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Safe Church
Jane
Kelly
Bev
Bonny
In July, a news story hit the web about four male students who developed a fingernail polish that indicates the presence of date rape drugs by changing color after being dipped in the drink. While many applauded this invention, some saw negative implications.
One Sunday each year (the fourth Sunday in September) has been designated Abuse Awareness Sunday. The annual email goes out, “Tell us what you did for Abuse Awareness Sunday”. Here are some responses from 2014.
Is our church body doing enough to advocate for our elderly, when they no longer have their voice and have become the “least among us”?
A book from Faith Alive Christian Resources for teens that humorously covers topics related to healthy sexuality.
This free guide provides a thorough description of emotional abuse, victims, abusers, and effects along with information about what to do when you recognize it and how to report it.
This handbook is for pastors and other church leaders to help them respond to and prevent domestic violence.
Preventing Child Abuse will guide churches and nonprofit organizations through the process of designing and implementing child safety policies and procedures.
Sample letters for pastors, churches, and prospective Safe Team Members to be used for Classis Safe Church Team recruiting.
Sample bulletin announcements for recruiting members for a classis Safe Church Team.
A brochure detailing the key elements of the process and what the accused and the accuser need to know.
Guidelines for recruiting and selecting the members of a Safe Church Team.
This document includes all the steps, approximate costs and the organizational structure of a Safe Church Team.
Advocates provide support for claimants through the advisory panel process. This document outlines the role of the advocate.
This chart is from Preventing Child Abuse: A Guide for Churches (Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2003, page 30) will help you apply screening steps to volunteer and staff positions.
This document contains sample interview and screening questions to ask an adult or a minor applying for a volunteer position with your church which will involve working with children and or youth.
This form is for those applying for a volunteer position that involves the supervision, care, or instruction of children and youth. The church can use this form to provide a safe and secure environment for those children and youth who participate in its programs and use its facilities.
This form can be used for situations when children and youth leave the community for a church-related activity or youth are gone overnight for an event.
Our denomination and each of our congregations also have a culture. Is it a culture that promotes openness, or one that encourages hiding difficult struggles? What messages are implicit in our culture about disclosing experiences of abuse?
Most people think only of physical abuse when they consider domestic violence, yet financial abuse happens in 98% of all cases of domestic violence.
Are we able to see the evidence of abuse? Are those who suffer abuse in a relationship able to share what is happening without being blamed or judged?
The opposite of living out of a blessed consciousness is living out of a cursed consciousness.
Wherever we find ourselves right now, we must keep the long view in mind.
They wouldn’t want anyone treating one of their kids like a forgettable piece of furniture!
What language and labels are we using in our churches? By our words, do we extend grace and mercy to all people? Or do we label them by what they have done?
You never know who is walking into the front door of your church. A safe church policy is the insurance policy that will protect you when you need it the most.