UNITED STATES
World

By DICK PETERSON
Posted Aug. 2, 2014

Seven years ago, when a new member to Crossroads Community Church in Summerville, S.C., self-identified as a registered child sex offender, the pastor and elders saw it as a God-ordained call to action to examine their church policies to protect children. That new member steered clear of children in the church, but the church leadership wanted to ensure those working with children didn’t haven’t any wrong intentions.

“Many pastors fear volunteer child workers quitting because they are required to do training and background checks,” said David Branton, an elder and AWANA International board chairman. “But most teachers of children are dedicated workers who put children first. To be asked to do something that might protect a child shouldn’t be a problem.”