Why Safety and Ministry Shouldn’t Compete

If you’ve been in church leadership long enough, you’ve probably felt the tension: How do we keep people safe without making our church feel like a locked-do...

When “It Could Never Happen Here” Suddenly Does

If you’ve been in ministry long enough, you’ve probably said it: “That would never happen in our church.” And maybe you truly believe it. You trust you...

Why Training is the Game-Changer Churches Often Overlook

Here’s the thing — I’ve walked into a lot of churches over the years, and when I ask about their child protection plan, almost every leader pr...

The Hard Truth Most Churches Don’t Want to Hear

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard a pastor or elder say, “But we’d never let anything like that happen here. We have good people.”

And you ...

Why This Conversation Can’t Wait

Let’s be honest. Most pastors and church leaders don’t get into ministry thinking they’ll ever need to deal with legal crises. You probably started because you love G...

Why Every Pastor and Leader Must Understand This

I still remember the phone call.

A children’s pastor I’d known for years called me in a panic. “We just had a volunteer tell us something about a chi...

Why This Conversation Can’t Wait

I wish I could tell you this is a rare issue — that abuse allegations in church settings are so unusual, we hardly ever have to talk about them. But I’ve been in this...

Why a Child Safety Policy Isn’t Just Paperwork

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked a church leader, “Do you have a child safety policy?” and they smile, nod, and say, “Oh yes, we’ve got one.”

It’s Not the Obvious Ones You Need to Worry About

If only ministry life came with a giant flashing sign whenever trouble was near. If only every dangerous person walked in wearing a label that read, ...

Why Background Checks Are Not as Simple as You Think

A few years back, I was sitting across from a pastor in his office. The walls were lined with books, there was a faint smell of coffee in the air,...

The Hidden Risk in “We’re All Family Here”

If you’ve been around church life for a while, you’ve probably heard it — or maybe even said it yourself:

“Oh, we know her. She’s been here for years.”
“We...

Why This Is One Conversation Your Church Can’t Afford to Delay

I’ll be honest — I wish we didn’t have to have this conversation at all. It’s heavy. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s one of those topics th...