America’s “Safest” Churches
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, November 08, 2005
- Viewed 179
- (63) comments so far
"Safety is important everywhere, even in traditionally safe and quiet spaces such as churches," says Alan C. McMillan, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. "Opening doors to the faithful and those in need also opens the door to potential risks and dangers. That?s why we support the efforts of GuideOne Insurance to raise awareness about the importance of church risk management through Church Safety and Security Month and the America?s Safest Churches awards program."
?Times are changing and churches are more and more becoming targets of crime, misconduct, lawsuits and allegations,? explains Eric Spacek, senior risk manager at GuideOne Insurance. ?Church leaders are called to be good stewards of the people, places and things God has entrusted to their care. Because of this, they're encouraged to use this month to focus on starting a risk-management program. A few simple steps can help protect any church from potential tragedies.?
The three national award winners were selected by a panel of insurance industry and safety officials for demonstrating excellence in building security, fire prevention, transportation, employee and volunteer screening, and/or communication, education and enforcement. The national winners from each region, and corresponding judges? citations, are as follows:
St. John?s Lutheran Church (Orange, Calif.) -- West Region Winner. Founded in 1894, St. John?s has 2,000 members and 75 employees. Church leaders have not only made church safety a priority, but have integrated the concept into all aspects of ministry. A committee was formed to prioritize areas of exposure and attack each one with vigor. Efforts include creating a comprehensive child protection program, an in-depth transportation policy and a proactive program that the facility manager follows in protecting the large campus.
Calvary Baptist Church (Muscatine, Iowa) -- Midwest Region. Founded in 1954, Calvary Baptist Church has 700 members and 20 employees. The church has a comprehensive safety team and a certified administrator, as well as outstanding relationships developed with local law enforcement, as well as fire and medical personnel. The board sponsors everything from strict transportation policies to monitoring church attendance by known sex offenders.
Florence Baptist Temple (Florence, S.C.) -- East Region. Founded in 1969, Florence Baptist Temple has 4,400 members and 130 employees. The church maintains a comprehensive safety and security committee and written risk-management procedures. The church sponsors training courses on topics ranging from 15-passenger van safety to preventing sexual misconduct. A new preschool ministry building was specially designed to properly monitor and protect children, and unsafe playground equipment was removed.
FOR DISCUSSION: How safe is your church? What things have you done to make your church a safe place for your kids, youth, and everyone else who attends?
From ChurchBusiness.com: Three congregations are being honored as ?America?s Safest Churches? this month, as part of National Church Safety & Security Month: St. John?s Lutheran Church in Orange. Calif.; Calvary Baptist Church of Muscatine, Iowa; and Florence Baptist Temple in Florence, S.C. The awards are supported by the National Safety Council and nationally sponsored by GuideOne Insurance.
Comments
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Tim on Tue, November 08, 2005
I’m a youth pastor and for several years have required background checks for volunteers as part of our application process. Also, asking for references and actually following up on them is a good idea, as well as setting clear guidelines and boundaries concerning what is acceptable and what is not.
If anyone is interested, here’s the link to download the PDF application packet for our youth ministry. It contains most of our safety guidelines, expectations, boundaries, etc.
http://redeemercrew.com/volunteers/CREW Staff Application.pdf
Billy on Wed, November 09, 2005
I once knew of a church that required all children’s/youth workers to fill out a form that would be used to conduct a background check. Background checks get expensive especially if you cycle alot of people through due to turnover or ministry size.
Sooo…church leaders decided that filling out the form was sufficient deterrent to keep out molesters/predators, and they just kept the forms locked in a file drawer and never conducted the check.
Not only is that church safe, they are frugal too.
Todd Rhoades on Wed, November 09, 2005
Frugal is one word… If something ever happens with one of the workers whose form is filed away without running the background check, Frugality instantly turns into stupidity.
Can you imagine the legal liability if one of those persons were to, say, molest a young person; and then the parent finds out that the church had the perb fill out the form but didn’t spend the 20 bucks to actually have it processed?
If I leave my kids in a classroom, having been assured that the teacher had been properly screened; only to find out that the screen form had been filed away; I’d be pretty T’O’d.
And the church would be liable for a huge chuck ‘o change if/when anyone decided to sue.
I’m afraid would say that this church is not safe; and ‘frugal’ is a very kind word for them.
Todd
RevJay on Wed, November 09, 2005
Todd, You hit the nail on the head. I was in a church that suffered from persistent frugalism. When it was found out that the principal of the day school had molested one of his charges, the devil had a hay day. Pocket books rolled and the church was forced into financial ruin, IF you choose to take the cheep way out you’d better start saving for THAT rainy day. RevJay
Monica on Fri, November 11, 2005
I direct a church-owned Daycare/Preschool. The state requires that all our staff be cleared through state & federal background checks and have arrest records searched. At first I thought this was a hassle, but it is so useful.
I can GUARANTEE that these employees hold no record and have no history. What a plus to parents.
My thought: every volunteer/staff in the church MUST be checked out. Period. Not only should it be a no-brainer, but it should be a non-negotiable.
As a parent, I want to know my kids are safe. Saying someone is safe IS NOT THE SAME as PROVING they are.
Peter Hamm on Fri, November 11, 2005
Wow, here’s a topic where everybody is staying on point! I think I’ll camp out here for a few days, since some of the other discussions here have gotten WAY off point (but kinda fun, I have to admit).
If you work with kids, you should have your background checked. Period. Forget about lawsuits, et cetera. It’s just something you do if you love the kids!
I LOVE the kids in our church. I want them safe… It’s all about love, people, don’t you think?
i applaud your examples above, being safe in every way is love in its most practical form!
PEACE!
Peter
Fred on Mon, November 14, 2005
Has it ever occured to those doing background checks, that most churches do it only as an entrance requirement to work in childrens ministry. What about after they have been there 5 years? Isn’t it possible that a 20yr old that started working with kids could be picked up on an indecency charge when he is 24? We do require background checks at our church, but were beginning to think they need to be done periodically for everyone of the workers. As far as monitoring known sex offenders, that can actually work against you. If you are devoting manpower to watch the known sex offenders, wouldn’t it make it easier for the unknown sex offenders to molest a child? I think the only reasonable measure a church can take to protect their children is to have “positive transfer” of all kids to their parents, at least through the 6th grade. In our church of over 700 it’s important to teach parents that we don’t know who is in our services anymore than we know who is in Walmart when we go there with our kids. We need to take the same precautions in church that we would take at a shopping center. That’s the safest and most logical thing we can do to protect our kids.
yellow croaker on Mon, April 07, 2008
I leave my kids in a classroom, having been assured that the teacher had been properly screened; only to find out that the screen form had been filed away; I’d be pretty T’O’d.
neevil on Wed, April 09, 2008
I use background check to search personal information about all new people in my life, especially if they people meeting with my teens
Proactive Skin Care on Tue, May 27, 2008
Great article, nicely written!
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Terry on Sat, August 09, 2008
This is an important issue especially when its regarding the safety of our kids. Have to be careful with everything.
Online Car Insurance Quotes on Tue, August 12, 2008
We should educate our children to be careful with unknown people.
That’s an interesting issue. there are many sites that handle this issue also. but i think it’s up to us.
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Christmas sms on Mon, September 15, 2008
My church mandates safe church training for anyone working with children. It can be a barrier to getting volunteers, but it also weeds out people who shouldn’t be there and gives us as volunteers some training to protect ourselves and keep kids safe. It covers basic stuff like what to do if you see signs of abuse (in most states you have a responsibility as a mandated reporter to inform child protection services within 24 hours) and guidelines to help avoid situations where abuse or false allegations can happen (i.e., hang out with youth group kids in public spaces, not one-on-one in private spaces).
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