As dozens of congregants lift their hands in prayer, preparing for the week's message from the pulpit, Gilchriest's eyes are alert, darting across the spacious worship hall.
A white, coiled microphone wire ripples from his ear to help him communicate with ushers and plainclothes security personnel.
Their mission: Protecting the flock by being ready for the worst.
"This is the norm in our world's culture and there's a need for security wherever we go nowadays," said Gilchriest, who oversees security efforts at Freedom Christian and also is the CEO of Opaque Security, an international company that trains churches and synagogues to protect congregations. "We need to be prepared."...