Safeguard Your Church

Practical guidelines for screening volunteers

by William L. Smith

Most people who volunteer their help at church have good intentions. However, some churches have gotten into some pretty nasty situations because of volunteers who have served less than honorably as janitors, nursery workers, organists, secretaries, treasurers—even pastors.

Short of doing background checks on anyone who wants to help out at church, thereby discouraging others from volunteering, how should a church make sure it doesn't open the door to embezzlement, child molestation, rape, psychosis, alcoholism, drug abuse, or other offensive behavior?

Guidelines for Volunteers
Churches from British Columbia, Canada, to Florida are answering that question by formulating guidelines for church volunteers. For example, United Methodists are heeding their 1996 General Conference's resolutions to develop and implement policies to keep their churches safe from abuse.

The 120-member congregation of the Reformed Church of Telkwa, B.C., is also working on that. "We are presently developing a policy and guidelines handbook," says the church's pastor, Jim Klazinga. He says the church council, made up of elders and deacons, oversees who may work in various programs in church. And church policy says that volunteers must be members "in good standing" of the church.

That kind of policy, which is common in many churches, may no longer be sufficient, say leaders at Simpson United Methodist Church, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. So that church recently adopted specific guidelines for child protection. Other churches might be wise to do the same. In brief, those guidelines say:

1. All adults and young people must be screened before working with minors at church. The details of a screening process have prompted much debate in United Methodist circles. Too much detail creates a mountain of work for church leaders, and too little makes screening ineffective.

Charles Johnson, director of the South Carolina Conference Council of Ministries, says the council is in the process of implementing guidelines, which include the recommendation to "establish a volunteer screening group of about five members of the church to conduct the interview and reference checks."

Can your church afford to do this? Can you afford not to?

Gulf Breeze UMC in Florida certainly approves of the process. Bob Bailey, pastor of the 3,100-member church, says the church screens anyone who wants to work with children or young people. "Our administrator takes care of that," Bailey says. "He basically uses human resource guidelines—background checks, etc."

In addition, Simpson UMC requires that all child-care workers go through training seminars on state and church guidelines that show how to recognize and report child abuse.

For example, they're taught to be wary of physical signs of molestation, such as lacerations and bruises or discomfort while sitting; for behavioral signs such as nightmares, withdrawal from activities or friends, or hostile behavior toward adults; or verbal cues, such as "I don't like to be alone with—" or "He does things to me when we're alone."

Safeguards Against Embezzlement
Free help could cost you big money at church. Guard against embezzlement by noting how it may occur and what can be done to prevent it:

How embezzlement happens One person counts church offerings. That person can easily remove cash, especially what's not in an offering envelope. The same two people count offerings each week for years. Over time, they agree to divide cash between them. People who count the offerings give a total to a person who will deposit the money. That person takes out cash and deposits a lesser amount. One person has authority to write checks for the church. That person pays personal bills out of the church's account. Contribution receipts aren't regularly issued to church members. When they are, members aren't encouraged to report discrepancies. A volunteer takes cash, knowing the risk of discovery is remote. Offerings aren't deposited immediately. People dip into the cash, claiming they're using it for unauthorized expenses.

Preventive action Assign more than one person to count each offering. Appoint a pool of counters. Each week two people are randomly chosen to count the offerings. Assign one person who neither counts nor deposits to reconcile offerings with bank deposits. Make at least two signatures mandatory for every check above a certain amount. Issue regular receipts and encourage immediate reporting of errors to someone other than the one who issues receipts. Deposit offerings immediately into the bank. From "Church Treasurer Alert" by Richard Hammar

2. People who have a history of inappropriate conduct with children may not serve in any church program for minors. This guideline seems clear enough, but should the prohibition last a lifetime for a child molester? What about life-changing repentance? What about forgiveness of past offenses? All such issues should be debated, decided, and implemented in a church. What is your position?

3. People who work with minors in church should observe the two-person rule or open door policy, whenever possible. The two-person rule says that anyone who works with children should make every effort to do so with a partner. The open door policy, according to South Carolina guidelines, is that a worker must leave windows and doors open in a classroom when he or she meets alone with a child.

The two-person rule may be a less offensive way of dealing with volunteer child-care workers than putting them through an extensive screening process. That's something your church should decide.

4. Inappropriate or abusive behavior should be promptly reported to the authorities. Simpson UMC guidelines are very specific about how to report suspicious behavior and whom to contact, such as state or local child-protection services. They're also helpful on how to protect the rights of both the accused and the alleged victim(s). Appropriate training in this area should be required, I believe. Communication skills and sensitivity are especially important.

5. Special care should be taken in cases with third-party involvement. Guidelines should specify who acts as spokesperson for the church in cases of abuse, or who provides interim care for alleged victims. Guidelines should also state how to treat the accused and how to document alleged incidents with accuracy, thoroughness, and confidentiality.

Adjust to Fit
The screening, selection, and training of church workers is a hot topic today, particularly because of media reports on incidents of abuse. Though many churches are presently focusing on guidelines to prevent child abuse, they might also consider developing policies to prevent the kinds of financial, social, and moral wrongs that jeopardize the integrity and mission of the church.

Each church should formulate a plan that fits its needs, abilities, resources, and membership. In addition, we must individually examine these issues and do what we can to make sure that the churches we represent provide a safe place for all who enter.

William L. Smith is on the faculty of the business school at Emporia State University and director of the Center for Business and Economic Development in Emporia, Kansas.  He writes regularly on business issues for trade publications.

Copyright © 1998 by the author or Christianity Today International/Your Church magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail yceditor@yourchurch.net.
Mar/Apr 1998, Vol.44, No. 2, Page 62

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