Adapting drills to limited resources
Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes
Disclaimer: The following scenario is fictional and created for training purposes. While not based on a specific event, it reflects common situations and lessons learned from real church safety experiences.A Realistic Challenge
In a rural church with fewer than 40 members, Safety Officer Joni looked around during a Sabbath service and realized she didn’t have a large team of volunteers or a dedicated security budget. But she also knew emergencies didn’t check church size before striking. Fires, severe weather, medical incidents, or a missing child could happen anywhere.Rather than seeing limitations as an obstacle, Joni and Pastor James decided to adapt their Safety Sabbath approach to match the size and resources of their congregation—proving that any church can participate meaningfully, no matter the size.
They began by scaling to their resources (Principle 1), assigning multiple responsibilities to the same person. Usher Cameron was also tasked with guiding people along the evacuation route during a fire drill. Then, using the Church Risk Matrix, they identified severe weather as their highest-priority drill (Principle 2), given the region’s tornado history.
To ensure full participation, they decided that everyone in the congregation would have a role (Principle 3). Elder Faith checked bathrooms and classrooms, while Head Deacon Mark assisted those with mobility needs. Before the drill, they took a few minutes during the Ministry Spotlight (Principle 4) to explain the plan so everyone knew what to expect.
When the drill ended, they immediately gathered the entire church for a congregation-wide debrief (Principle 5). People shared what they thought went well and where improvements could be made—feedback that was added to their Safety Committee records for future reference.
Final Encouragement
Your church’s size doesn’t determine your ability to prepare—it just changes how you approach it. By focusing on one drill, engaging everyone, and keeping plans simple, even the smallest congregations can make Safety Sabbath a meaningful step toward a safer church family.Next Step: Choose your drill using the Church Risk Matrix, assign roles, and start your countdown to Safety Sabbath.
