Church Staff is More Likely to Molest a Child Than You Are to Experience an Active Shooter
Everything you will need to teach your staff and volunteers on preventing child sexual assault in the church is included in this article.
This is an important topic. I’ve included, below, everything you will need to hold a training session for your staff and volunteers on preventing child sexual assault.
Read the Article, or Watch the Video Below
I. The Reality Churches Don’t Want to Face
Churches love to talk about security. Active shooter training, emergency drills, and lock-down procedures get plenty of attention. But here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud: a staff member at your church is far more likely to molest a child than an active shooter is to walk through your doors. That statement makes people uncomfortable—but discomfort doesn’t make it false.
For over a year, I’ve tracked crimes against churches across America, and while property crime is the most common offense, when you take that out of the equation, sex crimes against children rise to the top. This isn’t speculation—it’s reality. Just last week, here are some of the cases that came to light:
Colorado Pastor Arrested on Child Sex Assault Charges (Source)
Church Volunteer in Florida Arrested for Molestation (Source)
Alabama Pastor Sued for Grooming and Sexual Abuse (Source)
This is just a single week of church-related sex crimes against children. How many more cases never make it into the news? How many are still buried under secrecy, fear, and cover-ups?
Churches across all denominations—evangelical, Catholic, mainline Protestant—are failing in the one area where they should be strongest: protecting the most vulnerable. Even outside the Christian community, we have LDS and Jewish readers following this blog who are no strangers to the same dangers. This is not a problem confined to any one group—it’s widespread, and it’s being ignored.
The church is supposed to be a place of refuge, yet it has become a predator’s hunting ground. And the worst part? Churches are letting it happen.
II. Why Churches Are a Target for Pedophiles
Predators don’t pick their hunting grounds at random. They go where the victims are, where there’s little oversight, and where they can operate in plain sight without drawing suspicion. Churches check every one of those boxes.
The Perfect Cover for Predators
Pedophiles have always sought positions of trust that give them access to children—coaches, teachers, daycare workers. But churches offer something even more valuable: blind trust. The moment someone steps into a pastoral or leadership role, they are assumed to be good, godly, and beyond question. That assumption is what predators count on.
Blind Trust: Churches assume their leaders are morally upright by default, often discouraging skepticism.
Lack of Oversight: Many churches fail to conduct thorough background checks, and even when they do, enforcement is weak.
Culture of Secrecy: When abuse is discovered, churches often try to handle it internally to protect their reputation.
Mercy Taken Advantage Of: Christians are quick to forgive, but predators exploit that mercy to avoid true accountability.
The Boy Scouts’ Lesson—and the Church’s Refusal to Learn
The Boy Scouts had a similar problem—an environment that attracted pedophiles and allowed them to thrive. But when they were finally forced to confront it, they implemented sweeping reforms that dramatically cut down abuse cases. Churches, on the other hand, have done nothing on a large scale to address this crisis. They still lack strict policies, still resist transparency, and still fail to recognize how deep the problem runs.
Pedophiles aren’t accidentally ending up in churches—they are choosing churches because they know they will find easy access to children and little resistance from leadership. Until churches accept that reality and take action, nothing will change.
III. What the Bible Says About Failing to Protect Children
Scripture is clear: harming a child is one of the gravest sins a person can commit. Yet churches that allow predators to operate in their midst are complicit in that sin.
Matthew 18:6 – “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Jesus didn’t mince words about those who harm children. He declared that such people deserve the harshest judgment imaginable.
Ephesians 5:11 – “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Covering up sexual abuse to protect a church’s reputation is not godly—it is sinful.
James 3:1 – “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Those in leadership have a greater responsibility before God, and churches that protect predators will answer for it.
Too many churches misapply mercy, believing that because an abuser has “repented,” they deserve to be restored to ministry. Nowhere does the Bible support this. Forgiveness does not mean reinstatement to a position of trust. A predator may repent before God, but that doesn’t erase the harm they have caused or remove the risk they pose.
Church leaders who turn a blind eye or enable abuse are engaging in spiritual negligence. They place their institution’s reputation above the safety of the flock, and in doing so, they invite God’s judgment.
IV. How Other Organizations Protect Children (And How Churches Fail)
Churches are not the only organizations where adults have access to children. Schools, sports leagues, and youth organizations also deal with the same risk. The difference? Some churches have strong child protection policies, but many still fall behind.
What Schools and Sports Organizations Get Right
Mandatory Background Checks – Schools and youth sports leagues require criminal background checks before hiring staff or allowing volunteers to work with children.
Abuse Prevention Training – Teachers, coaches, and daycare workers receive training to recognize and report signs of abuse.
Mandatory Reporting Laws – If abuse is suspected, reporting it to law enforcement is required by law—no handling it “internally.”
Strict Two-Adult Supervision Rules – No child is ever left alone with an adult; there must always be another adult present.
What Many Churches Get Wrong
Few or No Background Checks – Some churches don’t screen their pastors, youth leaders, or volunteers at all.
Little to No Training – Many churches provide no abuse prevention education to staff or volunteers.
Failure to Report Abuse – Some churches try to handle abuse “in-house” instead of going straight to law enforcement.
Ignoring the Two-Adult Rule – Some churches still allow children to be alone with an adult, creating easy opportunities for abuse.
Churches that take child safety seriously have strong policies in place. But too many others are still failing in this critical area. If schools and sports organizations can take these precautions, every church should be doing the same.
V. The Boy Scouts’ Model: How They Stopped Abuse
The Boy Scouts of America faced one of the largest child sexual abuse scandals in history. Unlike churches, however, they eventually took serious action to prevent it from happening again. Their approach offers a clear blueprint that churches could—and should—follow.
Key Reforms That Cut Down Abuse
Strict Background Checks – Every leader and volunteer must undergo a rigorous background check before working with children.
Mandatory Child Protection Training – Every adult in leadership is required to complete abuse prevention training before being allowed to serve.
Two-Deep Leadership – No adult is ever alone with a child; there must always be at least two adults present at all times.
Immediate Reporting Policies – If abuse is suspected or reported, it must be immediately turned over to law enforcement—no “handling it internally.”
Accountability Measures – The Boy Scouts created oversight structures to ensure policies were followed, rather than relying on good intentions.
These changes worked. While no system is perfect, the number of abuse cases within the Boy Scouts dropped significantly after implementing these policies. If an organization once plagued by predators could take decisive action, why haven’t churches done the same?
Churches claim to value children, yet too many refuse to implement the very policies that would keep them safe. If churches are serious about protecting their flock, they must stop making excuses and start taking real action.
VI. What Churches Must Do Right Now
The time for half-measures is over. If churches truly care about protecting children, they must take immediate action. Right now, predators know that churches are one of the easiest places to gain access to children. And why wouldn’t they? Many churches still fail to do even the bare minimum to protect their most vulnerable members.
That needs to change—today.
Background Checks on ALL Staff and Volunteers
It seems like common sense, but many churches still don’t require background checks for pastors, youth leaders, or volunteers. Even when they do, they often check once and never follow up.
Every church must conduct criminal background checks on all staff and volunteers.
These checks should be renewed regularly, not just done at the time of hiring.
Churches should go further by screening social media history and past employment records for red flags.
Predators count on churches to skip this step. They know that in too many cases, all they need to do is claim they were “called by God” to work with children, and no one will question them.
Strict Two-Adult Policy
One of the easiest ways to protect children is also one of the most ignored: never allow a child to be alone with an adult.
Every church must implement a two-deep leadership rule, ensuring that no child is ever alone with a single adult.
This rule applies everywhere—Sunday school, youth groups, counseling sessions, and church events.
Schools and scouting programs have enforced this policy for years because it works. Churches, on the other hand, continue to allow situations where abuse can happen behind closed doors. That needs to stop.
Mandatory Abuse Prevention Training
Most churches assume that as long as their staff love Jesus, they will know how to spot a predator. That’s false.
Every staff member and volunteer must receive mandatory training on recognizing and preventing child abuse.
Training must cover:
Grooming behaviors – How predators slowly gain a child’s trust.
Warning signs of abuse – Behavioral changes that indicate a child is in danger.
Proper reporting procedures – What to do when abuse is suspected or reported.
Churches are full of well-meaning people, but good intentions don’t protect children—training does. If you wouldn’t trust an untrained surgeon to operate on your child, why would you trust an untrained church leader to recognize and handle child abuse?
Immediate Reporting of Abuse
For decades, churches have handled abuse internally—and it has led to countless cover-ups, more victims, and untold damage to the body of Christ.
No more secret meetings. No more internal handling. No more giving abusers a “chance to repent.”
All allegations of abuse must be immediately reported to law enforcement.
Church leaders are not investigators. They are not judges. Their job is to protect children, not the church’s reputation.
Zero Tolerance Policy for Abusers
Churches love a good redemption story, but there is no place in ministry for someone who has molested a child.
A convicted sex offender should never be allowed back into a position of trust—no exceptions.
Churches must permanently remove anyone caught abusing a child, regardless of repentance or legal outcomes.
Forgiveness is a personal matter between the abuser and God. Reinstating them to ministry is a completely separate issue.
Stop Protecting the Church’s Reputation Over Children
Churches that cover up abuse are not protecting the name of Christ. They are protecting wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Ephesians 5:11 commands believers to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Jesus made it clear that harming children is one of the worst sins imaginable. (Matthew 18:6)
Any church that buries abuse to protect its reputation is in direct rebellion against God.
Churches must stop pretending this is someone else’s problem. The predators are already in the system. The only question is whether the church will finally stand up and do something about it.
Everything You Need to Conduct Training is Below… For Free
VII. Final Warning: Churches That Ignore This Will Answer to God
The time for silence is over. Churches that refuse to confront sexual abuse are not only enabling predators—they are rebelling against God. Ignoring this issue is a direct violation of biblical commands.
Luke 17:2 – “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.”
Proverbs 31:8-9 – “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
1 Corinthians 5:11-13 – “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
Church leaders who cover up abuse will be held accountable—not just by the law, but by God Himself. If a church refuses to take action, the congregation should demand change. If leadership refuses, it’s time to leave that church.
No more excuses. No more delays. The church must take action now.
Someone had to say this!
The Boy Scouts stumbled with their forthrightness in regard to child abuse incidents. Nevertheless, they came away from the storm with the implementation of new programs and policies that church leaders would be wise to adopt. Several of them are enumerated in the article. Some of the ones that I experienced when my son participated in Scouting, were very forward thinking and pro-active.
Therefore, similarly, I suggest:
1. Every adult leader must be re-certified each year.
2. In Scouting, for each new award level (grade year) Scouts had to have a family youth protection discussion at home. This is the first requirement in the manual. Note that the organization placed emphasis on having the family involved and not leaving it up to a third person who might intentionally or unintentionally shape on minimize the dialogue. I encourage every family to take responsibility for this and communicate their own family values and rules.
3. Background checks (while never perfect) should also be performed on a national level.
4. Under no circumstances is a child to be left with a lone adult (unless it’s the parent/guardian). A child cannot share sleeping quarters with an adult who is not the parent or guardian.
5. Every event needs a designated adult “safety officer,” at a minimum. That adult MUST have been trained.