Update on Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Benjamin Kreps:
Hey everyone and welcome to the Mark Prater podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of churches with our Executive Director. Hey Mark. How are you doing?
Mark Prater:
I'm doing well, Ben. You're not where you typically are when we record this podcast. I see our friend, Kyle Huber with you. What are you doing?
Benjamin Kreps:
Legend. Hashtag legend.
Mark Prater:
That's right. Yeah Exactly.
Benjamin Kreps:
Well you can tell my tan is on point and so I'm at the beach staying at the Huber's house and enjoying how they've opened their hearts and their home to my family and we're having a great time. But I'm here with Kyle so we all get to talk.
Mark Prater:
That's great. Kyle, thanks for joining us.
Kyle Huber:
Ah, it's my pleasure.
Benjamin Kreps:
So in 2019 we happily, and I think really it will strengthen us, formed the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct and that committee was formed and has been doing good work. They've been hard at work. Refresh our guys about what this committee is.
Mark Prater:
Yeah, it was a wonderful moment in August of 2019 when the Sovereign Grace Churches Council of Elders, not only happily, but unanimously approved a plan that included establishing a national committee along with our other national committees, entitled the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct. And it's important to get the name right. We had, at least in some proposals, thought about the "response committee for sexual abuse” just to help our churches navigate any difficult situations, including alleged abuse allegations in their church or actual abuse that occurred in their church. But we went with "sexual misconduct" language because we were getting counsel at the time that that is actually the trend where state laws are headed. So "sexual misconduct" is a little broader term that not only includes peer on peer abuse or child abuse, but it also includes sexual harassment in the workplace, for example.
So, we established that committee with that broader definition. And it was in August of 2019, the committee was approved. And then in the fall, November of 2019, the initial members of the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct were voted on and affirmed by our Council of Elders. And then just this past fall, November 2020, we added an additional member. So it's now six members: Kyle Huber obviously is on the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct, Aaron Mayfield, who chairs that committee, Josh Murphy, Larry Malament, Steve Bice and Derek Overstreet. And since that committee was established those men have been going through some training, offered by Ministry Safe that we want to hear a little bit more about from Kyle, but they've also been just at work, serving our churches, being a source of counsel for our pastors. And I just thank God that our Council of Elders established this committee and that we have it as a standing committee that communicates that we as churches, we are intentional in building safe churches. That's a part of what this committee is about. So thank you, Kyle, for serving on this committee. We thank God for you and the other men.
Benjamin Kreps:
That's right. And recently, Kyle, you went to a retreat with Ministry Safe along with the rest of the guys on the committee where you were being trained and strengthened in your role on the committee. So could you share with us a little bit about that retreat?
Kyle Huber:
Thank you. It's just a privilege to be with you men. And it's an honor to be on this committee because we love our churches and we love to have the opportunity to serve them. So we, as a committee are in constant training, being refreshed, trying to expand our understanding of how we help churches protect themselves, develop policy. And how do we engage with pastors and leaders even when they come across members of the church who have gone through abuse and they're trying to bring care for these members and serve them? So we're able to speak with them and give some guidance and help to them. So in something that is difficult to face, we're glad that we're able as a family churches to do this together.
Benjamin Kreps:
Yeah, hmmm. So what was that retreat like? What happened at the retreat?
Kyle Huber:
It was a good time just for us to be face to face as committee members because we're meeting on Zoom throughout the year, but what stands out most of all is the expertise of the staff at Ministry Safe. We've worked with them a lot, but each time you're with them, you're impressed with how much they know, how much they care. It was a time of great value of just talking through in depth, different aspects of church ministry and church life, like small group settings, and how we help our churches navigate those types of settings and not just the Sunday morning service.
Mark Prater:
That's wonderful. Thank you for making the time and just growing in your knowledge because that really does serve our churches. Kyle, you're on this podcast and we're so glad that you're doing what you're doing on behalf of the committee. What would you want to communicate to our guys? I think especially in the area of the training that's available to them.
Kyle Huber:
I would say two things, first that our committee is available for guys to call. We are glad to take calls and talk you through any situation or any questions you have. But also in commending the Leadership Team in making every level of Ministry Safe training free for anyone in a Sovereign Grace Church. The training is exceptional. We encourage every church to look at who should go through training, particularly on leadership teams. And not only will it equip you as pastors in dealing with this specific area, it will expand your pastoral heart for people who have been burned. I know it's done that for me. I preach differently, through what I've learned, and better understand the burdens that people are carrying.
Mark Prater:
That's wonderful. That's wonderful. Well, thank you for the ways that you're serving our churches. It strengthens our churches. It also strengthens our polity in the sense that establishing this committee was really a decision that came after another decision by our Council of Elders: that any suspicion of abuse or actual abuse, or reports of abuse, they must be reported to authorities regardless if state law requires it or not, must be reported according to our Book of Church Order. So one of the things that the committee does, Kyle's committee does, is to make sure that the pastors in our churches are following the Book of Church Order. I think most of our guys know that, but there's a committee that's walking alongside of them as they navigate issues in their church. And as Kyle said, I'm so grateful for helping our pastors care for those who have experienced abuse, because we have more people in our churches, I think probably at any church in evangelicalism that has some sort of history or knows of someone, and helping them navigate that requires a specific kind of pastoral care. So thank you, Kyle, for how you've been trained, for the guys in the committee, and now you're helping our churches. We thank God for you.
Kyle Huber:
Glad to do so.
Benjamin Kreps:
Yeah. And we thank God for the whole committee: thanks guys to the whole committee for taking time away from your church and families and sacrificing in your schedule in order to be better strengthened to serve our family of churches.
He made it through the podcast without crying.
Mark Prater:
All right!
Benjamin Kreps:
I mean, it might be a miracle. (Laughter)
Thank you everyone for watching and we'll see you here next week, Lord willing. Bye for now.