According to Wikipedia there are over 180 evangelical seminaries and theological colleges in the United States. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_evangelical_seminaries_and_theological_colleges) A recent report from Catholic Culture reports that “the number of {Catholic} seminarians in the United States has risen to 3,608--the highest number since the early 1990s--with some seminaries experiencing their highest enrollment in decades”.(http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12506)
I have included the above statistics to illustrate that higher education in American related to churches and religious institutions is a booming business. Most churches in America require religious leaders to not only have a bachelor’s degree, but to complete a graduate level seminary program. After conducting research from multiple seminaries I have yet to find one school to offer a dedicated course in safety and security for churches. I encourage you to email me if I am wrong and you know of a seminary that does offer this as a requirement for their program.
In today’s society you cannot read the news without seeing stories everyday regarding churches that are facing trails related to safety and security. These issues range from sex abuse, theft, murder, deceit, coercion, fires, burglary, rape, laundering, computer crime, and more... Many times when a church experiences one of these trials it can lead to the collapse of the institution. Not to mention the lives that have been hurt from the experiences.
I ask the question, “Why do more seminaries not take this topic seriously and address it as important?"
I was recently interviewed by the Columbus Dispatch and I was asked the question, “What do I think the biggest challenge to churches is in getting them to see the need for security?” My answer was “Education at the seminary level! It all starts there!”
I have included the above statistics to illustrate that higher education in American related to churches and religious institutions is a booming business. Most churches in America require religious leaders to not only have a bachelor’s degree, but to complete a graduate level seminary program. After conducting research from multiple seminaries I have yet to find one school to offer a dedicated course in safety and security for churches. I encourage you to email me if I am wrong and you know of a seminary that does offer this as a requirement for their program.
In today’s society you cannot read the news without seeing stories everyday regarding churches that are facing trails related to safety and security. These issues range from sex abuse, theft, murder, deceit, coercion, fires, burglary, rape, laundering, computer crime, and more... Many times when a church experiences one of these trials it can lead to the collapse of the institution. Not to mention the lives that have been hurt from the experiences.
I ask the question, “Why do more seminaries not take this topic seriously and address it as important?"
I was recently interviewed by the Columbus Dispatch and I was asked the question, “What do I think the biggest challenge to churches is in getting them to see the need for security?” My answer was “Education at the seminary level! It all starts there!”
If you are reading this from a college, university or seminary and are interested in putting together a curriculum for your school, send me an email and lets talk about how we can make that happen. brian@securityatchurch.com
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