Then [Jesus] took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me….” “If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.”
- Mark 9:36-37, 42
Jesus called his followers to protect children and offered harsh words for anyone who might harm a child. Churches take up the sacred trust of protecting children while nurturing their faith. CBF equips churches to protect youth and children from abuse and respond well if abuse is discovered.
In partnership with Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), CBF offers a robust safeguarding certification. The certifying process includes trained facilitators who teach church leaders and the congregation about the dynamics of abuse and practices of safeguarding children. This program also offers policy development and building assessment to help create a wholistic protection plan. GRACE’s safeguarding certification typically takes 3-4 months with 2 site visits for training.
CBF can also support your church with specialized engagement around:
- Protection policy development;
- Abuse prevention training for leaders / teachers;
- Mandated reporter training;
- Consultation for responding to disclosed/discovered abuse.
For more information on the GRACE safeguarding certification or other abuse prevention support, contact Jay Kieve (jkieve@cbf.net / (803) 767-3456)