PREDATORY PULPITS

The pulpit of American Christianity has lost its luster. Many would argue the decline is due to its embracing worldly influences rather than being the catalyst that changes the world. One glaring concern of the Church is her inability to ensure her leaders are held to the same biblical standards as are members of the laity.

There lies a deep disconnect between what is preached and taught in the Word of God and the expectations of its Biblical Application. One can teach what they are not yet able to live, however one should never teach what they are not willing to live.

American Christianity is veering away from its foundational biblical expectations and it is evidenced by the increased allegations of Christian Leaders being arrested, trialed and found guilty of sexually related crimes against children.

The pulpit is the place where scriptural accountability and biblical application should emanate. Consider the following brief cases and ponder the repercussions of them on the local congregation.

THE CASE AGAINST CHARLES WILLIAM JENKINS

At the time, Charles Williams Jenkins was a 45 year old youth pastor at a local congregation in Colorado Springs, Co. Jenkins, although a current youth pastor, was an already convicted sex offender with four priors at the time of his traffic violation. As he was stopped by local authorities they noticed in his care was a young 15 year old boy. Jenkins told the officers the boy was his nephew. It turned out that Jenkins had met the young man online in a chat room and lured him into a meeting face to face for sexual exchange.

This routine traffic stop is what stopped Jenkins from continuing his quest and taste for innocent young boys. It was discovered that Jenkins, who plead guilty to sexually assaulting a young teen, had a total of 21 prior victims – Yet, the church allowed him to serve as Youth Pastor without prior knowledge or concern regarding his background. Had Charles Jenkins not been stopped for a traffic violation, his sexual escapades would have persisted without any awareness.

THE CASE AGAINST GEORGE CLYATT

George Clyatt, at the age of 46 years old, was the Associate Pastor at Lake Brantley United Brethren Church. He won over the respect and trust of the congregants, especially the youth. In the year previous to his arrest for sex crimes against a 17 year old female, the youth group chose his house for their youth sleepover.

It was during that overnight sleepover that Clyatt molested the young girl. Clyatt was, while serving in the local Brethren congregation, on parole for marijuana trafficking and cocaine possessions for past convictions. Why didn’t the local congregation know this prior to allowing Clyatt access it’s youth?

THE CASE AGAINST JENNIFER MICHELLE BRENNAN

In a rare female case, Jennifer Brennan, at the time – a 37 year old married woman - drew concern by the father and grandmother of a young 15 year old boy. Brennan spent an unusual amount of time with the young boy and explained it as ministry.

Brennan was the 15 year old boy’s youth pastor at the St. Matthias United Methodist Church. She would eventually be convicted of using a communication device to solicit sex from a minor, child neglect and unlawful intercourse with a minor. Not only was the unlawful intercourse a damaging and vile act but the locations were as well, parking lots.

Brennan would take her young church pupil to have sex in her van while parked in the parking lots of Target and Walmart. Brennan was only discovered after the boy told his girlfriend and rumors got back to church leaders who took immediate action. However, the immediate action came after Brennan had already had sexual relations with the boy over 10 times and, on one occasion, in her own home while her husband was away on a business trip.

Could the local congregation have avoided this act from occurring?

THE PROBLEM

Local Congregations are not seriously seeking the safety of their children. Predators know the local congregations are not following the law as it relates to screening prospective adult leaders of its minors. These safety laws have been legislated for a reason but many local congregations ignore them presuming their own ability to manage any ill activity.

One recurring problem is – once a local congregation’s security has been breached by a predator – its initial reaction is to protect the image of its local congregation. Subsequently, the minor is either dissuaded or, in some cases, persuaded to retract their story. Others understand they will never be believed over their adult leader – so they stay silently affected by their predator in mask.

Another hasty reaction is the predator is unceremoniously dismissed. The predator leaves and travels to a new congregation in search of his or her new prey undetected and without warning.

One last hasty reaction to these kinds of crimes is trying to “pay for it all to go away.” The child’s parents receive a lump sum of money or installment payments to never speak on the subject again and the predator is sent away and told never to return. The problem – the predator is still loose and the payments keep the child from receiving the professional help they desperately need.

THE PLAN

I offer three suggestions…

Background Screening – Every church needs to follow the local laws regarding background screening of any adult working within their youth ministries. The screening should be a requirement of all paid staff, parent volunteers or any other lay volunteers.

Mandatory Reporting – Every local congregation needs a chain of command that leads to the highest position in the church as well as an agency outside its congregation. In essence, once an investigation is necessary because of an allegation brought forward, not only should the highest leader of the local congregation be briefed, but – simultaneously – the local authorities should be briefed. The investigation should not be by persons within the local congregation, but should be in cooperation with an outside agency known for handling such cases.

City Wide Database – Congregations need to create a database that protects other local congregations from predators who leave their house of worship, and appear in a new house of worship – as if starting off with a clean slate. When a person applies to work among the youth at a local congregation the current congregation leadership needs to physically speak with the leadership of the former church alongside a few former families with minors who were under that applicant’s authority.

CLOSING

If the local congregation is to be credible – there must be a collective effort to ensure the safety of the next generation of local congregates. Child Predators exist everywhere, but they are often attracted to youth ministries in local congregations because they are cognizant of their ability to breach its defense. In the end, if serious efforts to cease such scandals do not happen quickly – there will be no local congregation to attend because an overwhelming majority will be closed due to law suits awarding victims in the millions and/or membership withdrawal by the score due to shame and embarrassment.