Volunteer Security Coordinator
Pros
- Low cost — no salary line in the budget.
- Draws from within the congregation — high relational knowledge.
- Appropriate for smaller congregations with manageable security complexity.
- Can evolve into a paid role as the church grows.
Cons
- Limited time and bandwidth — this person has a job and a life outside of church security.
- A volunteer will never have the capacity to cover the 24×7×365 security needs of the church — other staff must cover the gaps in security, safety, and medical response.
- Volunteer coordinators tend to be trained in security, safety, or medical — rarely all three.
- Limited authority — a volunteer may not be able to enforce standards or remove team members.
- Accountability is informal — performance is hard to manage without a clear role definition.
- Succession is unpredictable — if they leave, the program can leave with them.
Also Consider
- Does your volunteer coordinator have the authority they need to do the job? If not, fix that first.
- Build a written role description before you recruit anyone — volunteer or paid.
- Succession plan: what happens to the program if this person leaves tomorrow?
- Who on staff covers the security, safety, and medical response gaps this person cannot fill?
Part-Time Paid Security Role
Pros
- Formalizes ownership without a full salary commitment.
- Allows the church to build a security culture with consistent leadership.
- Can be filled by a retired law enforcement or military professional supplementing income.
- A bridge step between volunteer-only and full-time professional leadership.
- More consistent onsite presence — builds trust with both leadership and lay leaders.
Cons
- Part-time hours limit what the role can accomplish.
- A part-time role will never have the capacity to cover the 24×7×365 security needs of the church.
- Can create ambiguity about authority — is this a staff position or a volunteer with a stipend?
- Harder to recruit quality candidates for a part-time role in a specialized field.
Also Consider
- What is the expected weekly time commitment, and is it realistic for a part-time arrangement?
- Consider a retired law enforcement or military professional — they bring training and credibility.
- Define the reporting structure: does this role report to the senior pastor, executive pastor, or facilities director? It matters.
Full-Time Paid Security Director
Pros
- Clear, dedicated ownership — security is this person’s primary responsibility.
- Safety and medical response can be integrated and governed by this role.
- Professional credibility — enables relationships with law enforcement, insurers, and city officials.
- Can build and sustain a comprehensive security program: training, policy, planning, exercises.
- Appropriate for large congregations, multi-campus operations, or elevated threat environments.
Cons
- Significant budget commitment — salary, benefits, and equipment.
- Requires the church to understand what a security professional should do — and hold them to it.
- If the role is not scoped and resourced correctly, a good hire will leave quickly.
Also Consider
- Before hiring, define what success looks like in the first 90 days and the first year.
- Involve your insurance carrier and legal team in the conversation — a professional security director may reduce your premium.
- Connect the director with local law enforcement leadership early — that relationship has long-term value.
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