Churches and Places of Worship welcome people in with open doors, but that could be the window of opportunity that leaves them vulnerable to someone with bad intentions.
Case in point: the shooting at Roman Catholic church in northern Burkina Faso left at least 6 individuals dead. According to a government statement, congregants were leaving the church around 9 a.m. local time in the town of Dablo, about 124 miles from the capital, Ouagadougou, when about 20 men circled them and opened fire.
Shooting at places of worship continues to shock the world. As stories of the victims begin to filter out into the news, our heartbreak is compounded by the contrast between their faith and the violence, hate, and cowardice of the acts.
Now, after recent strings of mass shootings at churches and shrines, many clerics are asking what steps they should take to make their churches safe. The truth of the matter is that most churches do not have safety plans, much less safety teams, in place. And while it may not seem like a big deal, it usually isn’t until one is needed.
It appears Ghana has taken a leap toward protecting congregants during worship.
A leading partner for the African Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peace and Security (AACREPS) and renowned security analyst Dr Kwesi Biney, appealed to all religious leaders in the country to undertake security and intelligence training to ensure a safe environment in churches and other places of worship, according to the Ghanaian Times.
According to him, priests, elders, ushers, youth leaders, church stewards and the entire church administration must undergo a security and intelligence training that would enable them to counter the emerging security threats of terror attacks, kidnapping, assassination and vigilantism gradually creeping into the country.
Dr Biney who was speaking on the topic: “Education on Ghana’s Security Issues” at a forum organised by the Calvary Methodist Church for its congregation in Accra disclosed that churches and other worship centres have been the target for terrorists, robbery attacks and indiscriminate killings, hence the need for the church to tighten up their security and intelligence.
“As we all know, public gathering requires security to monitor and check activities of individuals, and I can say churches are also considered as a public place where all calibre of people with different intentions, are permitted entry so why not make security a priority?” he asked.
“In the case of Rev. Dr David Nabegmado, head pastor of the Central Assemblies of God Church, who was stabbed to death on his own church premises last year, I cried bitterly when I heard the incidence,” Dr Biney said.
He said a well-structured internal security and intelligence practice for churches would equip them to ensure safety in the house of God as well as to protect the congregation from theft or any form of attack.
He said the appeal does not only go to churches, but also to mosques and any other form of worship centres to equip its leaders and worshippers with security and intelligence skills to protect themselves and the environment they worship from external attack and brutalities.
Hallelujah Magazine is committed to publishing reliable, trusted, quality and independent Christian journalism. Our journalism is free from commercial bias and is not influenced by wealthy people, politicians, clerics or shareholders. We value our readers’ feedback, suggestions and opinions. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
