07/30/2026
IronMen of God was honored to serve as a proud sponsor of the inaugural Shepherds & Shields: Protecting the Church with Wisdom and Faith conference, hosted by Vision Orlando and led by Mr. Jim Subers.
More than 125 pastors, ministry leaders, church safety teams, law enforcement officers, and emergency management professionals came together with one common purpose: equipping the Church to protect its people while remaining faithful to its mission.
The day featured outstanding presentations from Chief David Ogden, Jesse Stanley, Matt Butler, and Steve Kelley, each bringing a unique perspective to church safety.
Windermere Chief David Ogden opened the conference with an overview of today's threat landscape, emphasizing that church safety is first and foremost a ministry of shepherding people. He challenged attendees to think beyond physical security by recognizing behavioral warning signs, building relationships, and creating opportunities to prevent crises before they occur.
Jesse Stanley shared the essentials of building an effective church safety ministry and introduced the BARA (Blind, Aware, Reactive, Aligned) method, helping attendees better recognize and respond to concerning behaviors.
Steve Kelley reminded us that safety is ultimately a Peace Ministry, encouraging churches to embrace a philosophy of peace through prevention while faithfully serving their congregations.
Matt Butler highlighted the growing importance of digital awareness and security convergence, demonstrating how physical and cyber security must work together to protect today's ministries.
Following the presentations, Chiefs Stanley Murray of the Eatonville Florida Police Department and Vince Ogburn of the Ocoee Police Department joined the speakers for an engaging panel discussion, answering questions and sharing practical insights from the law enforcement perspective.
IronMen of God was privileged to help develop the conference content and program. Special thanks to Jesse Stanley, whose QR-code resource library provided every participant with practical tools and actionable resources to help start—or strengthen—a church safety ministry.
We are grateful to Vision Orlando, Jim Subers, our speakers, panelists, volunteers, and everyone who attended for making this first conference such a success.
Church safety isn't just a security ministry—it's a shepherding ministry. Together, we can build churches that are prepared, welcoming, and equipped to faithfully protect the people God has entrusted to our care.
