Careful Grace: Integrating Offenders and Violent Criminals into Church
Jeff Dalrymple is currently the Director Abuse Prevention & Response at the SBC Executive Committee. Jeff formerly served as executive director of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention, a national association of Christian ministries committed to child and youth protection. In his role with the SBC Executive Committee, Jeff serves as a catalyst to educate and equip Southern Baptists with abuse prevention and response. Jeff is based in Jacksonville, Florida and is married to his wife Kristil and together they have four children.
One of the most frequent questions we receive from churches and ministry leaders is about integrating offenders into church. They wonder “Should we do it,” and “What are best practices as we carefully consider protection and stewardship.”
We as pastors and ministry leaders know first hand that God is in the business of changing lives. No one, not even the worst of society’s criminals and offenders, is too far from the grace of God and the gospel. We know that the Lord can work in anyone’s life to bring redemption and salvation.
While we long to see the gospel transform lives, especially in the most hardened and vile criminal, we should carefully consider if a violent offender should be allowed to attend church and if so, under what circumstances and conditions. We find ourselves in the tension of being used by God in discipling sinners saved by grace and protecting the most vulnerable in our care. Is it possible to protect kids and vulnerable adults and disciple violent offenders? Yes, I believe so. Here are some considerations for you and your leadership as you explore ministering to offenders. We call this a “Careful Grace”.*
Are you called to this type of ministry?
The first place to start is to ask and answer the question about calling. Not every church is equipped and called to this type of unique ministry to offenders. Integrating an offender safely entails considerable effort by the church to protect the vulnerable in your congregation and provide accountability and appropriate care to the offender. Consider carefully whether ministry to an offender is manageable and sustainable for your ministry. It is ok to decline this opportunity, refer the individual to another church, or to accommodate by meeting one-on-one with this person outside of church services.
Another question to ask and answer is: Where did this abuse or offense take place and where are the survivors. If the abuse took place in the ministry context or if the survivor is also attending the church – this may be a quick and valid reason to decline or ask the individual not to attend.
This is the starting place. The rest of this article will help you determine if your church is prepared to integrate that offender into your congregation.
Robust Child and Youth Protection
If you are planning to allow the offender to attend church in a managed way, you’ll want to make sure that you have a strong child and youth protection program in place. Churches have an important stewardship responsibility for children, youth, and the vulnerable, so your safeguarding measures should always prioritize the protection of these groups.
A robust child protection program should include much more than background checks. Policies should encompass screening, training, appropriate levels of supervision, response plans, and steps to sustain these measures, in addition to complying with state and local laws.
One of the best ways to ensure you have the best child protection plan is to compare your efforts to the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention’s (ECAP) Child Safety Standards and considering accreditation as a way to foster trust through independent and evidence-based annual compliance: https://ecap.net/assessments/
Be sure to tap into the resources SBC has accumulated in the Ministry Toolbox including the Essentials Abuse Prevention & Response Guide for ministry leaders designed to assist your church in architecting a child protection program to safeguard the vulnerable.
Offender Alert
One thing to keep in mind is that there is no alarm system that alerts you that an offender is attending your church. Most of these situations involve the individual notifying you or your leadership that they have a past or a “record”. There are some cases in which a background check reveals something or someone in your congregation is aware of a conviction. In a rare situation, I met a sharp kids ministry leader who had studied the sex offender registry for her church community and several months later identified an offender from the photos provided online. It is impossible to know everyone’s background and history which is why it is a suggested best practice to run background checks every three years.
Since you cannot always know when an offender is in your church, and because many offenders are never caught or convicted, it is best to assume that you do have an offender in your church and to put strong safeguards in place to protect children and youth in the care of the church.
Trust But Verify
Not all offenders are created equal. Sex offender convictions range widely and may span from offenses limited to non-physical contact to violent serial predators. It is vital to verify the offense by looking online or reviewing documentation. The offender may downplay what actually took place, what the conviction was, or what the terms of parole may be. If the offender is on parole, it is wise to meet with and consult their parole officer to understand any limitations or restrictions required by the court. This verification may extend beyond sex offenders to include any violent criminal including those convicted of domestic violence. It would be prudent to receive written permission from the offender for you to have these conversations and to request this information.
Supervised Participation
Whenever a church decides to integrate an offender into their congregation, they should start with clear expectations that the individual should be closely monitored while on campus at all times. This is best communicated clearly in writing with a policy and agreement. This may seem to be extreme, but clarity is kindness and by making this expectation clear it will be easier to hold the person accountable. The offender should not walk onto the premises without being met by assigned personnel to chaperone them and to remain visible at all times while on campus.
At no time should this person be allowed into any children or student areas and they should never be on campus when children are present outside of church services. This exclusion would apply to times during which any child and youth programming is happening including school, child care, or any event or activity where kids are present or if supervision is unavailable. Furthermore, a church might consider requiring that the person or team assigned to supervise not be related to the offender. For these reasons it is likely that only well-resourced churches may be able to sustain this level of ministry and supervision.
Safety and Security Team
Your safety and security team are often best suited to provide supervision. This means one person should be assigned and given responsibility for this monitoring assignment. If your safety and security team includes any off-duty law enforcement, they might have the capacity to monitor this individual without being tied up with other ministry responsibilities during your church service. This person doesn’t necessarily need to sit side-by-side with the offender, but should be in close proximity based on the comfortability of the supervising individual and leadership.
Common Questions and Additional Considerations
- Non-convictions – there may be situations where you know, without a shadow of a doubt that an individual has committed some sort of misconduct but for whatever reason, no adjudication or conviction resulted through the judicial process. Generally speaking, the guidance provided here would still apply based on the credible information you have. Perhaps this person admitted to a crime or abuse or you have a witness testimony coupled with admission. In these situations, you would first follow mandatory reporting protocols and cooperate with law enforcement and then you might follow the same or similar guidelines for integration. Use caution in these circumstances in communicating details about the situation, and it is recommended that you seek legal guidance to help with these situations.
- Minor offenders – With the increase of child-on-child or youth-on-youth abuse, these delicate situations require extreme care and close collaboration with parents or guardians (be sure to report abuse to appropriate law enforcement or DCPS). Much of the same guidance in this article is relevant but you will not likely have access to any court records and you will need to seek the permission and support from parents/guardians related to any agreements, restrictions, and communication. For these cases, seek legal advice from experienced Christian attorneys to help you navigate.
- Child Pornography Convictions – While the sex offense may not involve physical contact, these same guidelines and restrictions apply for all sex offenders and violent crimes.
Alternatives
If you decide to turn away an offender from attending your church, there are some ways that you can still minister to that person while prioritizing the protection of kids and the vulnerable. Here are some alternative options for meeting with and discipling an offender that is not permitted to attend your services.
Consider meeting one-on-one with this individual and make connections for other mentors and leaders to disciple or evangelize them through relationship building. Hopefully these types of meetings are taking place regardless, but this can be a good option for meaningful spiritual guidance, discipleship, and counseling. During this time you may consider working through a book of the bible together or another resource. This is also a great environment for accountability and building trust.
You might also encourage the individual to watch online church services. Online church services may not meet the ideal needs of a church community but it can be a good way to worship, sing, and hear the preaching of the word. Fellowship and community may need to be supplemented through meetings and bible studies outside of normal church services.
You may need to refer the offender to another church which should conduct its own review. You can seek permission to make a connection to the leadership and another church that may have the resources and capacity to integrate the offender into their congregation. By making this handoff to the other church, you are alerting them to the offender so that they can make an informed response. You might also consider sharing an article such as this one or the SBC’s “Careful Grace” training video to help equip them to make the right decision for their church. Your legal counsel will be an important resource as you navigate this referral.
Insurance Prompt
Be sure to check with your insurance company as many companies, especially those that specialize in serving churches, have resources and some have restrictions that may prompt you to alter course. Your counseling team or local or virtual counseling resources may be a good means of additional discipleship for the offender. This prompt is a good opportunity to check to make sure that you have the appropriate policies and coverage types as well as the right limits. In addition to general and professional liability coverage your church should have sexual molestation and directors and officers coverage as well.
Cautious Communication
You should also consider appropriate notifications to your church congregation, members, or other leaders related to “Careful Grace”. You may consider that your leadership as well as your safety and security team know about any offender, be able to identify that person, and understand the terms and conditions of their presence on campus during services. A binder or other digital means of communication could be available to leadership as well as all workers in kids ministry to identify any known offender and communicate access or monitoring terms. It may be advisable to make this available to any parents that request the information. Be sure to check with your attorney to have the appropriate policies and agreements in place as well as anything related to more public communication. Be sure to check for and follow any laws related to this topic.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, exercising Careful Grace in integrating offenders is necessary in prioritizing the protection of kids and the vulnerable at your church while still seeking to minister to someone with a history of abuse or other violent crime. There is inherent liability risk in this type of ministry which warrants careful leadership consideration and conscientious follow-through. It is possible to accomplish both and to do so faithfully. It is important to prioritize protection first, invite other leaders into this decision and to provide support for a holistic approach. Not every church is called to this type of ministry. There are excellent resources through programs such as Celebrate Recovery and Pure Desire. Check the abuse prevention and response vendor listing for access to these and other resources to support your church.
Because each situation and circumstance are unique, it is highly recommended that you seek expert guidance in navigating the details related to Careful Grace. These resources, standards, recommendations, and endorsements are not intended to be legal advise or requirements. It is critical that church leadership conduct its own due diligence, understand related liability, and consult legal counsel and/or expert guidance to review each situation as well as your context including jurisdiction related to prevention and other legal requirements.
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*Attorney Rob Showers has also provided training on this topic. His Virtual Training Institute session on this topic is available for a more in-depth treatment of this topic.
“Assimilation of Sex Offenders” article by Rob Showers from Simms Showers
“Integrating Sex Offenders Responsibly” from Wagenmaker & Oberly
Special appreciation extended to Rob Showers, Sally Wagenmaker, and Theresa Sidebotham as well as the team at the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention for assistance in producing this resource.