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Posted on January 31, 2012, 8:18 am | 1 comment
No-one likes to focus on the negative for long. But, the assumption that abuse cannot occur in your church, or that, if it were to happen, you would recognize it, is extremely naive. Read more »
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Posted on January 16, 2012, 7:20 am | 1 comment
Safe Church Team members and the office of Safe Church Ministry often field questions from churches that are creating or updating their policies. We love these questions; they are a positive sign that churches are considering this important issue. One common question is
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Posted on January 9, 2012, 4:58 pm
Should a Safe Church committee be restricted solely to the three primary goals of awareness, prevention and healing of abuse? If the mandate is to keep the church safe, can we expand the role of the Safe Church Team?
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Posted on December 20, 2011, 4:14 pm
I grew up watching A Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie Brown can’t seem to get anything right as he plans for the Christmas pageant, even choosing a bad little tree that could scarcely hold an ornament. This year, wanting to have some kind of Christmas decoration for my office, I came upon a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in a local store.
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Posted on December 5, 2011, 1:04 pm
It’s coming… The first annual Safe Church Ministry Conference! Now is the time to talk with your church to see if they will “sponsor” you to attend this conference. There are many advantages for ALL Safe Church Ministry volunteers to gather for this event. Here are just a few...
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Posted on November 16, 2011, 10:12 am
The fact that a church is a charity, or that it relies heavily on volunteers, does not give it any special status in determining whether or not the church (and its Council members) will be liable for damages caused by its volunteers or employees. And that liability risk becomes greater when
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Posted on November 9, 2011, 12:50 pm | 3 comments
Retired Penn State Defensive Coordinator, Jerry Sandusky has been accused of sexual misconduct with young boys dating back to 1994. Most disturbing was the news of the many opportunities to report this to the authorities that were passed by while the abuse continued...
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Posted on October 28, 2011, 8:51 am
The old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is never truer than in situations involving abuse. The deep hurt and devastation left in the wake of an abusive incident leaves scars that last in individual relationships, in families and in church communities. Rather than dealing with the aftermath, wouldn’t it be wiser to ...
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Posted on October 11, 2011, 7:00 am
As a society, we are uncomfortable with domestic violence – it is easier for us to label things as substance abuse, mental illness, or anger issues. Domestic violence is none of these things. Many people who have mental health problems, who abuse substances, or have anger management issues do not abuse people whom ...
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Posted on October 3, 2011, 2:56 pm
There is a widespread misconception that the sole task of Safe Church Ministry is to help victims and deal properly with abusers after incidents have been reported. This is only partly true. Safe Church Ministry also works to prevent abuse from happening and to protect pastors, youth leaders and volunteers.
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Posted on September 29, 2011, 3:59 pm
Abuse is a misuse of power for selfish gain that diminishes or destroys the person who is abused. Jesus shows us an opposing dynamic. Infused with His Spirit, we are empowered to follow His way, not using our power over others, but using our power for the sake of others. This creates a community of transforming love..
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Posted on September 12, 2011, 8:23 am | 4 comments
Abuse is a hidden issue. Although we may never see it, it’s here. Since April, when I began work as the Interim Director of Safe Church Ministry, I’ve become even more aware of abuse in our CRC churches. In the first 3 months alone, requests for assistance from local churches and individuals totaled over 150...
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Posted on August 30, 2011, 9:03 am
Imagine your reaction if you heard the news that fire had damaged your church and many people were injured. Now just change the circumstances. What if you found out that several children in your congregation had been sexually abused by a convicted pedophile at church functions and that your church did not have a proper Safe Church Policy?
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Posted on August 22, 2011, 8:00 am
"The Smoking Gun" website posted an article about a youth pastor who was found to have secretly videotaped 4 teen-aged girls as they showered. After engineering a game where the girls were doused in honey, he then suggested they shower in a church bathroom where he’d previously hidden a camera. The incident came to light...
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Posted on August 15, 2011, 8:16 am
What would you like to share about creating Safe Churches? What topic or issue is on your heart? What practical tip have you discovered that might help others? What book, video or training would you suggest to every leader? What have you experienced that has caused you to think about this ministry in a new way? Now’s your chance to share!
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Posted on August 8, 2011, 7:05 am
The hurt and suffering caused by abuse may envelop not only people who are abused, and those who abuse them, but friends, neighbors, and even whole congregations as well. Though we know that suffering can be redemptive, that fact should never be used to recommend continue toleration of suffering, or the ...
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