ALABAMA
AL.com
By Kay Campbell | kcampbell@al.com
on February 07, 2014
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – How can a congregation survive the arrest of one of its ministers on charges of child sexual abuse? And how can it prevent something like that from happening? Only through rapid response, open communication, humble re-assessment of its child safety policies — and faith, say local experts.
The recent arrest in Muscle Shoals of two ministers has prompted religious leaders and parents across North Alabama to ask those questions.
Join the waiting list for the next free, half-day seminar offered by the National Child Advocacy Center, “Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Youth-Serving Organizations, at NationalCAC.org or call 256-533-5437. The seminar being offered by the NCAC on Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 8:30 a.m. until noon is full.
Sure, open communication is key, says Pastor Brian Mayfield, lead pastor at The Brook Church in Madison, but that doesn’t mean that he, as a pastor and a parent, doesn’t resent the necessity of initiating that kind of conversation.
“This kind of situation will rip a church apart – or pull it together,” said Mayfield, who dealt with the aftermath of sexual abuse as a pastoral intern when a member of his youth group came forward with allegations of abuse by a former pastor. “In a situation like that, parents have to figure out how to have a conversation that no one should have to have with their children.”
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