6 Keys to Successfully Screening Church Staff and Volunteers

Whether you are in the process of formulating a screening policy for your congregation, or already have a screening program in place, here are some tips to help you with your efforts to protect your church family.

1. Get your house in order.

  • Decide who will oversee the screening process and keep track of the paperwork. This person must be well respected in the congregation, be trusted to handle confidential information, be well organized and if possible have human resources and management experience. Recognize this ministry within the life of the congregation. Place an announcement in the Sunday bulletin and bless the ministry within the Sunday liturgy.

  • Set up a filing system. All screening documents should be stored in a locked file cabinet (within the congregation or offsite) for an indefinite period of time. Files should never be left out in the open or in a readily accessible location.

    2. Assess risk and determine the screening requirements for the position in question. Assess the level of power, authority and control of those who minister, the level of vulnerability of those being ministered to, and the risk that harm could be committed by sexual harassment, exploitation, assault, emotional, verbal, physical, spiritual or financial abuse. Screen appropriately for the level of risk inherent in the position.

    3. Gather information from those to be screened, including the following:

  • A well crafted Application Form that contains key questions concerning past incidents of inappropriate behavior.

  • A Reference List of all the candidate's schools, employers, congregations, and religious supervisors over the last five years. A minimum of three references should be checked.

  • A broad Release Form to permit these references to freely divulge information about the candidate, and allow you to perform other investigative inquiries.

    4. Check with the candidate's references - preferably in writing. Ask them a series of key questions to reveal any past history of inappropriate conduct. Well worded inquiries will reveal the most information about a candidate.

    5. Check appropriate public records. Based on the candidate's residential address history, perform a criminal history records check at the state level (almost all states have a central repository available), and the county level (all are available) going back five to seven years. Similarly, check with the appropriate state Sex Offender Registries (most state's now have free on-line checks available). If the candidate will have access to church financial assets, include a credit bureau check. If the candidate will be driving for church related activities, include a driving record check.

    6. Comply with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Employers that use outside agencies to assemble background information on their candidate's must comply with certain disclosure and notice requirements. Consult your legal council, or link to http://www.oxforddoc.com/pdf/fcra.pdf for an overview of the FCRA requirements and free samples of the disclosures and notices.

    About The Author

    Glen Johnson, founder of Oxford Document Management Company, has worked exclusively with denominational leadership, legal experts, and risk management professionals for over 14 years to create and administer screening programs that are the "standard" in the religious community. For more information about the screening of church personnel, call 1.800.801.9114 or visit Oxford Document's web site at http://www.oxforddoc.com.

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    The 7 Seal Judgements

    These next 3 articles are going to be extremely HARD... Read More

    What Does The Religious Right Really Want?

    What does the Religious Right really want? Well, besides power,... Read More

    Treachery in the Midst of the Land

    The term Scripture uses to describe the activities of those... Read More

    Dante and Hell

    DANTE: - Dante Alighieri is the tour guide of Hell.... Read More

    The Oldest Concept in History

    I find it funny that one of the oldest concepts... Read More

    The Spreading of the Not-So-Good News

    PART 1: Another Gospel?The influence of the occult upon our... Read More

    About The Spiritual World of Madonna

    Pop singer Madonna came this week to Tel Aviv to... Read More

    The Goodness of His Strength

    The dictionary explains strength as being endurance, force, bravery, spirit... Read More

    Pomes II

    Here are a few pomes that may encourage you to... Read More

    Call No Man Father

    Matthew 23:5-23:10Call no man Father A look at deception and... Read More

    Bishoprics

    BISHOP OF CARCASSONNE: - There are so many exemplars of... Read More

    The Greatest Love and Self-image

    The Greek language had three words for "Love" First there... Read More

    Mexican Catholics Forgotten

    Many Mexican and Latin Catholics are dismayed that the Cardinals... Read More

    Left Behind! Who Me?

    The popularity in the past few years of the apocalyptic... Read More

    The Pope Hates Potter ? Both of Them

    This month a court in Burlington, Kentucky issued the largest... Read More

    An Encouraging Moment / Pomes for the Heart

    Here are a few pomes, that I hope, may encourage... Read More

    Connect These Dots: Unilateral Withdrawal, Egypt, Collapse of the South Wall, Raised Taxes and the..

    There is a prophetic mosaic that few have attempted to... Read More

    Praying Church or Playing Church?

    The western church is seen by the world as anything... Read More

    In the Wake of Katrina: For Mature Christians Only!

    One reason the rescue and relief effort regarding Katrina has... Read More

    The Armorbearer Coach & The Character of Christ In You

    And even though Jesus was God's Son, He had to... Read More

    Religion and Social Engineering - Part of an Introduction

    Thomas Carlyle is just one of the interesting characters who... Read More

    Gods Breathed

    For it is written in the book of 2Timothy 3:16... Read More

    Vegetarianism

    Millions worldwide suffer from malnutrition and the threat of starvation.... Read More

    Armor-bearer Coach: Step Into the Ministry of Assisting

    I am with you heart and mind..."Do all that you... Read More

    Evolution Simplified and Factual

    The study of evolution puts into perspective our relative insignificant... Read More

    Brief History of Jerusalem; Part 1

    Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel.....it is the city... Read More

    A Call to Action

    Over the last week I have received dozens of heart-rending... Read More

    Why Me

    Why MeAs a Christian I feel the need to say... Read More

    God And World Religion: The Secret Identity Of ?God? Exposed, Finally...

    You may now have this 10,000 year Old "SECRET" that... Read More

    Thoughts on the Road to Emmaus

    ". . . their eyes were opened, and they recognized... Read More

    Christians versus Mormons

    Please read the passage carefully and note all the pejorative... Read More

    War of the Worlds: Signs of the End of the Age

    Jesus said there'd be days like this.The disciples came to... Read More

    Gods People Are Destroyed For Lack of Knowledge

    These next two verses are extreme - and I mean... Read More