Are you a newly appointed safety director at your church, tasked with ensuring the security and well-being of your congregation? The SheepdogSafe Workshop is designed exclusively for you, offering an innovative and comprehensive approach to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and strategies needed to effectively lead your safety and security team members and safeguard your congregation.

Workshop Highlights:

🛡️ 9 Integrated Learning Sessions: Our virtual workshop goes beyond traditional training by combining expert-led educational modules with personalized consultation sessions. You'll not only gain a deep understanding of church safety protocols, emergency response planning, and risk assessment, but you'll also receive individualized guidance on how to apply these principles within the unique context of your congregation.

🌟 Tailored Guidance: Every church community is distinct, and your safety strategy should reflect that. Our workshop fosters interactive discussions and one-on-one consultations with experienced safety consultants who understand the nuances of church environments. You'll receive customized recommendations and solutions that align with your congregation's specific needs and challenges.

🔒 Comprehensive Curriculum: Covering a wide range of topics, our curriculum includes:

  • Church Security Fundamentals: Understand the key components of church safety and security, from access control to incident response.
  • Emergency Preparedness: Develop effective plans to address various emergency scenarios, ensuring your congregation's safety.
  • Team Leadership: Learn how to motivate, train, and manage your safety team, fostering a cohesive and responsive unit.
  • Ministry Administration: Learn how to manage operational, logistical, and organizational aspects of a safety ministry.


🤝 Network and Collaboration: Connect with other church safety directors facing similar challenges. Share experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate on best practices that can elevate the safety of all congregations.

🎓 Certificate of Completion: Walk away from the workshop with a certificate that recognizes your commitment to enhancing the safety and security of your church community.

Your role as a church safety director is crucial, and the SheepdogSafe Workshop ensures you're equipped to lead with confidence, empathy, and efficiency. Join us for an integrated learning experience that not only educates but empowers, enabling you to create a safer and more secure environment for your congregation. Together, we'll fortify the faith community and make it SheepdogSafe.

Limited Spots Available. Reserve Yours Today!

For more information call 612-470-7364. Your congregation's safety starts with your knowledge and leadership. Let SheepdogSafe Workshop be your guide.

2023-2024 Schedule for Cohort Group #02

Held on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm Central Time. (Adjusted for Thanksgiving.)

  • Policies and Procedures
    September 28, 2023 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will be given a Sample Safety Ministry Policy and Procedure Manual with over 40 Essential Policies and Procedures and they will begin customizing it for the unique size, setting, and legal environment of their house of worship. The goal is to have a solid draft policy manual ready for legal review and approval by the end of the workshop.

  • Security Assessment
    October 26, 2023 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will be given a Do-It-Yourself Security Assessment and they will participate in a discussion on completing it. The goal is to have a completed security assessment along with mitigating courses of action for all identified risks by the next session.

  • Building a Safety Team
    November 16, 2023 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will participate in a discussion on gaining approval for a team, finding motivated prospects, recruiting, and vetting. The goal is to have a dependable process for building a well trained cohesive group of volunteers.

  • Training a Safety Team
    December 28, 2023 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will participate in a discussion on identifying training needs, establishing a training calendar, working with outside instructors, and keeping team members motivated to complete training. The goal is to have an effective training plan.

  • Emergency Evacuations
    January 25, 2024 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will conduct a deep-dive into the Policies, Procedures, Emergency Action Plans, Drills and Training for this essential program for safety and security.

  • Medical Emergencies
    February 22, 2024 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will conduct a deep-dive into the Policies, Procedures, Emergency Action Plans, Drills and Training for this essential program for safety and security.

  • Child Protection
    March 28, 2024 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will conduct a deep-dive into the Policies, Procedures, Emergency Action Plans, Drills and Training for this essential program for safety and security.

  • Disruptive Persons
    April 25, 2024 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will conduct a deep-dive into the Policies, Procedures, Emergency Action Plans, Drills and Training for this essential program for safety and security.

  • Shelter in Place
    May 23, 2024 at 7:00 pm Central
    Students will conduct a deep-dive into the Policies, Procedures, Emergency Action Plans, Drills and Training for this essential program for safety and security.

Student Requirements

Students must meet several requirements to qualify for the SheepdogSafe Workshop.

  • Safety Member Certification

    Students must have an active Safety Member Certification with Sheepdog Church Security Academy which ensures a foundational understanding of safety and security for houses of worship.

  • Word Processing Software

    Students must be comfortable with technology to include a working knowledge of word processing software like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Apple Pages and access to a printer.

  • Leadership Support

    Students should have the support of their organization's leadership. Many of the projects of this workshop can only be fully completed with the cooperation of the pastor, board, and staff.

  • Facility Floorplans

    Students will need several copies of their facility's floorplans which are essential for developing a number of the Emergency Action Plans. (A low-tech hand drawing is acceptable.)

  • Time and Determination

    Students must be self-motivated to make a lot of progress in a short amount of time. Developing a Safety Ministry (and completing this workshop) will demand a lot of your time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Important Information - Please Read the FAQs

  • Where is the SheepdogSafe Workshop located?

    The SheepdogSafe Workshop is held entirely online via Zoom meetings and Thinkific our learning management platform.

  • When are the SheepdogSafe Workshop sessions?

    The SheepdogSafe Workshop sessions are held on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm Central Time Zone. (Adjusted for Thanksgiving.)

  • Why are there Student Requirements?

    As a curtesy to other students, we are unable to spend workshop time on basic safety and security concepts and technology support.

  • Why is registration limited to once a year?

    The workshop is a cohort program designed to facilitate learning and make it easier for students to comprehend what they are being taught

  • Why is the cohort limited to a small group?

    Smaller classes provide individualized instruction and we can go more in-depth.

  • What happens if I miss one of the live sessions?

    All live sessions will be recorded and uploaded for review. Students will have access to the streaming videos while they are actively enrolled in the workshop.