Faith Based Security Network (FBSN)

DEADLY FORCE INCIDENT STUDY: OVERVIEW Use the Data to Develop Plans in Order to Better Protect Your Ministry. ATTACK TRIGGERS Nearly 53% of all deadly force incidents at faith-based organizations are due to a robbery, domestic violence, or a personal conflict. PARKING LOT Over 75% of deadly force incidents occurred (or began) outside on ministry property, parking lot or activity location AFTER HOURS Over 61% of attacks occurred when no event was happening https://lnkd.in/g3PR78YH

SIMPLE ISN’T ALWAYS EASY Today’s TAI is brought to us by FBSN Member (and pastor) Jim Lemaire of Missouri …. I am privileged to have a father who taught me many valuable life lessons. From my earliest days I remember going to church, enjoying the outdoors and the safety and seriousness of guns. I was taught to enjoy and respect all these things. I was an adult before I really appreciated the life lessons he taught me. Dad taught me to hear God's voice in everyday activities. He taught me a love for God's Word and the words of Jesus ("he that has ears, let him hear"). God will not run with us to speak; we must walk with Him to hear His voice. One lesson came from the range while shooting with some men from church. The obvious goal is to hit the target. Nothing brings out the competitive nature of men more than a target. As we shot it was a great time of encouragement and ribbing each other on their performance (or lack thereof). While shooting, there was also the help as one would say. "you’re high", “Don’t jerk the trigger", "control your breathing " or “What are you aiming at?" It interested to me how, though we all had been shooting most of our lives, it still came down to basics. While shooting is simple, it isn’t easy. Hitting the target comes down to grip, aim, breathing and trigger control. Many of you have experienced this as others have come along side to help you on the range. In our Christian walk, we also find it simple but not necessarily easy. Prayer and Bible reading, worship and fellowship are essential to hitting the target. How are you doing with those? Are you listening as others tell you why you're missing? I realized, while I will listen to someone tell me how to improve my shooting, I can be defensive or unwilling to listen to someone tell me how I can improve my walk with the Lord. Prayer is simply conversation with God and He speaks to us through His Word. That process shows us His target for our lives. Fellowship and worship insure we hit the target as we submit to His will and allow others to speak into our lives. Think about it This takes time and all of us are busy, so the questions are: What is your target? What are you aiming at? Do you hear the Shepherd's voice ?

The FBSN has a new YouTube channel! To kick it off we are sharing Kurt Owen’s message to pastors about security, https://lnkd.in/gUN393zq Subscribe at https://lnkd.in/gqVEAs86

The public expressed shock and dismay that the CEO of a large corporation could be killed in cold blood this week. United Health Care CEO, Brian Thompson was walking to the UHC annual meeting of investors when an assassin emerged from an ambush position and killed him, purposely leaving evidence of the intentionality of the attack. Thompson has emerged in subsequent reports as a nice, young married father of boys who kept a low profile and wouldn’t hurt anyone. Many ask, “why? United Health Group (the parent corporation of UHC) was getting ready for the annual investors meeting and had disclosed they were heading towards a $450-$455 BILLION dollar year. If your lake of influence is that big, there is a lot of shoreline (places where you connect with the public). A small tire shop in a farm community is going to have customers, competitors or complainers who have some reason for wishing them gone. You can’t operate a multi-billion dollar company without enemies. How can people sit on the board of a company that large and not recognize the dangers? Any sector (including churches and law-enforcement) has enemies who would like to inflict harm in the most memorable way. The UHC killer left behind 3 unfired cartridges and 3 fired ones. Some of them were inscribed, “Deny”, “Defend” or “Depose.” Investigators feel these are direct references to the insurance industry’s stance on claims management. It seems to be a play on words derived from the 2010 book on insurance named, “Delay, Deny, Defend.” The subtitle is, “Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims And What You Can Do About It.” The stock value of UHC tumbled in the days following the attack. Certainly not the results UHC leaders were looking for from their annual investors meeting. Corporations (Insurance related and others) since have announced efforts to examine security by, Removing leadership profiles from websites Setting up risk evaluation procedures Considering protocols associated with Executive Protection Considering armed protection for executives Somewhere within past board or leadership discussions, someone (or group) decided against security protocols that would have better protected UHC leaders. Think About it To be right when opposing security could mean your influence saved the organization some percent of costs to contribute to equity. To be wrong when opposing security could have devastating results, including loss of life. Carl Chinn, President, FBSN

The older I get, the more thankful I am. I am thankful for my wife, children, and grandchildren; for the lives we all have that continue working together. Every holiday, one of our children and their children are at one of our other children’s homes, or at our farm. I am thankful for the protection family I have gained through the FBSN, our many affiliates, and from events across the nation. This great endeavor of protecting faith-based organizations has led to this professional membership association of those unique responsible defenders. In what other people group could I write about scriptural values and not have to explain the applicability to security? But before my wife, children and professional family were my parents and brothers. I have no regrets. I could not have possibly had better parents. My two brothers remain at the top of the list of my best friends. I’ve had many great pastors and advisors through the years. When it comes to the toughest things, I call one of my brothers. Even before my parents and brothers were grandparents on both sides. There was a deep and real spiritual foundation obvious in both of those homes. And before my grandparents were other ancestors I am thankful for. We cherish many family stories and documents passed down that that confirm God’s graciousness to our family as well as our dependance on Him. Think About it Before anything you or I may or may not know about the journey of faith in our own families, is that Christ died for us. Before that, God created us with good in mind. The word, “good” appears many times in the very first chapter of Genesis. At the very end of that chapter, he created man and entrusted all those good things to him. Yes, Adam and Eve broke that trust, but God has been active in redemption ever since. Of that I am a recipient. What more could any of us possibly ask for? To not be thankful would just be rebellious. Joy and thanksgiving are choices we make. I’ve had seasons where I just didn’t feel it. But I know now how that was rebellious intent at those times. Life is better for me and those around me when I am thankful. It will be for you too. Your family will be more thankful for you too. Carl Chinn, President, FBSN

Think About it -- Don’t Feed the Beast While working at a ministry years ago, our HR department put all managers through leadership personality awareness training, using the DISC method. DISC defines leadership styles as; Dominant (Direct), Inspiring (Interactive), Supportive (Steady) or Cautious (Conscientious). DISC is another version of the common A, B, C or D studies. While labels vary, the ABCD styles are generally A) Dominant, B. Social, C) Analytical and D) Cautious. Many know about, “the A-Type” (or “high D”) leaders. Per the DISC method, I scored as a “High S-type leader.” Except under stress. Under stress I went full “D” (dominant). So much so, the instructor used me as an oddity example in front of the class of managers. Classmates chuckled as they identified with her assessment that I was normally easy going and supportive. Threatened however, I became Patton. That study into my psyche bothered me for years. I always felt called to be an encourager. Where did that Patton gene come from? But I can’t deny it’s presence. My family, and those I’ve worked closely with, have all seen Patton. As I have aged, I began to see it not only as a weakness, but (handled right) a strength. Some didn’t understand the security point of my message last week. The whole point of that, (related to this topic today), is that we need to be careful to not get caught up in the divisive vitriol so prominent in our culture today. As security people, we can all be A-Type, High D’s, (and should be when the dragon enters). It’s OK to take a side. Stand for something, but don’t feed the bile beast. Think About it When danger is inevitable, and people are about to be hurt, go to Patton mode. When somebody walks in and wants to talk politics – don’t get drawn in. Those are changing shadows (among those men get lost). It is my hope that we can see some real improvement in the moral value of our nation in the coming years. It would be easy for me to be all Patton when thinking about the moral decay we have suffered in the last 50 years. But we are called to be peacekeepers. Many who walk into your doors are not. They want to cause trouble. Understand them, but don’t join them and feed that bile beast. As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Think About it -- A Historical Lesson in Dealing With Men in Conflict Few examples of human conflict are as intense as the saga of American Indians. That odyssey lasted hundreds of years. Here is a short summary of the saga of just the plains Indians; French expedition leader, René-Robert Cavelier, discovered the wealth of furs and fertile soil and “claimed” all the territory draining into the Mississippi River on April 9, 1682. Indians were living there, but nobody asked them. France just claimed it. France controlled it (somewhat) for 80 years, then Spain took it from France in February of 1763. Indians had no part in those negotiations. On October 1st, 1800, Napolean took it back from Spain. Indians had no say. On April 30th, 1803, America purchased it from France, paying $15,000,000 for 828,000 square miles of land draining into the Mississippi River from the west; everything from the west banks of the Mississippi to Canada on the north and the continental divide to the west. No Indians were at the table. Native American Indians hardly knew their country and their lifestyle was being negotiated away by others. As they began to understand what was happening, the momentum was too much to stop. Think About it As with most epic conflicts, history (or current political divisions) labels victors and victims. Many become wrongly glorified or vilified. In the case of the American Indian story, popular opinion increasingly labels American leaders of the time as tyrants and the Indians as helpless innocent victims. Many books emphasize that angle. Reading through some, one might think Sitting Bull was perfect and President Grant was awful. The truth (as I understand) is that Grant was the American President most focused on considering the American Indians as equal in humanity with white Americans. Grant wanted a fair and equitable solution. But many will never see it that way. It is just too convenient to take a position, then vilify anyone who has, or ever will have, a different take. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” [i] As a 12-year-old boy, Black Elk (of the Lakota tribe), witnessed the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Later he survived Wounded Knee. Black Elk died in 1950. He once said, “It is hard to follow one great vision in this world of darkness and of many changing shadows. Among those men get lost.” Enduring words of wisdom. [i] Romans 12:18 (NIV) Carl Chinn, President, FBSN

Think About it -- Election Examination FBSN Member Matt Stidham, a pastor in Missouri, wrote this week’s TAI. Matt speaks well for us in FBSN leadership. Election 2024 is done. If your candidate(s) / issue(s) of choice won, I'm glad you are happy about that. If your candidate(s) / issue(s) of choice lost, I'm sorry you feel upset about that. My faith in Jesus calls me to rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn, and above all to love my neighbor as myself. "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another … Do not be conceited." [i] “The most important [command],” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” [ii] Today, and every day, that's what we should do. Not blame, not slander, not attack, not gloat, not shame. Jesus has not commanded us to do that, and in fact has commanded the exact opposite. "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them." [iii] I'm called, as far as it depends on me, to live at peace with everyone. That includes those whom I don't see eye to eye with. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." [iv] Think About it… Let's do better folks. It's what Jesus commands. [i] Romans 12:14–16 NIV [ii] Mark 12:29–31 NIV [iii] Proverbs 24:17–18 NIV [iv] Hebrews 12:14–15 NIV

Think About it -- Caleb, Age and Determination When the Lord had Moses send 12 top leaders into Canaan to scope it out, 10 came back with a negative report, but 2 were confident in their ability to take it right then. Caleb and Joshua were those 2. Caleb was called to serve. His name has origins relative to service. The name means one from meager origins, lowly esteemed like a dog, but operating with reason and courage. A sheepdog. Loyal to anything & anyone important to you; deadly to those that threaten you or those you love. Caleb made his grand entry into history as a determined 40-year-old supporter of Moses, devoted to God. Caleb recognized a mission worth supporting and signed up. He and Joshua led the S.E.A.L. Team Six of the era. Numbers 13 & 14 provide attributes of his character and experiences as one of 12 commissioned by Moses for that historical 40-day spy trip into Canaan. A chosen leader (Numbers 13:3, 6 & 16) A strong command presence (Number 13:30) Publicly criticized by other leaders which led to an outcry (Numbers 13:31-14:5) Stayed wholehearted in the face of widespread opposition (Numbers 14:6-9) Endured mounting and hostile resistance from those he served (Numbers 14:10) Had God in his corner (Numbers 14:11-12 then 20-24) Was a survivor (Numbers 14:38) Those seven attributes read quick and easy. It only takes 10 minutes to read through the whole 13th and 14th chapters. It was hell to live and the agony must have seemed a long endurance. Try to grasp the collision of agony and vision in Caleb’s mind at that point in Chapter 14, verses 6 & 7 when he ripped his clothes in front of the people as Moses and Aaron fell face first in agony themselves. For 40 years following that showdown year of exploration, Caleb was not mentioned except by reference to that Numbers 14 era. When he was 85, (14th chapter of Joshua) he showed up again with that same resolute vigor demonstrated before. I can imagine the passion in his ending statements of proclamation as he stood and pointed to the hills proclaiming, “I am still as strong today … I’m just as vigorous … now as I was then. Now give me that hill…!” (Joshua 14:10-12). Think About It I know many of you may feel slightly beyond your prime. Stay wholehearted and determined! Carl Chinn, President, FBSN

Think About it ... A Story of a Pyrenees Riding down a road in Tennessee some years ago with a family member, we went past a neighboring farm. I saw a large white dog eye us as we drove by and asked what kind of dog that was. Not really being knowledgeable about dogs it meant little to me when he said it was a “Great Pyrenees”. Hearing my dismissive, “oh”, he proceeded to tell me about that specific dog. His neighbor (now his friend) told him how a coyote had killed one of their goats. His friend had done some study to find a good way of dealing with the coyote problem and quickly acquired a pair of Great Pyrenees dogs. As soon as the new dogs were let into the pasture, the dominant one took off down the fence line. She found the spot where the coyote had come through the fence very quickly. She then continued exploring until her nose led her to the place where the coyote had killed the goat. When she discovered the kill site, she lay down there and didn’t move for a long time. My family member had asked to go out to the pasture and see the dog, but his neighbor said no. They are all business, and he didn’t want them becoming a pet. They were not unfriendly to people, but they had a job to do. The breeder he had gotten the Pryenees from had told him how the young patrol with their mother until they are 6 months old before being taken away for independence. To turn them into a pet is the wrong thing to do with them. If you get them to stop the predators, that is exactly what they will do. Think About it: So, you want to be a sheepdog? Words used to describe the temperament of the Great Pyrenees are; confident, gentle, affectionate, territorial, protective, strong willed, independent, reserved, attentive, fearless and having a general demeanor of composure, patience and loyalty. A good sheepdog doesn’t call attention to himself. It’s not about him, he’s about you. We must be about our Father’s business. Carl Chinn, President, FBSN