Upcoming event in Winchester aims to help churches train for active shooters

Jim Wilcox, who retired from full-time ministry in December, continues to help churches through active shooter awareness training.

He's teaming up with Protect His House, a group helping churches enhance security. That proactive approach takes place during an upcoming event in Winchester.

"Churches are fairly vulnerable places, soft targets," said Wilcox.

That's why the work conducted by Wilcox is so crucial.

Grace Bible Church will be home to an active shooter defense seminar next month.

"It's important to know what to do in the event of an active shooter incident. those things are very scary and unfortunately, they're becoming more and more prevalent."

Slides during the presentation reference FBI stats on active shooter events.

Mostly, church leaders and pastors from all denominations attend, looking for ideas.

"What to do, they want to have some education and training, to be alert to the risks involved in not doing something.

Church leaders get those tips from Wilcox, and they can share them with their church on how to better protect their place of worship.

"And possibly even begin or improve a church security team. That's something else I do as well is I train church security teams," said Wilcox.

Grace Bible reached out to Wilcox about three months ago.

"I gave them options and this press event from Protect His House was one of them."

Wilcox feels confident it will lead to a more in-depth discussion,

"Generally it does at almost all of these events, there are pastors that come up and say hey... you have opened my eyes, can you come and help us."

The training at Grace Bible Church in Winchester will be from 9 a.m. to noon on August 3.

You can register for the training here.