Does Your Children's Ministry Have Too Much Sex Appeal?

Photo courtesy of Don Gore (dgdraws) on Flickr.com 

by Tim H. Swanson

You don't even have to call yourself a Christian to know that there has been a huge issue with sexual predators in the church. Catholics get the most headlines for it, but it's no small issue in the protestant church. For a long time predators have used churches with low or no security to begin relationships with kids that they will try to develop into sexual encounters.

I've personally seen it happen. In the last 8 years I've seen about a half dozen churches in my community affected by sexual predators. It's the ugliest thing you can imagine. Families are torn apart. Staff members who neglected proper background checks lose their jobs, and face the guilt that comes with feeling responsible. People go to prison. Churches split. There are massive lawsuits. And worst of all, our children receive life long scars.

Here's the good news. If you don't want this to happen at your church, it doesn't have to. Churches have made some amazing strides in child safety in the last decade. Some of these things cost money. However, never forget, there's not a single investment you can make that's more important than your children's safety. Here are some things you can do to beef up the security around your kids.

1. Enforce check in and check out procedure. Many churches are beginning to have parents write down who can and can’t pick up kids when parents check them in. The safest churches are the ones who enforce this protocol. However, it is important to be clear with guests about the strictness of procedure. The last thing you want to do is turn a safety measure into a bad experience for a newcomer who didn’t understand that both parent’s names have to be on the check out list for Dad to come pick up the kids after the service is over.

2. Eliminate blind spots. These are areas where people can go that are out of sight. If you’re in an older building, your church probably has them. They are created when whole classrooms become storage, or when low traffic areas, like offices and closets, are left unlocked. It’s a very good idea to put locks on rooms where people shouldn’t go during services. But when you do that, you have to go the extra step of making sure they are actually locked.

4. Background checks! It’s kind of a hassle, especially if you have somewhat of a relationship with the people who are volunteering in your children’s ministry. But keep in mind, it’s often not the total stranger who takes advantage of children. The person you need to be weary of is the one they trust.

5. Accountability rocks. It's not always easy to staff a class with two volunteers for children's ministry. If you're running short of volunteers, you can still provide accountability by having leaders sign in and out. A log that shows when volunteers come and go will provide an accountability that's not only safer for your kids but also for volunteers who could be wrongfully accused.

No church no matter how big or small is exempt from the danger that predators present. So let me ask you, how appealing is your church to these people? Does your church go the extra mile for children, or is yours one of the low to no security churches that attracts danger?