Packin' Preachers

[KevinDooley]

I am a licensed minister and the Video Director of my church. Now that my license has arrived I will carry 6 days a week in church. The head of security and my supervisor both know of my intentions (though they don't know that my license arrived Saturday and I carried all day today). I will be carrying while doing a plethora of things, one of which will be running a roving camera on stage some weekends during the music (one of my favorite things to do when I can schedule it).

There are several other that carry in my church - our student pastor is one - and then also our security team which is made up of off duty LEO's.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Rob Pincus]

I recently did a church security course in SD and the youth pastor initiated the event. 2 of the staff members carry, including a pastor. Others carry OC only.

-RJP

[ccw9mm]

... church, schools, and malls are three of the most dangerous (ie most likely to be targeted for mass violence) places that I go on a routine basis. If that isn't an indictment of our society, then I don't know what is!

Actually, hyenas and lions go to the watering hole because it's the place where the unwitting and unwary are available in the greatest number.

It's simply how predators work. It's in Nature's Plan to operate in that manner. Criminals are simply predators with two legs. Many of them also operate in this way.

Nature is simple. It's basic. It has few rules. One core rule is: the strong survive; the weak get eaten. The worst indictment I can see is of people refusing to see that, at the end of the day, they are food. In a very real sense, if you're not strong/smart enough to withstand attack during your lifetime, you're very likely to get eaten.

[JohnKelly]

I'd be interested in knowing the size of the church/congregation where the pastors carry. Is it typically big churches or does it vary?

[miklcolt45]

I'm not exactly a pastor, but I run our youth congregation in that role. Also, I'm sure my dad will pipe up here soon, he's a pastor who carries.

Mel

Actually, I don't carry on Sundays. (Weekday mornings are also a problem because we are a Target-Rich Environment due to a pre-school on premises.)
I have been trying to figure out how to do Sundays without being 'made.'

We have 2 services on Sun. a.m. The first is contemporary (band and current Christian 'praise' music). My mode of dress is dress slacks and nice Hawaiian shirts (FL-it works here). My IWB, while tuckable still has those darn kydex clips, and while my congregation is not small, the 'venue' is intimate enough that I am close to hundreds of people on a given Sunday.
The second service I wear a traditional preaching robe, so no problem there.

I don't use a pulpit, so nothing to hide behind. (Besides, that would only provide concealment, not cover.)

I have been mulling over pocket carry of some kind (a snubbie, or a KelTec P3AT, or their smallest 9mm). Now, I just have to convince Mrs. MiklColt45 that another gun purchase is the right choice right now (that could be snowy day in Hades, if you know what I mean.)

With all of that, I am certainly in favor of carrying.

Several years ago, while living on the west coast (of FL), a pastor acquaintance was shot by an angry parishioner. He managed to stumble out to the road, and got help. Seriously wounded.
The response of our 'regional supervisor' was to tell everyone to buy a cell phone and keep it on them. Good advice. Not great advice.
Knowing what I know now, they should have set up a group purchase for handguns...(hey, a guy can dream, can't he?).

Other events:
Pastor killed going to funeral in KY (this week).
Church shooting in MO (last year?).
Church shooting in CO (Dec.).
Of course, those are only a few examples.

Anyway, you know the drill.
And that's all I know about that.

[tns0038]

The Baptist church I use to go to and served as a deacon, I did all the time, and the Pastor and Assistant Pastor knew, because of an incident of me stepping between the Pastor and a charging dog while we were on visitation. Glad I did not have to shoot the dog, but I could not allow the Pastor to be harmed.

We moved a few years ago, and I’m no longer on a board and don’t have a personal relationship with this Pastor so I do not see a reason to tell him.

[Divebum47]

Why not carry in church? I always try to be extra cautious because I am sure some members would not understand. However, based on events of the last couple of decades, I would say that church, schools, and malls are three of the most dangerous (ie most likely to be targeted for mass violence) places that I go on a routine basis. If that isn't an indictment of our society, then I don't know what is!

Amen, brother (no pun intended). I am not a Pastor (and those who know me well would attest that my temperament and lack of tolerance for idiots preclude me from having sufficient patience), I am a volunteer advisor for our Youth Group, and normally carry when we are on Mission Trips and the like. As long as the states we serve have reciprocals. I have an Ohio CCL and a non resident PA CCL. Between the two, I'm pretty well covered.

I do carry in church for the reasons you outline. And yes, it is a sad testament on our society. I think it's more an indictment than testimony, but I still take the security of my family and the kids I serve very serious regardless of venue.

Neither my Pastor nor my Youth Pastor know I carry. That's why it's called "concealed".

[MNBurl]

I pack and pray. My father-in-law is a pistol (revolver actually) packing pastor.

[Rossman]

I pack each Sunday and play music in the praise band.

[JSBaker]

I'd be interested in knowing the size of the church/congregation where the pastors carry. Is it typically big churches or does it vary?

My church is 200-250.

I appreciate all the responses so far. I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone.

There is more than one kind of wolf. You pastors, let's be careful to keep both kinds from ravaging the sheep.

[kentuckycarry]

I sat next to my pastor in my ccw class. He doesn't carry though. He just wanted the education, and to understand more about ccw. I respect him for that.

Hmm. You sure about that?

[detroit9mm]

I am a Deacon in our church and run our security team, with 4 (soon to be 5) members armed. Our Pastor does not carry but is very much in favor of armed security. He was a very supportive force in us recently revising our security procedures to better protect our congregation. The church has actually paid for some of our advanced training. We are outside Detroit and there was a fatal church shooting about 10 miles away about 2.5 years ago. We are also adjacent to Dearborn which has the highest Muslim/Arab population in the United States.

[longtooth]

I am a pastor who carries every day--even while in the pulpit. I am curious about how many of you carry at church. Are there other pastors out there who pack and preach?

If you are a pastor who carries, do any of your people know? If they do, what reactions have you gotten?

I am a 36 yr Vet of a Baptist Church. Carry 24-7. Read my signature line. In the pulpit, funerals, weddings, & when I baptize. 24-7 is 24-7. No need to take it off for Baptism. That is what waders are for.

I strongly recomend to any & especially pastors that carry. Concealed is concealed. dont tell unless you know that you know God has given you that as a part of your ministry. He has me & results bear that out.
There are several, several in our little country church that carry daily & at church too.
I am Range Safety Officer at the local rifle & pistol club. I teach marksmanship, safety, both rifle & pistol, close quarters personal defense.
I do not make the announcement every Sunday but dont think it takes Dick Tracy to figure out that I probably do. I have trained 7 or 8 in our church because they have asked. They & some others know. Most are indifferent, several are really glad & have said so.
Only one negative comment so far in 10yrs of carry. That was only a few weeks ago.

My 02cents. Carry as you preach, dont tell, listen to know who does.
LT

[Cajun]

I am the Music Ministry Rep on our Church Council. That is a fancy title for the guy in charge of all audio/video. Most Sundays, I run the sound boad at the rear of our Church. I have been carrying since being permitted a few years ago. My X, and now my present Pastor knows I carry, they seem to find comfort in that fact. I see more and more reason everyday to carry in Church. If you doubt that decision:
church shootings - Google Search

D

[KevinDooley]

...I have been trying to figure out how to do Sundays without being 'made.'

We have 2 services on Sun. a.m. The first is contemporary (band and current Christian 'praise' music). My mode of dress is dress slacks and nice Hawaiian shirts (FL-it works here). My IWB, while tuckable still has those darn kydex clips...

Maybe it's obvious to me... but Hawaiian shirts are made to be worn untucked anyway... so why not just untuck it and carry?