Shepherds with Slingshots™
Certified Shepherd Protector (CPS)™
Faith-Based. Biblically Grounded. Professionally Trained.
Preparing individuals and churches for disciplined, accountable emergency response.
What Is a Certified Shepherd Protector™?
The program emphasizes restraint, judgment, prepardness, and personal accountability
What Is a Certified Shepherd Protector™?
The Shepherds with Slingshots™ Certified Shepherd Protector™ (CSP) Program is a faith-based certification system designed to prepare individuals for disciplined, accountable emergency response within churches and faith communities.
CSP participants are trained and evaluated in:
- situational awareness
- verbal de-escalation
- lawful use of force
- active shooter response
- firearms safety and qualification
- emergency decision-making under stress
The program emphasizes restraint, judgment, preparedness, and personal accountability while supporting California churches in developing responsible safety and preparedness practices.
Certification includes documented evaluation standards, annual re-qualification, and individual accountability consistent with SB 1454 considerations.
The Four Pillars of Preparedness
Preparedness is not rooted in fear, but in responsibility, restraint, and protection of innocent life.
The Four Pillars of Preparedness
The Shepherds with Slingshots™ Certified Shepherd Protector™ (CSP) Program is built upon four foundational pillars designed to prepare individuals for disciplined, accountable emergency response within faith communities.
Each pillar represents a progression from prevention and presence to lawful intervention when necessary.
🔹 PILLAR 1
The Word, the Words, and Presence
Preparedness begins before conflict occurs.
Participants are trained to use:
- awareness
- communication
- de-escalation
- calm physical presence
to discourage violence and establish control before force becomes necessary.
🔹 PILLAR 2
The Staff, the Stick, and the Bat
The shepherd’s staff represents guidance, protection, and lawful intervention.
This pillar focuses on:
- protective movement
- positioning
- personal safety
- physical intervention concepts
- accountability during confrontation
🔹 PILLAR 3
The Spray, the Spark, and the Spread
Emergencies often escalate rapidly through panic, confusion, and uncontrolled movement.
Participants learn:
- less-lethal considerations
- crowd awareness
- emergency communication
- active shooter response principles
- prevention of secondary harm
with emphasis on protecting innocent life during chaotic events.
🔹 PILLAR 4
The Three Shiny Stones
The stones represent precision, restraint, and responsibility.
This pillar includes:
- firearms safety
- lawful use-of-force principles
- judgment under stress
- FBI-informed qualification standards
- accountability in deadly-force decisions
Firearms are presented as tools of last resort governed by discipline and moral responsibility.
Videos
Below are some videos of interest to protectors
The mind of an Attacker
Shanna shares with us some info on the perpetrators of attacks at faith based organizations, and some tips for keeping your people safe.
Real Skills
Raise expectations to attract higher quality volunteerw
Why Shepherds with Slingshots™ Exists
Churches today face growing challenges that require wisdom, preparedness, and responsible leadership.
Shepherds with Slingshots™ was created to help individuals and churches develop disciplined, faith-based preparedness rooted in accountability, restraint, and protection of innocent life.
The goal is not fear, aggression, or vigilantism.
The goal is responsible preparedness carried out with humility, lawful judgment, and a servant’s heart.
We believe protection begins with presence, wisdom, and moral responsibility long before force is ever considered.
Training for Responsible Church Preparedness
The Shepherds with Slingshots™ Certified Shepherd Protector™ (CSP) Program provides structured, faith-based preparedness training designed to help individuals and churches develop disciplined, accountable emergency response capabilities.
Training emphasizes:
- situational awareness
- de-escalation
- emergency decision-making
- active shooter response
- lawful use-of-force principles
- firearms safety and qualification
- protection of innocent life
Instruction is delivered through classroom discussion, practical exercises, scenario-based evaluation, and annual re-qualification standards.
The program is designed to support responsible preparedness while maintaining a servant-minded, ministry-centered approach to protection.
For Church Leaders
Shepherds with Slingshots™ was developed to help churches approach preparedness with wisdom, accountability, and responsible structure.
The Certified Shepherd Protector™ (CSP) Program emphasizes:
- individual accountability
- annual re-qualification
- documented evaluation standards
- lawful response principles
- faith-based preparedness
The program is designed to support responsible preparedness while respecting the unique mission and culture of each church.
SB 1454-Aware Structure
The CSP model recognizes the importance of individual training, documented competency, and autonomous accountability consistent with California preparedness considerations.
Churches do not certify individuals through CSP. Churches may verify credentials and authorize participation according to their own leadership standards and policies.
TRAINING PILLARS
1) The Word, the Words, and Physical Presence
Anchored mindset, verbal leadership, and calm command presence.
2) The Staff, the Stick, and the Bat
Guiding, guarding, and stopping threats with appropriate force options.
3) The Spray, the Spark, and the Spread
De-escalation tools, escalation triggers, and preventing chaos from spreading.
4) The Three Shiny Stones
Three core skills we measure and improve (customized to your team).
WHO IS IT’S FOR
Pastors & ministry leadership
Safety/security teams (armed or unarmed)
Ushers/greeters and facility leads
Youth/children’s ministry support teams
Church Active Shooter Training
Active Shooter Response Essentials
This class is designed to improve and assess the basics of knowledge and skills for fighting an Active Shooter. This class is suitable for armed citizens, armed school staff, armed church security teams, armed guards, and law enforcement officers. Class consists of 4 hours of classroom lecture (including a working lunch) and 4 hours of live-fire range training.
Classroom instruction starts with a broad study of the Active Shooter and his attacks. It exposes our country’s 4-decade failure to respond to it, trends, lessons learned, what is most likely to occur, and how attacks differ across places.
Range training focuses on prioritized skills for the armed responder who counterattacks an Active Shooter. This is not a “how to shoot” class. Range training focuses on how to optimize your current skill in a fight against an Active Shooter with 100% accuracy. It starts with a basic skills assessment. Next is a drill for learning best speed for 100% accuracy, followed by an exercise to determine each student’s max distance for 100% accuracy. Time permitting, we cover alternate positions and accurate shooting while advancing.
This is not a beginner-level class. Students must be completely safe when handling their handgun on a firing line, including drawing, holstering, shooting, loading, reloading, unloading, and malfunction-clearing.
Equipment:
- Defensive handgun and at least 2 magazines (more is better)
- Secure waist holster that covers the trigger guard and allows for 1-handed re-holstering (stays open when gun is removed)
- 300 rounds of FMJ and 10 rounds of HP (your carry) ammo
- Eye and ear protection
- Cap or hat with brim
- Clothing & footwear adequate for outdoor range training
- Notetaking material
- Your lunch, snacks, and beverages--we will eat during the classroom lecture.
What SB 1454 Means for Churches
California Senate Bill 1454 (SB 1454) affects how faith-based organizations think about safety and response roles. The law is intended to clarify boundaries around security authority, not to prevent churches from preparing for emergencies or protecting their congregations.
Here is what organizations should understand:
What SB 1454 Does
It limits churches from operating or presenting themselves as private security entities
It clarifies that church safety teams do not have arrest powers or enforcement authority
It emphasizes that churches must operate within existing California law
What SB 1454 Does NOT Do
It does not prohibit churches from planning for emergencies
It does not prevent training in:
Situational awareness
Communication and coordination
De-escalation
Emergency medical response (first aid, bleeding control)
Lawful self-defense decision-making
It does not prevent churches from caring for and protecting congregants
What Churches Can Still Do
Churches may lawfully:
Develop safety and emergency response plans
Assign non-law-enforcement safety roles
Train members to:
Observe and report concerns
Communicate clearly during emergencies
Guide people to safety
Render emergency medical aid
Act responsibly and lawfully in extreme circumstances
The Key Difference: Preparedness vs. Security
SB 1454 draws a line between preparedness and Security.
Preparedness means planning, training, communicating, and responding responsibly
Shepherds with Slingshots operates on the preparedness side of that line.
Our Approach
Shepherds with Slingshots helps individua operators:
Prepare without violating the law
Protect people without assuming authority
Train with clarity, restraint, and accountability
Align safety efforts with Biblical responsibility and California law
Our training is designed to help church members act wisely, lawfully, and confidently—without crossing legal boundaries.
Stop the Bleed Coalition training
As we gather in fellowship, it’s vital to remember that every second counts when a person is losing their life’s blood. In moments of crisis, we must act quickly and decisively to stop the bleeding, both physically and spiritually. Just as we are called to lift up those in our community facing emergencies, we must also provide support and prayer to heal the wounds that afflict our brothers and sisters. Let us unite in faith and action, ensuring that no one is left to suffer alone.Learn how to recognize and control life-threatening bleeding through direct pressure, wound packing, and tourniquet application. This course equips participants with practical skills to save lives until professional help arrives.
Get in touch
Telephone: 815-543-4936
E-mail: Deacon@shepherdswithslingshots.com
Address: Apple Valley, 92308, CA, United States