Church Security Conferences

Keynote Speaker -

Dr. John Byrnes -

"Can You Prevent the Next Church Shooting?"

John D. Byrnes, D. Hum, coined the phrase "Aggression Management"®. Organizations come to John Byrnes because he is the leading authority on preventing aggression in the workplace and in schools. He has conducted Aggression Management® Workshops for some of the nation's largest employers, among them the United States Postal Service, NASA, United States Department of Agriculture, and Disney Development. He has published articles extensively and has spoken before many national associations. For more information go to www.aggressionmanagement.com

Other Featured Speakers:

Jimmy Meeks -

"Scriptural Validity of Church Security"

Jimmy will speak on the scriptural validity of the need for Church Security and the calling he has felt to the church security ministry. Jimmy will also chronicle the 1980  Daingerfield church shooting, highlighting the heroic actions of the men who stopped Alvin King. Jimmy has been a police officer since 1980. He started his career with the Shawnee, Oklahoma Police Department.  He is a licensed and ordained minister, having entered the ministry in 1974.  He is a certified school resource officer, a police-training officer, a hostage negotiator, and a certified crime prevention specialist. Jimmy has also been a detective. He is presently a corporal/patrol supervisor. Jimmy has over 4500 hours of TCLEOSE training. For more information go to www.safeatchurch.org  and www.copandcross.com

Director David Wood

"Multi-Site Mega-Church Security"

With five campuses and approaching 10,000 in membership, Covenant Church represents one of the largest Mega-churches in America. David Wood has been at the helm of the ministry's security and safety efforts for the past 10 years. As Security Director of a large ministry, David deals daily with the complexities of a diverse, multicultural, multi-site mega-church. David will speak on the security efforts of such a ministry.

Major Carole Newell

"Responding to the Mentally Ill and Suicide Prevention"

Major Newell has been with the Broken Arrow, OK Police Department for more than 25 years. In that time she has worked in nearly every facet of the department, and has spent considerable time in the Criminal Investigations Unit. She spent 14 years on the Crisis Negotiation Team, the last 7 as the Team Leader. She is currently the Headquarters Division Commander overseeing Criminal Investigations, Special Investigations, Property Room, and Training Units. During her career she has acquired extensive training and experience dealing with mental health issues, domestic violence, and sexual assault, and has also taught classes to law enforcement personnel. Carole also serves as the Department Head of Security at World Outreach Church in Tulsa, OK. She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy as well as Rhema Bible Training Center.

Carl Chinn

"Eye witness recount, New Life church shooting, Focus on the Family hostage incident"

The 2007 shooting at New Life Church in Colorado Springs was one of the most significant attacks on Christian ministries in recent years. The gunman / hostage incident at the “Focus on the Family” headquarters in 1996 was another ministry incident of note. Chinn played a key role in the pre-incident emergency planning and was an initial responder in both incidents. Chinn will speak on plan development and shares inside recounts of these infamous incidents. Carl Chinn speaks on the subject of ministry environment security and emergency response. www.carlchinn.com

Chuck Chadwick  

"Security Teams and State Laws"

As former Director of Security for one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America; Chuck brings a “real world” perspective of dealing with the security concerns of the nation’s largest multi-site mega-churches. Chuck’s 29 years of security experience and his founding of The National Organization for Church Security and Safety Management (NOCSSM), helps him guide churches, both large and small, in addressing church specific security concerns. He has trained hundreds of churches across the nation in the basics as well as the highly advanced technical aspects of church security. As President of Gatekeepers Security Services, LLC, Chuck's companies provide security services to some of the nation's largest mega-churches. www.nocssm.org, www.gatekeeperssecurity.com and www.christiansi.org

Richard Ray

"Pastoral Protection"

Richard will speak on the unique challenges security has in protecting our pastors while being unobtrusive. Richard is one of the highest respected Executive Protection  Specialist and Instructors in the land. Richard graduated from Pensacola Christian College in 1989 with a B.S. in Commercial Writing. He holds a 6th degree Black belt in San Sai Ryu Karate, a 4th degree Black Belt in American Kenpo, a 3rd degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and an instructor in Kenjutsu/Aikijutsu. Richard founded Ellis County Martial Arts. Richard holds numerous professional security licenses including Personal Protection Officer, Firearms and Defensive Tactics Instructor. Richards's practical experience has evolved throughout his career in law enforcement, executive protection and instructor. From high risk executive protection instructor in Bogotá  Columbia to heading up the security teams of numerous high profile evangelist , Richard brings the "Real World" approached to pastoral protection.