Prep to Respond: Designing a Ministry Safety Culture that Lasts

by Ben Johnson
Managing Partner, Lightwell Insurance Advisors

After nearly four decades of serving ministries across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama, I’ve learned that safety isn’t just a checklist – it’s a mindset. When something goes wrong, your ministry will have to respond – whether you’re ready or not. That’s why building a culture of preparedness is one of the most important things a ministry can do.

My own journey into church safety deepened in 2008, after a tragic shooting at a Unitarian Universalist church in Knoxville. Two people were killed, and six others were wounded. It happened right in our backyard. That event sparked a wave of questions from ministries including, “Could this happen to us?” The answer, sadly, was “yes.” And that moment changed how we approached safety forever.

Start with What’s Most Likely to Happen
When I meet with ministry leaders, the first thing they usually want to talk about is active shooter scenarios. And while those are important to prepare for, I always ask, “What’s more likely to happen this Sunday – an active shooter, or someone having a heart attack during worship?”

One of my closest friends collapsed at church a few years ago. Thankfully, he was resuscitated on-site because the church had a trained medical response team. That kind of preparation saves lives. And it’s not just about medical emergencies. Natural disasters, cyber threats, and financial fraud are all real risks that ministries face every day.

Build a Diverse Safety Team
A strong safety culture starts with the right people. And that team needs to be more than just those passionate about physical security. A well-rounded safety team includes people from all corners of the ministry – nursery workers, choir members, office staff. Each brings a unique perspective that helps identify risks others might miss.

The church secretary who’s there Monday through Friday sees different risks than the usher who serves on Sunday. The nursery worker has a different lens than the person in the sound booth. That diversity of insight is what makes a safety team effective.

Play the “What If” Game
One of the most effective tools I recommend is what I call the “What If” game. What if there’s a tornado warning during service? What if someone collapses in the lobby? What if there’s a disturbance in the parking lot?

List out the scenarios. Rank them by likelihood and severity. Then start with the ones that are both most likely and most severe. That’s where your training and planning should begin. It’s not about ignoring the extreme – it’s about putting it in context.

Make Safety a Habit, Not a Hype
Many teams start strong – launching safety initiatives with energy and enthusiasm – but over time, those efforts fade. Life gets busy. Priorities shift. That’s why it’s so important to build rhythms that last. Whether it’s monthly check-ins or quarterly reviews, keeping safety on the radar ensures that it becomes part of your ministry’s DNA.

The goal isn’t to create a one-time program. It’s to build a culture that sustains itself over time.

Wrapping Up
Ultimately, aim to move from reaction to response. That shift—from scrambling in the moment to calmly executing a plan—can make all the difference. It’s not about fear. It’s about stewardship. It’s about protecting the people God has entrusted to your care.

If your ministry hasn’t started this journey yet, now is the time and you don’t have to do it alone. At Lightwell, we’re here to walk alongside you with resources, training, and support. Because when the unexpected happens—and it will—you want to be ready to respond, not just react.

Watch Ben's full interview here, or listen to The Lightwell Podcast on your favorite streaming service.

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This page provides a general overview of risk management principles and insurance. It should not be seen as a contractual agreement. Published July 2025.