Lock Doors Mid-Service vs. Open Doors

Lock Doors at Start of Service

Pros

  • Significantly reduces unauthorized entry once service is underway.
  • Creates a hard perimeter — anyone entering after a set time could be subject to some level of screening.
  • Consistent with active-assailant best practice guidance from law enforcement.
  • Reduces disruption from late arrivals during worship or speaker.

Cons

  • Locks out late arrivals, parents, medical personnel, and your own team members who step out.
  • Requires a volunteer or staff member to monitor the door — who then cannot respond elsewhere.
  • Creates a liability question if someone cannot enter in an emergency.
  • Cultural resistance is high in churches that emphasize being welcoming.

Also Consider

  • Have you physically walked your campus at service time? How many unlocked doors exist that are not the front entrance?
  • Locking front doors while leaving side and rear doors open provides false assurance.
  • Consider a “soft lock” — a staffed door with a keypad or intercom for verified late entry.

Remain Open with Monitored Entry

Pros

  • Balances security with the welcoming culture of most churches.
  • Allows late arrivals, parents returning from children’s ministry, and restroom trips without incident.
  • A staffed door provides a human checkpoint — a greeter who can read the situation.
  • More defensible in congregations where locking doors would cause cultural friction.

Cons

  • Only as effective as the person at the door — an untrained greeter is not a security checkpoint.
  • A determined bad actor can still enter.
  • Requires clear protocols for what the door monitor does when they have a concern.

Also Consider

  • Who is stationed at the door, and what are they trained to do if someone raises concern?
  • A monitored entry is only as strong as the judgment and training of the monitor.
  • Consider a two-person door team: one greeter, one security role.

Open Campus — No Door Control

Pros

  • Maximum accessibility — no barriers for first-time visitors or late arrivals.
  • No coordination burden on volunteers.
  • Consistent with a hospitality-first culture.

Cons

  • No perimeter control whatsoever.
  • A threat actor has unrestricted access at any point during the service.
  • Difficult to transition to a harder posture during an event if needed.

Also Consider

  • An open campus is a policy choice, not a default — make it intentionally and document the tradeoff.
  • Pair with strong interior positioning and situational awareness training for your team.
  • Revisit this decision annually or after any incident or near-miss.