What Our RCSM Is Up To
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Benjamin Kreps:
Hey everyone. And welcome back to the Mark Prater podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of churches with our Executive Director. Mark, last year, as we continue to work through the past number of years, strengthening our churches, making them safe places, last year at the Council of Elders, a committee was formed, the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct. Can you give us an update about what they've been up to?
Mark Prater:
Yeah, they've been very, very busy and they exist to really serve our pastors and they've been doing some really good work. Maybe the place to start is to remind the guys who are on the committee—that's Kyle Huber, Larry Malament, Aaron Mayfield, who's the chair, Josh Murphy and Derek Overstreet. And, potentially, if the Council of Elders affirms a sixth member, they're wanting to add a sixth member in our Council of Elders meeting in November, the Nominating Committees is going to nominate Steve Bice for that. He would be an addition should the Council of Elders approve that.
Benjamin Kreps:
Nice choice. So what is their work been like over the last year? What can you tell us?
Mark Prater:
Well, they've been doing a number of things. They've been trained and continue to be trained. They were trained back in spring, and they have training at the end of this month. We're utilizing Greg Love and Kimberly Norris at Ministry Safe who have been really helpful in putting this committee together and training them. But they also have been putting together policies, procedures, and resources, and all of that is now available to our pastors on the Church Development website. So if you go to SGCleaders.com/RCSM, you will get to their page. The other way to do is just go to the SGCleaders.com website, click on about, and there is an icon there that you can kick on that would take you to the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct. And they're just have a number of resources.
I really think the website is laid out in a very helpful way. It talks about the committee's role. That's the first part. The second part is the pastor's responsibility. The third part is the next step. So if you've had an accusation in your church, what's the next step to take. And then the fourth category is resources, a number of helpful resources there, I'd really encourage our guys to check out.
Benjamin Kreps:
Great. So what would it look like for all of this to move into action as a local pastor? Can you just give us a brief snapshot about how that would work, interacting with that committee from when it comes to us as local pastors there's in our churches?
Mark Prater:
Yeah. Let's say you walk into your office on a Tuesday morning and you receive an email that has content in it about accusations. What do you do? I think, instinctively, first report to authorities, obviously, and that's required in our Book of Church Order, whether state law requires it or not. And then you want to obviously contact your eldership, the other guys that are on your team.
And then I would say contact the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct. There are situations where pastors, according to the BCO, are required to contact the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct. Those are these three categories: when an elder or former elder is accused or criminally charged with sexual misconduct; secondly, when a church employee or volunteer working with minors is accused or criminally charged with sexual misconduct; and then thirdly, when an elder or former elder is accused of mishandling a case of sexual misconduct. Each of those cases it's required. However, you're invited to contact the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct for any other situation that you might face—when a church member, or an attender, or their child is accused of sexual misconduct, or they're alleging a sexual misconduct. They are just going to be a great resource for you.
And, so, if you go to the website the Church Development website, there's a place to contact them. They list the guys serving, and it says, you can email us here. You just click on here and that will get an email to them. And they'll just begin dialoguing with you about ways that they can help. The thing that the guys in this committee want you to know is they exist to serve our pastors and our churches. And they're providing a unique role, one they're being trained in, that I think will ultimately strengthen our partnership in Sovereign Grace. And so that's why I wanted to dedicate a podcast to this so that our guys are aware of this committee, the work they've been doing, and their availability to serve.
Benjamin Kreps:
I know they've been working a lot of hours and working to serve us before we conclude here. What would you hope to see how this committee will strengthen us as a denomination?
Mark Prater:
Yeah, I think the way that they will strengthen us is it's just another expression of the many steps we've been taken over the last 10 or 11 years to build safe churches. And I think that strengthens our gospel witness for Christ. So when you drop down below sort of that big picture goal, so to speak, these men will walk alongside of you and just help you make sure that every box is being checked, that a pastor is doing everything he can do to respond to accusations in a faithful way that both honors Scripture and honors state law. And I think that kind of service should not encourage our guys and help our guys. I think it will give our members confidence that we're just doing everything that we can do to protect our churches.
Benjamin Kreps:
That is excellent. Thank you guys on that committee for serving us in this way. And thank you, Mark, for your leadership in all of this. I believe on the next episode of the podcast, you're going to be giving us some deep fantasy sleepers and your prediction that the Bears are winning the Super Bowl, if I understand, right?
Mark Prater:
I don't think the Bears are going to win the Super Bowl, but we'll try it.
Benjamin Kreps:
I was misinformed. Thank you, Mark.
Mark Prater:
It all starts tonight, right?
Benjamin Kreps:
That's right. As we're recording this.
Mark Prater:
That’s why you’re sporting the Eagles jersey, right?
Benjamin Kreps:
Pennsylvania, baby. Come on.
Mark Prater:
That's right.
Benjamin Kreps:
Well, thank you, Mark. And thank you everyone for watching. Hopefully this served you and we'll see you here again next week, Lord willing.