Few things are more heartbreaking than the sexual or physical abuse of a child. Unfortunately, children are being victimized with alarming frequency across our country. No longer do we just have to worry about the scary stranger. Our news media is flooded with reports of children being abused by parents, teachers, family friends and neighbors. We would hope that our churches are safe havens for our children, but this isn’t always the case. In fact,just as there are those that gravitate toward activities such as local recreation league sports to find their victims, there are also those who volunteer with children’s and youth ministries to perpetrate on their victims. Every time I hear a news story about a child being victimized while in the care of a church, I wonder what, if any, safeguards were in place. It is imperative that churches develop policies and procedures to protect children in the care of the church. This is vitally important for several theological and practical reasons.

• Children Were a Priority for Jesus – Most are familiar with the account of Jesus’ interaction with children and his sharp rebuke of his disciples as he says “Allow the little children to come unto me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. ” (Matt. 9:14 MKJV) This paints a vivid picture of our Savior’s tender heart for the innocence and simplicity of children. As the church of Jesus Christ, carefully guarded ministry to children should be a priority.

• The Abuse Of Children Angers God – In a vivid example found in Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, and Luke 17:2, Jesus states that it would be better for a perpetrator against children to be drowned in the sea with a millstone hung around his neck. To have one’s very life taken is preferable to the coming wrath of God incurred for offending against a child.

• The Reputation Of Christ Is At Stake – In Proverbs 22:1, we are told that “A good name is rather to be had than great riches.” When wealth is lost, it can be easily restored. No matter how good a name is, it can be destroyed in moments and possibly never recovered. As the representatives of Christ in the community, churches should take special care to guard against the possibility that Jesus’ name might be blemished through their negligence.

• The Church Will Be Held Accountable – There is no excuse for failure to implement measures to protect children. The belief that “it won’t happen here” demonstrates a complete denial of the reality in which we live. There are bad people who prey on children and they are in our churches. To fail to acknowledge this and take action is to open the church to tremendous civil liability. Churches can be sued, not only for what they have done, but for what they have failed to do. It is my belief that God will also hold leadership accountable for willfully failing to protect children under their care.

• Visitors To Your Church Will Decide Whether To Return Based On Their Perception Of The Safety Of Their Child – When my wife and I were looking for a church home, we visited a thriving local church led by a dynamic, doctrinally sound pastor. After our first visit, it was easy to see why this church was quickly growing. We returned for a second visit and then a third with the possibility that we may have found our church home. It was on our third visit that we became alarmed so greatly that we never returned to this church. When we took our daughter to the nursery, we were informed that, as third time visitors with children, we were being added to the nursery worker list. I wanted to grab my child up in my arms and run from the building shouting the absurdity of what I had heard! To allow strangers to, not only access, but care for children opens the door for all kinds of abuse. Churches should be making it especially difficult for offenders to victimize, not easier. The parents that visit your church will make a decision about whether to return based on their perception of the safety of their child.

These are only a few good reasons to develop a plan to prevent child abuse in the church. There are many more reasons than can be listed here.

Here are three of the most important things that a church can do to help prevent abuse

• Know your workers – Paid staff and volunteer workers should be screened. With resources such as sex offender registries and commercial databases, background checks are affordable and easily accessible. There is no excuse for not utilizing these resources.

• Supervise your workers – There are few reasons an adult should be alone with a child, especially a child of the opposite sex.

• Develop written policies regarding child safety and follow them – This protects children, the church and the workers. You don’t have to blaze a new path in this area, there are many churches that have excellent written policies from which you can borrow ideas. Many denominations have standard policies for their churches to use as templates.

While abuse can occur anywhere, even without warning signs, there are plenty of resources out there to help limit an offender’s opportunity. Here are a few links:

The National Sex Offender Public Registry

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services’ Manual- Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Youth-Serving Organizations: Getting Started on Policies and Procedures

10 Steps to Prevent Child Abuse in the Church

Youth and Children’s Ministry Safety Resources from Guideone Center for Risk Management

Safe Kids: Policies & Procedures for Protecting Children in the Church By Blake Caldwell / LifeStream Resources Child abuse scandals in the church shake our faith in our fellow neighbors, and sometimes even our faith in God. We cannot afford to ignore the issue, content to hope and pray that our children will be safe. Rather than waiting until something drastic happens and lamenting about it, churches can take active steps to put safeguards in place for their ministry. This is a manual designed to help churches structure the safest possible environment for their children’s ministry. This manual provides: Forms and procedures to screen volunteers Ideas for structuring the church building to keep nurseries and Sunday school classrooms safe Instructions for training children’s workers Information you must know to identify potential predators Policies for reporting suspected child abuse

Church Administration: Creating Efficiency for Effective Ministry By Robert Welch / B & H Publishing Group Your “business” is ministry and your talents are teaching and preaching—but you cannot avoid the administrative tasks required to run your church or religious nonprofit organization. Train your leadership and motivate your staff with this practical guide. Chapters discuss documentation; personnel, financial, and physical resources; risk management; and more. 400 pages, hardcover from B&H.

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