessible to churches of any size.
The Imperative to Act
Hardening a house of worship is not easy. Every facility has unique physical layouts, budgetary constraints, and congregational attitudes toward visible security. Some members will resist. But the documented pattern of attacks on religious facilities — across denominations, geographies, and years — makes inaction increasingly difficult to defend.
No single measure provides absolute protection. But overlapping layers of awareness, planning, physical barriers, and communication dramatically improve survival odds. The Bolo Stick door barricade is endorsed by the NOCSSM (National Organization for Church Security and Safety Management) and deployed in churches across the United States and internationally.
Start securing your house of worship today. View products or contact us to discuss your facility’s needs.