CHURCH BOARD GUIDE TO A CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY


with the status quo while others will react emotionally to the topic of child sexual abuse. Certain members of your church will resist policy changes that do not solicit and include their input. Others will balk at the extra time and inconvenience new policies may require. Imple- menting a prevention program requires a strategy that considers the dynamics and ethos of your church. No one blueprint will work for every congregation.


Levels of Influence Picture your church as three concentric circles. In the center are the people with the most influence, usually clergy and formally recog- nized leaders. Every church also has opinion leaders who have a lot of informal power, even though they may or may not hold a specific office. These leaders may reflect 5 to 10 percent of the congrega- tion’s membership, but they account for 90 percent of the ideas that guide the church. Gaining the support of level one leaders is critical in order to launch a prevention program. In a hierarchical church, where policy flows from the top down, one individual may legiti- mize a program. In a congregational church, where power arises from within the membership, the support of key opinion leaders is vital. Proposing a rationale for the program is insufficient to gain support. Proponents must anticipate concerns, and be able to reduce the fears of these key leaders. Otherwise the program may get started, but it will be difficult to sustain over time. Let’s move to the second and third circles. The second circle represents church employees, ministry leaders,


and volunteer workers. They carry out the main ministries of the church. For any policy to be effective, these individuals must see that it is carried out. Without their support and commitment, the policy will be no more than empty words. These people must be enlisted to support the effort, considered in policy formation, and educated and trained to implement and enact the policies and procedures. In essence, if they are to conduct the mission, they must share the vision. The third circle represents the congregation-at-large: those who pri-


marily attend and participate. These individuals should understand the policies and their support should be solicited. Church unity requires that all policy decisions be implemented in a way that considers the needs of congregational members. Communication is vital to achieve this goal.


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