Keeping Kids Safe Ministries

We are a Christ-centered ministry that was researched and developed for two decades before serving our first church. Cofounders Steve Vann and Greg Sporer invested thousands of hours evaluating sex offenders who attended church and studying church sexual abuse research.

Together God has prepared us for this ministry through prayer and by testing church safety programs to discern what really keeps kids safe.

Contact us at 615-631-5075

kksministries@bellsouth.net

What makes our ministry so unique and effective compared to other safety programs?

We go to the source of the problem:

"The Secretive Church Member "

We provide accountability, on-going training, and safety standards for church leaders to protect kids from church sexual abuse
We utilize biblical solutions for dealing with registered offenders in churches
We provide accountability and guidance for church leaders to manage churchgoers at risk for offending

THE MISSION

Providing safety standards with professional accountability for church leaders to protect kids from sex offenders who attend church

Sex offenders are turning to God and attending church

·        Registered offenders attend church to worship and spirituality is part of their recovery

·        Non-convicted offenders are turning to God in desperation to quit their sin before they are discovered

·        Churchgoing men who are in secret sexual sin are going deeper and darker into sin, leading to sexual crimes, followed by shame, guilt, and a temporary return to God

Church Accountability FAQ's

Why accountability?

There are more churchgoers and staff with a history of sexual offending than there are churches
There is a conflict of interest when church leaders and youth volunteers police themselves without accountability

Scroll down for statistics on offenders attending church

How can churches demonstrate accountability?

Sign up to have your church leaders accountable for protecting kids
Demonstrate to your community and congregation that your church is meeting our ministry sexual abuse prevention safety standards

What is a Kidsafe Accountability Coordinator?

The coordinator (church mom or grandmother) will serve as a liaison between Keeping Kids Safe and her church to prevent sexual abuse

What is the role of the Kidsafe Accountability Coordinator?

To identify unsafe situations
Coordinate on-going training
Assist with accountability for church leaders to protect kids from sexual abuse

How do I start the process for my church leaders to be accountable?

Email kksministries@bellsouth.net to notify us of your church leadership's desire for accountability
We will email back to set up a question and answer session with the church leader or church staff

Cofounders Steven Vann and Greg Sporer

We welcome you to our website. Please take your time to browse through each webpage and scroll down to gain a better insight into our unique ministry. We thank God everyday for this ministry because it is God that orchestrated this ministry into being.

If you are interested in serving as a Kidsafe Accountability Coordinator give us a call at 615-631-5075.

We look forward to serving your church and may God bless and keep your kids safe always!

In His service,

Greg and Steve

We provide biblical solutions to deal with sex offenders in our churches, ministries, and missions abroad

It has been a blessing to serve:

Churches in 35 states and 2 countries, Focus on the Family, Trevecca University, Christian Television Network (Bridges), Bledsoe Baptist Association, Christian Chronicle, Christian Post, Associated Baptist Press, ABC Nightly News with Charles Gibson, WSMV Nashville, WMUZ Detroit, Guide One Church Insurance, Brotherhood Church Insurance, and Agape Counseling Center.

How are we funded?

We are a non-profit ministry. Churches always seem to support ministries that are worth supporting. We pay our bills from our monthly support from churches and individuals. We will not turn away any church with budget problems because children need our protection from hidden offenders.

Why are there more hidden sex offenders in churches than churches?

Many sex offenders attend church for spiritual reasons instead of seeking professional help because of the mandated reporting laws
It is typical for offenders to offend on a family member, a neighbor, or a friend of the family and eventually they join a church to try to quit their secret sin
Many hidden registered offenders attend church to worship. They worship in secret because they fear rejection by their congregation

Why are most church sexual abuse prevention programs inadequate?

Church member offenders do not stop offending on kids. Instead, they are passed on to offend again elsewhere
Unfortunately, prevention programs do not deal directly with offenders and the secrecy of the sin prevents true repentance and change
Church leaders are not held to any accountability standards for protecting kids.
90% of all sex offenders have spotless records and they can use their clean background checks to gain positions working with kids

How many offenders in churches?

Our own ministry review of research indicates 1/6 (800,000) of the 5-6 million non-convicted sex offenders are churchgoers with a secret sexual sin with a teen or child. Many of our peers who work daily with offenders report 33%-50% of offenders are churchgoers. We have been told by our peers in the sex offender management field that we are being too conservative and underreporting.

Review of research and probation reports indicate one forth (150,000) of the 600,000 registered offenders attend church and most are doing well (verified by recidivism research). Many are succeeding because of court supervision, treatment, and growing spiritually with accountability.

Statistically, we can say all churches have a secretive churchgoer with a history of sexual sin with a teen or a child. (see research webpage)

As a ministry, we can't make the above statement unless it is true. We are a ministry that is accountable to God, our board of directors, and we refuse to exaggerate statistics to make a point.

There are too many hidden offenders in churches without church leaders being held accountable for managing offenders and protecting kids. We provide bibilical solutions for church leaders to protect kids.

Providing Biblical Solutions for Church Leaders to:

Learn how to use Mathew 18:15 effectively to protect kids
Question boundary violations before it turns into sexual sin
Biblically deal with registered offenders who turn to God and attend church without jeopardizing church safety
Biblically deal with church families who have kids with sexual behavior problems without jeopardizing church safety

How do you manage hidden church sex offenders when you can't see them?

Hidden sex offenders can be managed the same way hospitals manage infection and hidden germs. It is a five-step process.

Utilize experienced professionals
Ongoing training
Accountability procedures
Universal precautions
Reaching out to the source of the problem

How can churches manage hidden

sex offenders?

Utilize experienced professionals: Our ministry staff has years of experience managing sex offenders. We have yet to find a church leader who is comfortable managing hidden sex offenders or registered offenders in their church on their own.

Ongoing training: One or two doses of training a year will not build skills to keep kids safe from hidden sex offenders. Our ongoing training builds skills at avoiding false accusations, decreasing boundary violations and questioning suspicious behaviors. It is too risky for a hidden sex offender to offend on kids with a church skilled in questioning suspicious behaviors.

Accountability requirements for church leaders: Church leaders need accountability requirements to protect kids. Every church will tell their congregation that their kids are safe, but are church kids truly safe? Our ministry has developed safety standards based on church leaders managing sex offenders in their church. Please review our accountability requirements by clicking on our church accountability webpage.

Universal precautions: If there were one church sex offender per 1000 churches, risk management safety programs and background checks would be sufficient. The fact is that there are more churchgoers with a history of a sexual offense with a teen or a child than there are churches. The church must implement safety policies and pro-active offender strategies as if there is a church member or staff member offending on church kids. Churches are a place for sinners and sex offenders are attracted to churches for spiritual help with their secret sin.

Reaching out to the source of the problem: Our ministry has methods for church leaders to reach out directly to hidden offenders. Although many offenders are reachable due to their desire to quit their sin, most churches shy away from dealing directly with offenders out of fear or inexperience.

The Question of the Day!

Would your congregation feel more secure having Keeping Kids Safe Ministries serve your church?

Can individuals support our ministry?

We can not keep kids safe without the support of monthly giving from our ministry partners. Be a ministry partner for $15 a month. Please send your checks to:

Keeping Kids Safe Ministries

PO Box 1288

Smyrna, TN 37167

What is next?

Churches have a choice of preparing now or waiting until the media breaks a story about your church and a hidden church offender who is usually a known member. There are no second chances with sexual abuse for the victim or the congregation.

Please call 615-631-5075 or email kksministries@bellsouth.net to sign up today to start keeping kids safe at your church.