- [Chuck] June 19, 2019, a Syrian refugee

was arrested in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,

for plotting to blow up a local church.

His intent was to inspireother church attacks

in the name of ISIS.

Former FBI agent, Mark Lundgren,

warns that an attack like this

could have far reaching consequences.

- If two or three successful attacks

on churches occur,

what we're gonna see is a conversation

over the dinner table onSaturday night, honey,

should we take the kidsto church tomorrow,

or should we just livestream this?

And if you don't think that's gonna impact

the very ministry model

of every church in America

you probably justhaven't thought about it.

- [Chuck] Many churches these days

have some sort of security team,

but Lundgren is workingto help these teams

network with those from other churches

by starting the Secure Church Network,

an association of church safety

and security leaders who meet

to share tips and tactics

for keeping their congregations safe.

- All right so what we wannado is create an environment

where worry free worship can occur.

- [Chuck] At a recent securechurch event near Chicago,

several hundred attendees got a chance

to do scenario-based training

aimed at approachingsecurity as a ministry.

Former Secret Service agent Tim Miller

led the training.

- So church security is unique

because the skills we need week after week

are largely not firearm skills.

They're skills like talking people down,

we call it de-escalation.

They're skills like dealing with

mentally ill people.

They're skills like understanding

that people come into the church

with a variety of addictions.

And how we respond to them really matters

because on the one hand

we want hurting people to come,

but on the other hand we wannakeep the congregation safe.

- You know you're more likelyto be struck by lightening

then you are to be a victim

of a mass shooter attack in a church,

but that doesn't meanthat you shouldn't be

training and prepared for it.

More likely you're gonnahave a medical emergency

or maybe a mentally illperson come into your church,

and those kind of things needto be prepared for as well.

And that's why traininglike this is so important.

- Let's pray that he's with us today.

- Free Palestine.

- Free Palestine.

- Free Palestine.

- I think you just haveto watch the news today

and you can tell that things are changing.

There's just an expansion

of those radical ideologies,

mental health struggles,

even anger against people of faith.

And because the conditions are changing

I think leaders need to bemore thoughtful than ever

about how they really shepard people,

how we protect the flock

that's under our care,

and whether that means imposing new kinds

of security protocolsto help protect folks

against bad actors

or whether it's just thinkingthrough more carefully

the practices by whichwe are gonna be ready

to give medical aid ina time of emergency.

It feels like we have a responsibility

that is even moreintense than ever before.

- What's the problem, ma'am?

- [Chuck] The trainingincluded some unique tools

such as a high tech virtual trainer

that lets attendees experience

dozens of different scenarios

in a short period of time.

It's the same methodused by law enforcement.

- Having thoseconversations ahead of time,

doing some drilling.

I know that our officerswill come through here

off hours so that way they canlearn the layout much better

and even do some training.

- We want them ministry minded,

but also highly skilled.

(gun fire) (screaming)

Now church security's different

because as you knowchurches are welcoming,

inviting places, and securitytends to keep people away.

So it's important that wetrain church security folks

with the mindset of ministry.

- I just don't know any church leader

that wants their gatherings

to start to feel like somekind of an armed encampment.

But the good news it seems to me is

that there are practical ways

of increasing security in the life

of a religious community or church

without losing that sense that it's still'

a very warm and welcoming place.

- [Chuck] Participants say they get a lot

out of working togetherwith other churches.

- So we're part of Secure Church Chicago

and we attend these on a regular basis.

They've been very impactful

in helping us developa plan and a strategy.

- This is my second time attending

a training here with Secure Church.

It was really informative.

Even just making connections

and network with other churches

is also a benefit to being here.

But just having a facility

to be able to do scenario based training

was a real advantage for us.

- [Chuck] In Chicago, I'mChuck Holton for CBN News.