Once considered sacred even to criminals, churches are now prime targets for theft. In fact, it’s precisely the trusting nature of church organizations that can make them so vulnerable to crime.
For years now, I’ve looked on as wary church leaders and their tech gurus waged an endless war on the growing threat that Internet pornography represents to their congregations.
Among the most important things that church leaders can do for their congregations is keeping their children safe. In the past, many people didn’t worry about security issues at churches. However, times have changed and so have churches. Gone are the days when we simply relied on “good faith” to preserve the security of our children in the church nursery, Sunday school or youth rooms.
Bad weather, vacations and illnesses can cause parishioners to miss church services during the year. While some people will make up their missed donations, many won’t. That’s where electronic giving, or e-giving, can help.
Strokes, car accidents, heart attacks, affairs and murder are just some of the circumstances causing leaders to vacate pulpits and other critical ministry positions prematurely. However, few religious institutions have prepared adequately to survive the thorny transitions that follow.
Most people attend church events and services to identify with God, not with their fingerprint. But as new technology progresses and the pace of the world quickens, many “pen and paper” check-in methods have become obsolete, tossed aside as cumbersome and inefficient. In fact, using old check-in systems could be costing you money and lowering the safety of those participating in your church programs.
Floods and other disasters create a host of needs, foremost among them food and shelter. Moved by compassion, congregations may decide to shelter people affected by a crisis, with little forethought or planning.
Angry citizens — more than 120 of them —protest outside a church. Several police officers stand ready to control the crowd. Using bullhorns, the protesters hurl insults —some of them profane. They shove signs in parishioners’ faces. One protester shoots pepper spray into the face of an opposing protester.
It’s unlikely that you could ever eradicate all germs from a church nursery, preschool or daycare center. However, there are several proven steps that can be taken to limit the spread of colds, infections and childhood illnesses. Hand washing is chief among them both for those who work in the nursery and the children in their care.
Church is no longer just a place to gather and worship. It seems an increasing number of churches are finding new ways to involve young adults, teens and children in the church community. To accomplish this, some churches are sponsoring “extreme” sports activities by taking church groups to facilities that offer inline skating, BMX biking, skateboarding, rock climbing, paintball and more.
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