Child molesters in church?

[menageriekeeper]

ReformedBeliever, how is your daughter doing today?

 

[El_Guero]

Reformed

Just lifting you and your family up in prayer.

 

[Gina B]

I agree that the perp should be punished to the full extent of the law.

But should we bar people coming to church that are sinners?
Do we tell someone that has been convicted of Child molestation that they cannot come to church?

Let's just forget that Christ died for everyone.

Yes the victim should be protected. But we are forgetting that this teen hasn't even been convicted yet.

Just suppose someone accused you, and before you had a chance for it to come to trial, your church kicked you out.

BTW, let's just kick all sinners out of church... We don't neet them there.
Then we can truly worship God and feel good at the same time.. knowing everyone worshiping with us is as perfect as we are!

There are ways of protecting the victims, while still ministering to the sinners.

Christ did.

El Guero, I understand you were trying to do a good thing, but as the family asked these questions, I assume they want to hear everyone's ideas on them.

Tiny Tim, again, church is not for the unsaved. This is a wolf being let in. Yes, we bar attacking wolves from the sheep.
As concerns "just making an accusation", when it comes to such a situation, yes, that should be possible. A Christian should understand the job of the church, and be willing to remove him/herself from it while an investigation over his/her actions takes place.

Yes, we tell people convicted of child molestation that they cannot come to church, if their victim is at that church. If they were truly repentent, they wouldn't put themselves in the vicinity of the victim and cause that person even more pain and frustration. If their victim is not in the church, then you have another situation. At that time the child molestor should openly admit what they have done, and put themself under the safety guidelines every church should have set up in order to help keep their members safe. This would include measure such as not being in a position of authority, not being alone with people, etc..

 

[reformedbeliever]

My daughter is home from the hospital, but still very sick. She has viral meningitis... which is the less dangerous of the two. Bacterial is the one that is fatal a lot of the time. She is so sick. She is still having terrible headaches and nausea. We are taking her to see the doc tomorrow. I think she may have been released too soon. She is going to be ok from what happened with this girl at our church. We will never go back there. The perp is in very serious trouble with the parents of the children who were hurt in the auto accident. I understand that they have attorneys. We just want this past us. This has so affected our lives. We will very well look into relocating. If this girl only knew how adversly this has affected our lives. My wife has a fantastic job where we are now. I'm looking at starting a new church... and can do that about anywhere. I know that God is in control and He will use this for the better. Its just hard to understand His providence sometimes....... especially when you are in the storms of life. Thanks for your prayers. Please keep her lifted up... and I suppose we could use one or two. Grace and peace

 

[menageriekeeper]

Poor thing. I hope she continues to improve. Menegitis is a nasty thing.

As for the rest, I hope you will give things some time before you make any drastic changes (other than changing churches of course). You don't want your daughter to feel as if you are ashamed of her over what happened. Taking her from her support group of friends may very well leave that impression.

I'll keep your family in my prayers.

 

[gmy]

I'm sorry for what you have went though :tear:
I think you should take this before David Gibbs, he is with the Christian Law Association and might be able to help.
If you send me a private message I'll get you the link to the Christian Law Association web site. I will be keeping you in my prayers.raying:

In my opinion, I would not go to this Association. The advice is unscriptural--"at all costs we must protect the ministry." Hogwash!!! GO TO THE POLICE. This is a CRIMINAL ACT. These kind of issues MUST be taken seriously and purged from the church.

 

[MorganT]

I would contact the SBC and report this Pastor for not doing his job and have him looked at. I dont know the whole story, however this Pastor is certainly not doing his job if he has not contacted your family and tried to council on both sides. You should go straight to the Elders of this congregation and have a talk with them about his conduct. If he was doing Gods will in this matter he would be diligent about this matter, I can only image the rumors floating around this congregation. I pray that this matter is resolved on both sides of the fence, there are souls involved that NEED to belong to Jesus.

 

[AresMan]

In my opinion, I would not go to this Association. The advice is unscriptural--"at all costs we must protect the ministry." Hogwash!!! GO TO THE POLICE. This is a CRIMINAL ACT. These kind of issues MUST be taken seriously and purged from the church.

How do you know you are not reading too much into this statement? I don't think they mean "protect the image of a particular institution from public exposure of its wrongdoing." I think they mean "protect the rights of the ministry (in general) from the abuse of the government" and "protect the purity of the ministry (2 Cor 6:3)."

 

[EdSutton]

How do you know you are not reading too much into this statement? I don't think they mean "protect the image of a particular institution from public exposure of its wrongdoing." I think they mean "protect the rights of the ministry (in general) from the abuse of the government" and "protect the purity of the ministry (2 Cor 6:3)."

Just now decided to read this thread, as it seems to stay near the top of the page.
Reformed believer, I definitely would check with some Christain Attorneys, whether or not this is the Christian Law Association, or another such organization. My personal opinion is this needs to be 'investigated', as to options, by one of that persuasion. Not just any attorney, but one from this perspective. Praying for you, here. In the meantime, as to that church, and until this situation is resolved for one way or another, as we might say here in the hills of KY, "Get the hell out!" And stay out, at least, until it's fixed! (I'm tempted to say, stay out permanently.) Because, for whatever reason, this is a 'black hell-hole', at least where your daughter is concerned! And it will keep on sucking more and more into it, from all sides including innocent individuals both youth and adult, as well as otherwise, until it get fixed.

Ed

 

[EdSutton]

In my opinion, I would not go to this Association. The advice is unscriptural--"at all costs we must protect the ministry." Hogwash!!! GO TO THE POLICE. This is a CRIMINAL ACT. These kind of issues MUST be taken seriously and purged from the church.

Welcome to the BB. I noticed you 'joined' two years ago, and this is just your first post. Interesting the thread you first spoke on, after two years. "Curious!", as Spock might have said.

In His grace,
Ed