Teamwork really does make the dream work.
Teams are made up of people in different positions and rolls working towards the same goal. You have coaches, captains, senior players, rookies, debutants, and then, depending on the sport, you’ll have different positions too.
At Safe Ministry Check, we think of your whole church as a Safe Ministry Team; a group of people working together towards the goal of safety for your church. And just like on a sporting team, you play a particular role in achieving the goal of safety.
Members – The Front Line of Defense
If you’re a member of a church and don’t have any formal pastoral responsibility for children or other members, you are one of the integral players on the safe ministry team. You are one of the front lines of defence. While it could be easy to sit back and think that the kids leaders and church staff are taking care of it all, you have the great job of being the eyes on the field. You can spot, report, and express concern for any behaviour you might deem as unsafe. Think about it this way; if every member of your church, including you, were on about keeping people safe and spotting possible abuse, you’re defence will be almost impenetrable.
Training for this role is essential. That’s why on our Culture and Compliance plan, all people at the member level receive their training without any added costs.
Volunteers/Leaders – Skilful Playmakers
If you’re a volunteer or leader, where you have some kind of formal responsibility to care for children and adults who may be vulnerable, then you have a key role within your church’s Safe Ministry team. As those responsible for others, you have the opportunity to get up and close, as well as creating situations for safety to occur. As a leader, you have the ability to find ways to keep your people safe as you spend your time being a safe person and making your ministry a safe place. By your actions and the way you structure your time with other people, you carefully create a culture of safety in your church and ministry.
Supervisors – Trainers
As someone who oversees leaders, you have the great opportunity to train your leaders and work with them to help them create the safe environments and situations that they’re responsible for. You work with different leaders to make sure that the environment they are creating is safe for all people. You are there to support leaders and volunteers as they care for others, and so your role is crucial. Without the proper support, volunteers and leaders may feel out of their depth and not know how to go about particular situations which you can help them navigate.
Elders & Board Members – Coaches
As a board member for your church, you have a duty of care for your whole church, just like a coach oversees the training and care of their team. As board members, you have a responsibility to make sure that your church is implementing safe ministry practises, such as training, screening, and care for all members. And you are the vision and culture setters, helping your church to see the importance of safety and growing a desire within your church for safe ministry.
No matter what position you play in the safe ministry team, you have a goal; to make your church a safe place for all people, including those who are vulnerable. Why not do the training to equip yourself for your position?
Photo by Joshua Allwood on Unsplash