Should Your Church Hire a Sex Offender?

A church in Louisville, Kentucky, generated local and national media attention earlier this month, not because it allowed a convicted sex offender to attend its services, but because the church pastor decided to hire and ordain one.

WHAS-TV, a local television station, as well as CNN and newspaper wire services, covered the story when it first emerged. On Wednesday, the story picked up new steam when the Associated Press wrote its second piece about the situation (it was picked up here by MSNBC.com). During the past week, I’ve left three voice mails for Pastor Randy Meadows on the church’s main phone line, hoping to learn more about his decision, and the circumstances surrounding it. My calls haven’t been returned.

We know the following facts:

• The City of Refuge Worship Center, a small, independent congregation based in downtown Louisville, ordained Mark Hourigan on September 13. The church’s website shows he is the music minister and leader of the church’s “Pride Committee.”

• Hourigan, 41, is listed on the Kentucky State Police’s Sex Offender Registry. The site lists Hourigan’s offense as “Sexual Abuse 1st Degree,” and also notes he faced two counts. His victim was an 11-year-old boy, according to the site.

• Media reports indicate the abuse took place in 1993 and 1994. The AP’s first story, quoting an interview between Hourigan and CNN, said Hourigan told the cable network he completed a sex offender treatment program and was upfront with Meadows regarding his criminal past.

• According to the AP, “ ‘I don’t take anything lightly when it comes to someone’s past,’ Meadows told CNN. But he added, ‘God gives everyone a second and a third and fourth chance.’ ” Meadows also told the network that Hourigan will sign an agreement not to minister to children.

• The ordination drew protests from at least one abuse victims group, and the departure of at least one church deacon, who disagreed with the decision, according to media reports.

Undoubtedly, a church faces numerous challenges when a sex offender begins to attend. In ChurchSafety.com’s “Dealing with Dangerous People,” an electronic training resource, the tension that arises with a sex offender’s attendance at a church is best summed up in this way:

• A church can’t allow the person to stay unconditionally and hope that nothing happens;
• But to ask the offender to leave will raise tough questions about the church’s position on forgiveness;
• If the offender is repentant, the church needs to overcome members’ objections and protect the vulnerable, which potentially can be accomplished through:

o A covenant with the offender;
o An accountability partner for the offender;
o Restrictions on the offender’s involvement in church life activities (including restricted contact with children);
o Possible ongoing counseling;
o Open communication with the congregation.

In other words, with a lot of work and supervision, a church can make it possible for a sex offender to attend. As the resource says, that’s a “tall order.” Nevertheless, it’s possible.

But in the case of churches like City of Refuge Worship Center, the tension grows only stronger with the hiring of a sex offender onto the staff. The “Leader’s Guide” for Reducing the Risk, a comprehensive child sexual abuse prevention program, explains the three risk factors that a church must address in order to minimize the odds of an offense and to limit its liability:

• Isolation
• Accountability
• Power

Despite the best efforts of churches to ensure that clergy and staff do not end up in isolated situations, such as one-on-one counseling, and to maintain good accountability with staff and congregants, many churches fall short of implementing best practices in these areas. Isolation and accountability remain significant risks when considering whether to bring an offender into the fold, much less onto a staff.

But it’s the third risk—power—that makes hiring an offender to serve as a ministry leader especially problematic. Because of the offender’s prominence on the church staff, he or she gains a level of stature, implicitly and explicitly, among other staff members, congregational members, visitors, and community members. As a respected leader within a faith community, an offender has tipped the balance of power in his or her favor, and unfortunately, this power can be wielded in dangerous ways.

Underlying all of this tension is one basic question: What if an offender commits another offense in the future? Some believe the rate for a reoffense is high. A Wall Street Journal blog post from 2008 collects some of those positions here and the AP’s story on Wednesday cites Keith F. Durkin, a criminologist at Ohio Northern University who says the recidivism rate increases when the crimes involve prepubescent children.

A U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics study, Recidivism of Sex Offenders Released from Prison in 1994, however, suggests the likelihood of reoffending is much lower than what’s commonly assumed. Since the truth probably lies somewhere in between, and often depends on the circumstances of the offender and the offense involved, a church can’t predict for certain what level of risk they’re facing.

For church leaders who potentially face this question in the future, they have to ask themselves whether it’s really worth any risk. With so many needed protocols and precautions, and so many variables that are far too difficult to predict, the answer, it seems, is simply no.

Is This Gossip?

1. Am I telling this to someone who can do something about the problem by helping the person or offering discipline or correction?

Continue reading at Off the Agenda for the other eight questions that can help you decide whether what you know should be shared.

Raising the Bar in Tough Times

In this uncertain economy, with so many churches scrambling to reduce expenses, the role of the church administrator inevitably will come under the bright light of scrutiny. Because of this uncertainty, church administrators need to spend time reflecting on ways to showcase—and increase—our value to the churches we serve.

Nearly half of the 1,168 churches surveyed by Your Church magazine earlier this year indicated giving at their churches was on the decline (click here for the full report). Personnel costs usually consume between 45 percent and 60 percent of a church’s budget, so that makes it fertile ground for reducing expenses. And as a senior pastor or key decision-maker looks across the staff, the cost of the church administrator might appear more tempting a fruit to pluck off the vine than other staff positions because the perception is that the administrator does not have the direct impact on ministry that other church positions offer.

The administrator usually doesn’t preach, doesn’t counsel, doesn’t meet with new families, doesn’t lead programs, or possess nearly as public of a face as other staff members. It could be suggested, albeit incorrectly in my opinion, that a church could release a church administrator and not see a direct impact to the ongoing ministries of the church. That kind of reasoning is wholly short-sighted, but perhaps understandable in tough economic times like these.

That’s why we must demonstrate our value and find ways to further expand that value, not just to lessen the likelihood we’ll lose our jobs, but also for the far more noble desire to increase our impact in Christ’s Kingdom. We want to become more valuable because we can and, because in so doing, we’ll gain the fulfillment that comes from knowing we have made a difference in our world through the Gospel.

The role of church administrator is one of efficiency and productivity. It allows the church organization to function smoothly and effectively. It involves processes and systems that indirectly, yet significantly, impact the people we serve in our churches. The church administrator often works behind the scenes to ensure resources are wisely and efficiently used. The church administrator also creates and implements policies and systems that promote harmony, decrease ambiguity and confusion, and allow for greater productivity and impact toward the church’s mission.

Here’s how to showcase these very important qualities and raise the bar even higher:

First, understand the ways we can increase our value to the church in general. As administrators who oversee the church budget, we have a breadth of information that allows us to leverage our value to the church in ways that others cannot:

• For instance, nobody knows the budget better than we do. Create value by making sure that the budget is combed regularly for ways to decrease expenses, spend money more efficiently, and increase productivity within the church’s resources. Our expertise in that area, managed proactively and missionally (not reactively and bureaucratically), can create critical value for our church.

• Develop rapport with volunteers. Our role easily can take us out of the flow of ministry to the point that we are not regularly interacting with, and relating to, the volunteers who serve as the backbones of our churches. Get out of your office, get to know people, show up at events, and support and encourage people. Allow others to see you as one of the leaders cheering them on in their volunteer ministries.

• Volunteer and impact people! Do something outside the scope of paid responsibilities. Help in the nursery, teach a Sunday school class, lead a Bible study, or volunteer with the landscaping crew. My wife and I lead a ministry to newlyweds. It’s not in my job description, but it helps me to contribute my own time and gifts toward the mission of the church—to impact people. By doing this, I’m no longer a “bean counter.” I’m in the ministry trenches along with everybody else, volunteering my own time to see God do something awesome.

• Look for voids to fill. What ministry isn’t working the way the leadership would like? How can we fill a need in the church that isn’t being met?

• Voluntarily expand your job description. Take on new roles. What new responsibilities could be added to our plate to increase our contribution to the whole? Can we absorb the responsibilities of the internal accountant, doing payables, payroll, and so on? Can we assume the responsibilities of network administration, perhaps freeing up money used for outside vendors? Be creative and willing to stretch yourself.

• Be a self-learner and develop a diverse skill set. What can we learn that will be of value to our church? What skills can we develop for an expanding role? Skills and proficiencies like PC repair, desktop publishing, simple web design and programming, network administration, and others can be picked up (sometimes at no cost) from a local adult vocational school.

• Be willing to assume more administrative functions. At General Electric, where I spent 12 years, a supervisor managed 20 to 30 people with only one secretary. Develop the ability to do your own administrative work and rely less on secretaries.

• How about public speaking or preaching? I know many people who joined Toastmasters just to help them develop the ability to speak well in public. The next time your pastor is away, perhaps you can step into the pulpit.

Second, increase our value with the staffs on which we serve. Unfortunately, I hear too many stories of how the administrator is viewed as the “kill-joy.” We’re the person who says “no” before the associate pastor finishes his sentence. Our responses are too predictable: “It’s against policy,” “It’s not in the budget,” or “It’s too big of a liability,” among others.

We should strive to be seen by our staff as allies. We want to be part of the solutions—part of the creative processes that bring dreams into reality. We want to enable ministry, not control it. Here are some ideas on how to do this:

• Be a mentor and a coach. Many of us took our roles as second careers, meaning we possess seniority over other staff members. We’ve been bankers, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers, and we enjoy organizational experience and relational wisdom that can help younger staff members. Because of those qualities, we bring a breadth of experience that allows us to mentor them in helpful ways. Many books cover the generational collisions taking place in many of our churches as Millennials join our staffs. As a friend and a coach, our contributions will improve the overall health of the staff.

• Be a problem-solver. Modern leadership theories point out the value of a leader who identifies and removes obstacles standing between employees and their goals. We must stay close to our staffs in order to understand their frustrations and the obstacles they are trying to get beyond. Find creative ways to help them. A person who can help remove obstacles to effective ministry will become both very popular and a valuable part of a church staff.

• Be a stabilizing influence on the staff. As church staffs become a colorful collection of varying personality types, ages, and generational values, we can serve as agents of grace, stability, and encouragement to staffs. We can be a positive force, bringing people together, building cohesiveness, and keeping the focus on the big picture. We often are looked upon as the seasoned professional who has “been there before.” Use this to bring a sense of calm.

Third, we should look for ways to increase our value to senior pastors. In many churches, the relationship between the administrator and the senior pastor already is a close one. The two typically work closely and cooperatively together. There is a collegiality needed that goes beyond the pastor’s relationships with other staff members. Yet even in that unique dynamic, we can increase our service and our value to the lead pastor:

• Assume unwanted responsibilities. Look for responsibilities that the pastor dislikes or struggles to accomplish. Most pastors love to preach, but as George Barna says, “Leadership, for most pastors, is just one of those unfortunate duties they must endure as part of the deal that allows them to do that which really turns them on—preaching and teaching.” Look for the things that crowd the pastor’s schedule, the things that drain his or her energy, the things that they wish they could avoid. What can you pick up? Consider things like organizing staff agendas, scheduling baptisms and baby dedications, meeting with parents, tracking hospital calls, and recognizing birthdays. Regularly converse with the pastor, asking what can be done to relieve their schedule.

• Become a planner. Most pastors are not planners. They value those who can help with planning in the short term and the long term. Be proactive in planning future events, setting goals, and tracking goal achievement. Maintain a calendar and help keep the pastor ahead of the planning curve so that he or she looks good to the staff and board.

• Anticipate change and prepare for it. Change is difficult to manage, as evidenced by the hundreds of books written about how to successfully manage change. When a ministry transition is coming, be proactive and map out the steps required for successful implementation. Again, most pastors appreciate help with planning.

• Understand the pastor’s vision. Pastors are challenged by getting the staff to understand and coalesce around the vision. Pastors sometimes wonder, “Does anybody get it?” We should sit down with our pastor and express our desire to be one of their greatest advocates in casting vision and encouraging buy-in. We must get to know how they feel and think so that we can accurately support them among staff and church members.

• Make your pastor successful. Every leader values someone committed to their success. The role of a church administrator is largely to steer the ship in the direction set out by the pastor. It is a supportive role. Be loyal to a fault. When the pastor clearly understands that our goal is to ensure the successful execution of their vision, our value exponentially increases.

• Ask for a performance review. We need to understand the pastor’s expectations for us and our position. How can we hit a bullseye that we cannot see? A review of some kind will help us to see our performance through our pastor’s eyes. Get a clear understanding of expectations and then commit yourself to go beyond.

Finally, work to keep growing personally and professionally. A person who is a learner, who is inquisitive about new ideas and new ministry trends, ways to innovate, and ways to accomplish goals creatively will be very valuable to any church. We cannot afford to stagnate in our professional lives, and perhaps even more importantly, our spiritual lives. We must grow closer to Christ so that our journey of faith grows in its influence on the world around us. Here are some ideas:

• Stay productive, work hard, and seek fulfillment. Set clear goals, put in good hours, make progress, and recognize your own quality efforts. Be positive, and be emotionally, spiritually, and relationally healthy.

• Evaluate your situation. What are your options? Can you take a salary reduction? Can you afford to work less hours? Can you take fewer benefits? We should be prepared for a variety of scenarios where we might be able to make personal sacrifices or adjustments in the short run to maintain the viability of our position.

• Network with others. It helps to widen our perspectives by understanding what’s going on in other churches. Our situation is probably not unique. Networking can help us emotionally and professionally by exposing us to other possibilities.

• Make a great contribution. No matter what might happen, the church is still the bride of Christ, and the local church is the expression of that relationship. Regardless of what happens in society, or how our church decides to deal with financial pressures, we can work every day for the accomplishment of God’s glory through the church.

How to Handle Disruptive People

Does a church have a legal right to keep people from accessing its property or attending services? For example, let's say that a church has an encounter with a disruptive person, and asks him not to return. What if he shows up again the next week? How should ushers respond?

This issue has been addressed by a number of courts. Generally, the courts have been sympathetic to attempts by churches to deny access to disruptive individuals. To illustrate, one court ruled that a church could bar a disruptive individual from entering its premises. It noted that the person had been clearly informed and understood that his privilege to attend the church had been revoked. The court rejected the person's claim that a church is a public place that cannot deny access to anyone. To the contrary, a church, like any property owner, has the right to determine who can access its premises.

Let me mention another case in which a court ruled that a church could prevent a disruptive person from accessing its property. The person had disrupted church services, and harassed members, in the past. A court issued an order prohibiting the person from coming within 200 yards of the church. This order was upheld by a state appeals court, which found it to be a reasonable limitation on socially unacceptable behavior. Such cases demonstrate that the civil courts will assist churches in keeping disruptive individuals away by issuing appropriate orders. This obviously is a last resort, but it is one that is available in dealing with persons who will not behave appropriately.

You can learn more about how to handle people who disrupt your services or pose a potential threat to the safety of your church members in a new ChurchSafety.com download titled, “Dealing with Dangerous People.”

How has your church handled a disruptive person in the past? How is your church challenged by this issue?

Responding to Drop-In Visitors

Most church office staff interact with a large number of drop-in visitors. These are often congregational members who come to the church for a specific reason, but then end up in the church office. These conversations can be helpful in building relationships, but sometimes they can prevent the staff from getting work done. This case study examines that concern. Read the following case study and respond in the "comments" section on this blog.

Stacy is working on a mailing for the Sunday School staff. During the last 35 minutes, at least 3 congregational members have dropped in the office, and one elderly member of the congregation phoned. In each case, the members chatted for a few minutes about this and that, nothing really important. The elderly person calls on a regular basis, and just likes to visit.

Stacy wants to be sensitive to congregational members, but is unsure how to minimize visits when she has other work that needs to be done. What would you suggest?

Using Routines to Organize Your Work

Every so often, we should examine the relationship between how we organize our work and how effective we are at getting our work done in an efficient and effective manner. Clearly, many ways exist to organize work, but they are not all equal. Some ways may actually add to our stress and make our work more difficult. Read the following case study and respond in the comments section on this blog.

Stacy arrives at the church office each morning around 8:30 A.M. She usually follows a routine of turning on the copy machine, making some coffee, checking her e-mail and reviewing her to-do list for the day. Often, though, she feels disorganized. It's not long before people are starting to drop by, the phone is ringing, and she finds herself continuously getting up and down
to get this or that.

What can Stacy do to better organize her time, her work, and herself? What routines do you follow that help you get your work done better? Do you have a morning routine, an afternoon routine, a daily, weekly, or monthly routine?