A Month of Love - Be Sure Your Ministry is Safe

Yes, there are several ways we show our love is real; we help children show their love to others, we sincerely appreciate our volunteers and we have a true and humble view of our selves. But, we also show our love by something very important which we do. We do all we can to be certain our ministry is as safe as it can possibly be. 

Some of the things we must do are difficult; there are people who will not like them, but they are things we must do because we love the children, families and volunteers in our ministries. These things include . . . 

• Screen our volunteers; every one, every time. Period. Whether volunteers like it or not.
• Absolutely require two unrelated adults to serve in each and every class every time your classes are open. Period.
• Be brave enough, committed enough and love enough to close any class where you do not have two unrelated adults available to serve in the class.
• Require parents to sign their child in to your ministry and to pick them up in person. Do this for every opportunity you provide for children. Period.
• Do not allow any adult to ever be alone with any child which is not their own at your church for any reason. Period.
• Have a minimum age for children to be involved in your children's ministry.

These are just the basics for providing a safe ministry at your church and if you are doing these things, then you are showing love. When you screen volunteers, have minimum staffing levels you are showing love to children and families; you are saying you love the children enough to do whatever you can to make your ministry as safe as it can be. When you have minimum staffing levels and age requirements for volunteers you are saying you love your volunteers because you want them to be protected from false accusations when they serve in your ministry.

Yes, there are many ways to show our love in children's ministry, but one big way we do this is by doing all we can to be sure our ministry is as safe as it can possibly be.