To protect your church, you must anticipate — and mitigate — risk transfer related to third-party facilities use By RaeAnn Slaybaugh For many churches, offering the use of their facilities to outside groups is an excellent source of income. It’s also a great way to send a welcoming message to the surrounding community. However, […]
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By Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris Historical allegations — those that relate to alleged abuse occurring years or decades ago — have become common. In the past two decades, churches of all sizes have encountered sexual abuse allegations related to abusive behavior occurring at the hands of staff members or volunteers from the past. When […]
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Sexual Abuse Risk and Third-Party Use of Facilities By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris BOY SCOUTS SETTLEMENT FUND EXCEEDS $2.6 BILLION Not every organization has chartered or hosted a Boy Scout Troop, but every organization with physical facilities must learn the lessons stemming from this massive child sexual abuse settlement. Third-party use of facilities can […]
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By Gregory S. Love & Kimberlee D. Norris Youth Leader Arrested for Sexual Abuse of 14-Year-Old Girl screams the frontpage headline of a major metropolitan newspaper — yet again. As detectives investigate, several other teen girls come forward with additional allegations. Parents of students in the program express hurt, anger and bewilderment: how could this […]
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The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear another important First Amendment case in early December, and the experts are saying the Court’s decision in this case could well complete the job of allowing churches and their schools and other affiliates to participate fully in government grant and subsidy programs. As Church Executive readers might […]
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By Kirk Evans The world isn’t as innocent as it once was, and you can no longer assume you are safe from harm simply because you’re in a church sanctuary. There have been numerous reported cases of armed attackers targeting churches in the past decade. Such attacks have occurred on Sunday morning, as well as […]
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How to navigate a sexual abuse crisis at your church By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris The headline stunned the congregation of a large Protestant church: Church Rocked by Sexual Abuse Allegations. Church leaders took hundreds of phone calls from members, media representatives and advocacy groups. Social media coverage was immediate and savage, assuming the […]
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Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue poses critical church-state separation issues By Kimberlee Norris, attorney at law The Supreme Court will be deciding Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue this Term. The decision could be very important for Church Executive readers, particularly if it alters or clarifies the Court’s 2017 holding in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley. […]
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But before you commit, review 3 important items — or face a load of liabilities By Rebecca M. DaVee, CPA It’s always great to be approached to serve on your church’s board … or is it? Whether yours is a 70-, 700- or 7,000-member church, there should be a transition system in place to onboard […]
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If a sex offender wants to attend your church — or is already worshipping with you — how would you respond? Roll out the welcome mat? Exclude them entirely? Try to find middle ground? These are questions church leaders regularly face.
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