A Baltimore pastor says faith alone isn’t enough to keep him safe anymore — so he’s armed himself.
Rev. Rodney Hudson, who leads both Ames Memorial Church and Metropolitan United Methodist Church, told The Baltimore Sun that he now carries a firearm at all times after being attacked twice — once while delivering a eulogy from the pulpit, and another time when he was mugged in his church parking lot.
“I carry, and I don’t care who knows it,” Hudson said. “It’s sad to say — we all believe in God as our protector, but the harsh reality is that too many people today have no respect for God or the church.”
Both of Hudson’s congregations can afford only one security guard each, so the pastor, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, has taken on the role of backup protection.
“If they get past him, I’m the second guard,” Hudson said. “The pastor almost has to be a security guard now.”
His concerns are not unfounded. In recent years, attacks on churches and faith-based institutions have been on the rise. A gunman at a Catholic school in Minnesota killed two children in August, while a mass shooting at a Mormon church in Michigan left four people dead in September.
According to the Family Research Council, there were 415 “hostile incidents” targeting churches in 2024 — up from just 55 in 2020.
“We are engaged in a spiritual battle,” said Rev. Dr. Harold A. Carter Jr., pastor of New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore. Carter said addiction, homelessness, and deepening political divides in America have all contributed to tensions that sometimes erupt in places of worship.
“People under stress tend to take out their frustrations on faith-based institutions,” Carter said. “Churches stand for something — they represent values and order — which makes them easier targets for people in turmoil. Spiritual warfare is a major variable in the equation.”
Carter implemented stronger security measures a decade ago, including hiring armed guards for every church event. Nationwide, more than half of U.S. congregations now employ armed security, according to a 2023 survey by Lifeway Research.
The same study found that 54% of Protestant pastors say members of their congregations now carry firearms — a 10% increase from 2019.
“Churches are not immune to violence, disputes, domestic conflicts, vandalism, or burglary,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “While loving one another is central to Christianity, churches still face real security risks — and congregations must decide how to address them.”