This year unfortunately has been marked by a number of high-profile scandals involving churches and ministries, both locally and nationally.
“It goes without saying that a spiritual leader’s moral, financial, sexual or other sin can have a significant and often devastating impact on the church or ministry,” author Phil Cooke says. ”Aside from the theological and scriptural implications, a significant trust issue is involved, and in many cases, one or more victims.”
Crises by nature are unpredictable. However, Christian leaders can plan ahead to be ready if a situation arises. Cooke recommends taking the following steps.
First, prepare for a crisis ahead of time. Research shows that organizations that have a crisis plan recover much more quickly (and with less cost) than those that don’t. And don’t think a crisis can’t happen to you. In today’s complex, Internet-driven world, the chances your church or ministry will have problems have only increased. With the advent of social media, someone on your team has a greater opportunity to post something inappropriate or say something they probably will regret. And don’t forget that the minute you get upset at someone, chances are someone is recording the incident on their phone. Pray and hope for the best, but always have a plan in case something goes wrong.
Christian journalism needs your support now. Don’t wait.
Second, know your risk for liability. Accidents and lawsuits happen, and a good insurance policy literally can save the church. Because there is such a wide range of potential crisis situations, you don’t want to bring the entire church down because of legal expenses. Particularly in the case of physical accidents on church property, financial mismanagement or other liability issues, good insurance policies could save the day So talk to your insurance agent as well as your attorney and make sure you’re covered for these types of situations.
Third, if your church is part of a denomination or network, become familiar with those resources. There is often a wide range of information, expertise and resources available, and access to those assets can make a dramatic difference in the outcome. In the event of any crisis, be ready for criticism of all kinds, because even some Christians, inexperienced in these matters, will criticize a crisis plan as not being spiritual or trying to manipulate the truth. But it’s not about manipulation, it’s about being honest. It’s not about contriving a story, it’s about revealing the truth. However, it needs to be handled appropriately so more lives aren’t damaged and the church doesn’t suffer even more.
“Without the proper response, negative press coverage, social media criticism and word of mouth can destroy an otherwise great church or ministry,” Cooke said. “And that’s an important point. You don’t want a victim’s life destroyed or a great work undermined because of the thoughtless, inappropriate or abusive actions of one person.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice