Are you doing background checks as part of your recruitment process? Ideally, you will be recruiting Bible teachers who are spiritually mature and who appear to be walking in the Spirit. The Apostle Paul said, “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). You might ask . . .
Don’t background checks demonstrate a lack of trust in those who appear to be godly people?
- First, remember that Scripture is clear that there could be wolves in sheep’s clothing in our midst (Matt. 7:15).
- Second, some very godly people have fallen. King David of the Old Testament, known as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), had moral failings.
- And third, even God takes our human frailties into consideration (Ps. 103:11-14).
If background checks are standard for all teachers, you are not singling out any individual.
The Benefits of Background Checks:
1) Background checks let parents know you take safety seriously.
This is a must in today’s world. If parents feel insecure about who is with their kids, they might look for a different church.
2) Background checks provide some protection for your church’s testimony and legally in regard to liability should something happen.
Suppose you did have one of those “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who was a child molester Even a background check might not reveal this person’s intent. But, wouldn’t it be better for testimony’s sake to be able to say you at least did do a background check on the person but nothing on it indicated any problems?
3) Background checks let your teachers know you take safety seriously before they are even recruited.
Then, when you provide teacher training on classroom safety issues, they will already know it matters in your church.
If you struggle with background checks and other safety measures demonstrating a lack of trust in God, read this article:
Safety Measures in the Church: Trust God or Take Precautions?
I’ve been ask to turn in a back ground check at church, to teach a bible study. I can pass one with no issues but I’m not going to as a matter fact I’m probably going to leave the church after 1 1/2 years. Paul would have never passed a back ground check, he was a murderer of 100s of Christians. Yet was found Worthy to teach God’s word from Jesus himself. You may say you should test those Among us as the bible says. I think that’s a Misinterpretation of the word. We test by the spirit, not by mans ways . I’ve known lots of men that are now Evangelist and pastors who where very bad people and spent a lot of time in jail and even Prison. So do we use a background check on them? If so they would not be allowed to do Gods will in there lives. So do we tell God no? Do we say we don’t want them to teach? I think this is a form of a Religious spirit.
What about Judas? Jesus knew he was not worthy to be trusted but yet used him to fulfill his will. Jesus also said leave them, those who are goats, and I will Separate them. I think it’s more Dangerous to have a background check cause then you trust that person because of that check. So that will allow them to do harm if that’s what’s in there heart without you being Suspicious. I’ve been stole from and been treated very badly by the ones that would pass this background check pastors and people in the Choir and on staff. But the ones that where once very bad people treated me good. It’s all about the heart, not a background check.
To be sure, Tim, only God truly knows what is in a person’s heart (1 Kings 8:39) and the heart is what most matters to Him (1 Sam. 16:7; Prov. 21:2). We can have what the Word refers to as wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15) in our churches. As you mentioned, we could have unsafe people in our churches who have no record because they haven’t yet been caught or because they haven’t yet offended. So, no, we can’t put our trust in a background check. It’s just a starting point, not the end determinant. It can raise red flags for further inquiry.
Probably one of the biggest reasons for background checks in churches today is the world in which we live. There is a reason they are used today but weren’t in the past. Churches increasingly find themselves under litigation and need to be able to show that they did due diligence. Organizations that serve children and youth have a legal responsibility to protect them. Even more than a legal obligation should be a desire to keep them safe because “love always protects” (1 Cor. 13:7). Background checks are just one means of becoming alert to possible problems. Some churches have gone beyond just doing background checks for those in children and youth ministry to having everyone desirous of teaching or leading doing it. One of the reasons churches require background checks of everyone, in whatever position, is to avoid what could appear like discrimination against some but also so people don’t slip through the cracks should they switch to teaching/leading younger ages. If you haven’t already done so, perhaps you might want to sit down with your church’s leadership to learn their reasoning.
While we aren’t to be conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2), we are to “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). Further, since safety is really important to today’s generation, doing background checks could very well fall under that category of what the Apostle Paul pursued in becoming “all things to all people” so as to reach everyone possible (1 Cor. 9:19-23). Again, our motivation shouldn’t merely be conformity but love because “love always protects” (1 Cor. 13:7).
Obviously we can’t find Scripture that talks about doing background checks but neither do we find specific Scripture disallowing it. It’s an area we need to draw conclusions about by looking at the whole of Scripture. And, as with anything we do, if used, HOW they are used is what’s most important.
Before leaving the church because of this issue, try to look at it from all angles. You certainly provided some valid points in what you wrote. If used properly, however, negative results in background checks don’t have disqualify people from ministry. It depends on the nature of the offence and the position the person gets placed into. (i.e., Churches cannot put known sex offenders in children’s or youth ministry without liability.) If you haven’t already done so, perhaps you might want to sit down with your church’s leadership and ask how they would handle negative results in background checks.
I don’t know if you read the article linked at the bottom of this post, Safety Measures in the Church: Trust God or Take Precautions?, but would encourage you to do so and to prayerfully reflect on some of the points in that post as well as this post.
I believe you’re right on target. Remember all, Christ Blood was sufficient for all sin any thing less is against what his death and resurrection stands for! He does tell us to be vigilant watch out for the evil one but there are ways to do this without stepping on sinners rights.
Thanks for these thoughts, Robert McQuiston. I often think of how Jesus, when tempted, refused to put God to the test, so there is a sense in which we take precautions. But, as in anything we do, it should be motivated by, undergirded by, and guided by love. (Matt. 22:37-40; 1 Cor. 13)