How Should the Church Respond to Sex Offenders?
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, October 23, 2007
- Viewed 199
- (29) comments so far
“The real question is should sex offenders be treated differently by the church and faith communities. There is overwhelming research that sex offenders have the propensity to re-offend, which puts everyone on red alert. That’s why Sex Offenders are all in a national database and are required to register upon their release. There are over a half million registered sex offenders in the U.S.; Texas leads the nation with well over 51,000 registered sex offenders and Florida is a close second. If you put a truth serum in most Christians they will tell you that they are uncomfortable around and even scared of sex offenders; especially when it comes to their children. Let’s face it, insurance companies even have exclusionary clauses for churches that hire or allow sex offenders to volunteer; in other words no coverage.
The church must play a critical role in helping sex offenders develop a relationship with Christ; in order for them to restore their lives, rebuild relationships and have freedom from certain thoughts/behaviors. Hmmmmm, this same process applies to each of us and our sinful nature!”
Should Sex Offenders be allowed to be on staff, volunteer or be in a role that officially represents a church? Is it appropriate for Sex Offenders to volunteer w/ children?
What do you think?
Scott Williams is one of the campus pastors for LifeChurch.tv, and he has tackled a great subject on his "Big is the New Small" blog. The subject is 'sex offenders'. How should the church respond to them? Scott writes...
Comments
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Peter Hamm on Wed, October 24, 2007
Bart writes [If we cannot have them on staff (supervised of course) or even in church with us, are we saying we do not believe in forgiveness, or in the power of the Holy Spirit to redeem them, or in the power of the Spirit to make us a new creature and change us?]
Whether we can minister to them or have them on staff are two questions. Can we minister to them? We MUST! But ministering to them and having them serve are two different questions. The reality is that we pay in this life for our sins EVEN when they are forgiven and we are redeemed and renewed by the Holy Spirit. And sexual sins seem to have more and worse penalties than many other sins. That is sound biblical thinking on the matter, imho
Practically speaking, a church NEEDS to have insurance. Insurance companies are not going to trip over each other to try and get a church as a client that has a registered sex offender on staff. That is the reality of paying in this life for the sins we commit.
Daniel D. Farmer on Wed, October 24, 2007
Leonard—thanks for the feedback. As far as I’m concerned the question of whether someone is welcome is different from the question of whether or how they may serve and be given responsibility. One striking feature of the book of Acts is how often the new Church is engaged in acts of discernment—choosing gifted followers of Christ to fill specific roles.
Analogously, I think (with Bart) that sex offenders (as well as murderers, prostitutes, etc.) should be unabashedly welcomed into worship (this is the being ‘gentle as a lamb’ I mentioned earlier). However, when choosing to fill a role, I firmly believe this should be done on the basis of a person’s giftedness (the discernment involved here requires being ‘crafty/wise as a serpent’). And I’m willing to concede that, much like alcoholics should not go near alcohol for the rest of their lives, pedophiles should also not be allowed around children unsupervised, for the rest of their lives. These two views are not contradictory.
So then sex offenders shouldn’t be youth counselors, but perhaps (pending proper case-by-case discernment) they could be traffic-directors, administrative assistants, preachers (without the corresponding pastoral one-on-one responsibilities of course), worship leaders, etc.
We simultaneously want to be wise and not quench the Spirit of our Lord.
Thanks for the dialogue.
Peace,
-Daniel-
Wendi on Thu, October 25, 2007
Leonard,
I completely agree that every sheep that wanders into your pen isn’t necessarily sent there by the HS. Many sheep come for the wrong reasons, especially the sheep who are already safe and sound in the kingdom.
My point is that most broken people will show up at our churches as a result of a relationship with a Jesus follower, a relationship cultivated by the HS. That link isn’t between two people, it’s between the people and a faith community. To send a person to another church where there might be resources but where there are no existing relationships, interferes (IMO) with the HS’s redemptive work.
Of course, this would be a very unusual case, an unlikely hypothetical we’re talking about here. The discussion helps me though, consider whether I think of serving individuals or serving people God has already connected in an evolving story.
Wendi
Leonard Lee on Thu, October 25, 2007
Well said Wendi,
I must add that this has not happened at our church. We simply have a plan should it happen at this stage of our church. Most likely we will not be dealing with this at all. I am glad that we have thought this through and have a plan with resources to execute this plan should we need to.
Scott Williams on Thu, October 25, 2007
Todd- Thanks for sharing my post; there has been some great discussion on this challenging subject. BTW who was the Scott Williams whose book you linked to in your post? I know there are a bunch of us out there; however that’s not me LOL. Thanks again and I appreciate what you do at MMI.
Dennie on Mon, October 29, 2007
In response to the post by Still a little angry…
I’m sorry you were treated like this. I hope you can work through this issue and forgive those who offended you. I pray that your faith will not be shaken by the whole incident, and that you will grow stronger as a result of it. Again, I’m sorry this happened.
Still a little angry on Thu, November 08, 2007
Dennie, rest assured my faith in the Lord is not shaken. My faith in the church, however, has been altered.
While I would love to volunteeer to help in any way they would feel comfortable with at the church we belong to now, I fear the same thing happening again so I will not volunteer. My wife and children love this church and so I will not jepardize them being able to be involved with our new church.
Unfortunately that leaves me in the position of feeling like I am only able to attend church and not able to be involved in the way I believe we all should.
Buit, it is what it is. And that is why I feel that as a whole the church does not respond well to sinners, and “sex offenders” in particular. It’s easy enough to proclaim “We are all sinners” but how should we respond to someone we see as a really BIG sinner compared to us?
JR on Tue, December 11, 2007
According to a research study just published by Human Rights Watch, only 1 out of 4 adult sex offenders ever re-offend during the course of their lives. The big majority of sex offense arrests against children are by family members being caught for the first time. Saying “There is overwhelming research that sex offenders have the propensity to re-offend, which puts everyone on red alert” seems totally out of line? Here’s a link.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/09/06/usdom16819.htm
And a quote:
In addition, the laws reflect the widely shared but erroneous belief that “once a sex offender, always a sex offender.” Authoritative studies indicate that three out of four adult offenders do not reoffend. Moreover, treatment can be effective even for people who have committed serious sex crimes.
JR on Tue, December 11, 2007
Also, that’s for rapists. Since people are normally more concerned about children,
http://hrw.org/reports/2007/us0907/4.htm#_Toc176672567
“The study also found that recidivism rates varied markedly depending on the kind of sex crime committed. For example, recidivism within four to six years of release from prison was 13 percent for child molesters, and 24 percent for rapists.”
deaubry on Wed, December 12, 2007
i do not think you can put all sex offences in the same box, just say a seventeen year old and an eighteen or nineteen year old has sex in the back seat or any place, not either one is thinking about consent, that would be bad to brand the boy for the rest of his life as a sex offender.down south here we have these hot spots for spring break, in that throng of boys and girls you could probially put half of them in jail for sex offence. but you take a man or sometimes women that preys on children is a lot different, but god will save them and people should forgive them, but to put them in leadership is another thing altogether, a pastor has a big job on his hands, and it takes the leading of the holy spirit to guide him, when a pastor or any of the leaders feels there is somthing wrong but cant put their finger on it as the above person wrote, in most cases it is the holy spirit warning you,sometimes we are so egar to please and make welcome we over look the holy spirits warning. but to put every one on the same level is not right.
Peter Hamm on Wed, December 12, 2007
deaubry,
You write [ do not think you can put all sex offences in the same box]. I challenge you to find an insurance company that agrees with that statement.
It’s the world we live in…
JR writes [According to a research study just published by Human Rights Watch, only 1 out of 4 adult sex offenders ever re-offend during the course of their lives.] So they have a nearly guaranteed recidivism rate of 25%… So I have a one in four chance that that person is going to exploit someone in my church, adult or child? No thanks.
Dave on Wed, December 12, 2007
I used to work at a church that declined to hire a life-long member for a staff position, one unrelated to any children’s ministries. The guy was very qualified, but had once been convicted of a very low-risk sex offence. He had been a middle-school teacher and some kids saw inappropriate material on a classroom computer. This public perception that every sex offender is a pedophile is a modern day witch-hunt, in part because of the disasterous handling of true pedophiles by the RC Church. But it is simply not true. You know, even murder is broken down into manslaughter, 1st, 2nd, 3rd degree, but sex offence is sex offence.
Anyway, the pastors and other staff (myself included) attended the trial, heard evidence and saw the worthless defence attorney blow off the case as the prosecution portrayed the guy as a predator.
The sentence handed down was probation and a sensitivity-type class. The judge observed at the sentencing that no attempt had ever been made to touch a child or to be alone with a child.
Years later, after sucessful completion of the class and probation, the elders, knowing his character and his history, voted to hire him for the position. Later, one elder (elder of finance) who had been out of town, objected, based on the insurance issue. He convinced (scared) everyone else and they withdrew the offer of employment…AFTER the guy had already quit his job - leaving him on his own. He and his family were devastated. They did not even investigate insurance options.
Am I wrong , or is God our ultimate insurance? As I see it, the church chose to take the financially “safe” route. To be blunt, based on fear, they chose to appease man, in the form of the insurance company, rather than do what they all had felt was right to begin with. Out of concern for the sticks and bricks of the campus, they tossed a man, his wife and their two children, everlasting souls, who had been faithful to the church for their entire lives, out on the streets.
In a conversation with one church member, I was told “Well, the world is run by lawyers.” Man, I don’t know what world that is, but THIS ONE is run by the One who created it. So cut this insurance crap and rely on the One who is our only true source of security. What a shame! I think I’d leave a church like that! Oh, wait… I did.
I can’t believe churches play the insurance card. My God is way bigger than that! Even the big, bad lawyer’s can’t defeat Him!
Whatever happened to faith?
Dave
Darious L. Anderson on Wed, January 28, 2009
I want to say that I appreciate reading the different comment regarding sex offenders in church. I’m a registered sex offender with the problem outlined in this story. I’m know for fact not fiction or hearsay the impact of what it feels like to be told not to return to a particular church. I’ve been kicked out of four churches since my conviction. My conviction included a male who was 17 and a female who was 15 years old. It was consentual sex in both situations, one felony case. The fear that people have of sex offenders is based off of simply not knowing… Since my conviction I’ve given my life to Christ. I believe I’ve been forgiven. (By God) I don’t believe I’ll ever be forgiven by anyone else. From a sex offender’s perspective… We are denied and kicked out of our homes. Our college degrees mean nothing… There is no work available for us and yes we are the modern day leper. I long for the day that “The Church” will say, YES, JESUS DIED and LOVES EVEN THE SEX OFFENDERS!!! God doesn’t love sin but, he loves the person. I guess you’re gonna have to excuse me for what I’m about to say because I believe it was destiny that I came across this website tonight. Reality is there is no hope except in Christ… So, why am I still here suffering at the hand of man for what God doesn’t even remember anymore. It is definately better to end it all instead of the reality that people will just never get the point that the Blood has the Power to cover a multitude of sin. I hope it will cover suicide because that’s all that’s left for me! My debt to society will never be paid even though I know I’m not the same. People will always remember that I’m the one who did these horrible things… who didn’t even have to serve a prison sentence… I got three years probation and didn’t even have to serve all of that. I released off of probation early for being compliant with the rules. So, I have a question for you Pastor… Why should I live if there’s no hope, no redemption, no restoration no new life in Christ… Pastor, why is my sin PREVIOUSLY committed so bad that I have to go somewhere else. What you fail to recognize Pastor is that everybody is saying go somewhere else… So, who will take a stand and minister to the hurting, who will take a stand and show the community that there’s Real Hope in Christ? I can just imagine you’re saying… Not me… Well, now my blood is on your hands… I look forward to your response.
Peter on Wed, January 28, 2009
Darious,
I feel for you and am not sure to whom your questions are addressed here. Some people have valid concerns about the reputation of their local body. Others have had pretty weak arguments. Based on the comments that I just reviewed, I think most would not have too much trouble with someone in your situation. Were it a 30 year old and a 15 year old things might be different.
I noted earlier that I know someone in your situation. He attends the same church, serves, has worked with various groups, and is accepted by the community. He does not bother submitting an app to work in the nursery, but that’s his choice. I don’t know how the church would respond if he did, but I’d hope people would read the facts that show in the BG check and move appropriately. We should not treat all people with sex offender status the same - we need to know why, when, and most importantly what’s different now than at the time of the crime?
As to your questions, if there really is no new life in Christ, then I’d probably argue that you need to live because this is the only chance you get. However, we do have new life in Christ and we are new creations in God’s eyes, even if not in man’s eyes. We have hope for our future because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Men will always disappoint - it’s our sin nature. God loves you and if you’ve put your trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, He doesn’t see your sin.
I wish I had better answers to your questions. I really don’t understand why we don’t have distinctions between types of sex offenses. Public exposure one time when drunk (as noted above)? A 1-2 years’ difference between two people? Those are completely different than rape or child molestation and even with those two I’d differentiate. I don’t know why society doesn’t have better levels of distinction. I’d have a hard time asking someone to leave a church purely because of sex offender status. I’d definitely look at current circumstances and put appropriate safeguards in place, which would differ based on the situation. If there were other factors that made the person a real danger to the local body, I’d have to consider those as well, but am not sure if that person would hear that or if they’d think they were asked to leave because they were a sex offender.
My friend in the above example is a pretty normal person in all ways and has become a very good handyman. He runs his own business and doesn’t have to worry about background checks. He serves in the local body using his abilities, but does not seek out a position of leadership.
Darious, I’m not a pastor, but I hope you’ll see that there IS hope in Christ. Not everybody says to go somewhere else, though I can see that you feel that way and I’m not denying that you are facing that problem. Some have shared tales of people greatly hurt by people not looking at the facts. Others have responded to this thread saying that they would take a more common-sense approach. From what I saw of the responses, more seemed to advocate looking at the facts than not.
I hope that you find a local body where you can serve and be ministered to. I’m lifting you up right now to God that He’ll bring healing to you, show you His plan, and bring you together with a group of believers who can help you.
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