August 17, 2016
As a ministry leader, you should understand the legal risks associated with pastoral counseling, and how you can protect your organization and staff against allegations of sexual misconduct.
Screen everyone and create guidelines
To help your organization avoid a potential lawsuit, screen everyone who you intend to appoint as a counseling to others. Review their qualifications, check at least two of their references, and verify that the counselor has no record of criminal activity or sexual misconduct.
Put your counseling procedures into writing. Conduct counseling sessions only on church premises when others are present in the building. Ensure that at least one other church leader is aware when the counseling session occurs.
Guard against the development of inappropriate attachments or relationships between the counselor and the counselee. Establish a set number of counseling sessions that a particular counselor can provide to an individual. Instruct counselors to refrain from any speech or physical contact that the counselee or others could construe sexually or romantically. Even hugging could be misunderstood.
Prohibit any pastor or counselor from privately counseling individuals of the opposite gender and make sure that a parent or other adult is present when counseling a minor. Few counselors start out with the intention of committing sexual abuse, so assign accountability partners who regularly check with counselors to see if they are struggling with any problems.
Keep records secure and confidential
Counselors should take notes during all counseling sessions—documenting the duration and time of the appointment, who was present, and any topics covered during the session. Document all one-on-one contact with people who are currently in counseling or who have been in counseling previously. Secure all notes and records relating to counseling sessions and keep them strictly confidential.
For Timothy Roddy, sales executive at Bitner Henry Insurance Group, building the Kingdom is as much a part of his life as breathing oxygen or eating breakfast. It isn’t a switch he turns on and off, but a habit embedded in his daily routines—both in his career and in his personal activities.
Most ministry leaders don’t realize there is funding available to non-profit employers including churches, schools, colleges, and camps. This post includes some highlights about the credit and guidance on where to start to see if your ministry is eligible.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Though child abuse may not be something you could ever imagine happening within your ministry, sexual abuse of a minor is one of the top five reasons churches end up in court, according to Church Law & Tax. Studies also show that a child is much more likely to be sexually abused by a trusted adult than a stranger.
Did you know that the precious metal Rhodium is more than 10 times more valuable than gold? It has increased from $650 an ounce in 2015 to $22,000 an ounce in 2021.
As temperatures plummet, the risk of freezing pipes soars. Frozen pipes can cause costly messes that could also put your ministry on hold while you clean up.
Preparing for this Christmas season may require additional creativity, due to the uncertainty of what COVID-19 may bring in our local community.
A mid-November deadline in the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) bankruptcy proceedings may have you wondering what the organization’s bankruptcy filing means for your ministry if you ever hosted or chartered Boy Scout Troops.
Organizations that obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding through the CARES Act can have their loans forgiven, turning them into grants. To qualify, each borrower must file a forgiveness application with its PPP lender, proving that it followed the rules. If your church, school, college, or camp meets all the criteria, 100% of its loan can be forgiven.
Please allow us to introduce our team at American Church Group of Minnesota! We have three ministry insurance agents in the state. Here’s a little bit of information about each of them.
Not only can summer heat be uncomfortable, but it can also pose a threat to your health. The heat can be especially dangerous for the elderly and for infants. Regardless of your age, don’t let the summer heat get the best of you!
Learn about the CARES Act and two loans for which ministries may be eligible, since Congress authorized additional funding April 23.
As concern over the dangers associated with the spread of a new coronavirus, COVID-19, spreads, our agency and Brotherhood Mutual want to keep you informed and provide best practices for managing the spread of this and similar illnesses at your ministry.
The first Sunday in February is a big day for sports fans. In fact, many Americans view Super Bowl Sunday as a national holiday. Friends and families will gather this year to watch the big game, enjoy delicious snacks, and of course, critique the commercials that go along with game day.
Recently, we learned about two major overseas incidents involving pastors on mission trips. The first incident involved a pastor being hit by a motorcycle while running. The second was a bus accident involving two pastors. The runner and one of the two bus passengers sustained extensive injuries.
Last month, the IRS announced that its initiating hundreds of church exams to test compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While many provisions only apply to churches with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), even smaller churches could potentially violate provisions applicable to health benefit plans with as few as 2 plan participants.
July 4th is synonymous with food, fun, and fireworks. If your church is planning an event this Independence Day, remember to keep a focus on safety, so that everyone can have fun.
National Insurance Awareness Day falls on June 28 this year to remind people everywhere that insurance is vital to their companies and ministries.
Do you use commercial vehicles that transport more than 15 passengers or carry cargo from one state to another as part of your ministry? If so, you are required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and obtain a USDOT number.
The Centers for Disease Control says 107 cases of measles have been reported in 21 states since January 1.
The National Safety Council has designated June as National Safety Month, so we want to make sure your ministry is doing everything it can to protect its people, property, and programs. Each week in June, we’ll tackle a different topic. Up this week: Emergency Preparedness.