The Tragedy of Reliance on Regulation
The tragedy of over-regulation
In many British churches there has been a growing concern, resulting from the abuses committed by a few prominent Christians, that have brought churches of all denominations into disrepute. The answer in many circles is to increase checks, rules and safeguards. Christians are advised that they should only talk to people about Jesus or the Bible in public places, they must do everything in pairs and not give individuals lifts in cars – just in case. In some cases these safeguards have become so strong that they have resulted in spiritual inertia and stagnation. ‘Don’t do this’ and ‘don’t do that’ can easily become the prevailing way of thinking. People dare not talk about Jesus in case they upset someone or are accused of something. What a disaster this has become for the gospel. Many Christians are now scared to talk about Jesus and the gospel, either at work or even with friends, some even think this is wrong! People urgently need to be encouraged with God’s priorities given in Scripture and taught how to speak about Jesus wisely. Everyone needs to be reminded that our real judge is the Lord and that we must therefore do everything we can to keep honouring him. The church that takes risks is always the one that grows, but we must keep being reminded that we must all be careful to behave in a godly manner.
We must do all we can to prevent people abusing positions of authority but we should keep questioning if what we are doing at present is optimal. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) was introduced in the UK in 2012, replacing the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). Churches have been using background checks since the CRB was established in 2002, meaning they have had over 23 years of safeguarding checks in place. DBS is now used diligently by most churches to check that those working with children and vulnerable adults do not have a criminal record that would make them unsuitable, yet scandals are still occuring. DBS checks for volunteers, but churches may pay £18–£38 per check for paid staff. However, administration costs can occur if churches use umbrella bodies (third-party agencies), which may charge £5–£15 per application for processing, even for free volunteer checks. The cumulative UK-wide spending (from government, employers, and organizations) since inception of the DBS/CRB checks is likely over £1 billion. For churches, exact figures aren’t published, but across thousands of UK churches, even minimal admin costs per volunteer can add up to hundreds of thousands per year sector-wide.
Of course it is right and sensible to protect children and vulnerable people in our churches, but have we have achieved the right balance? Each DBS check costs money yet surprisingly there is no publicly available data detailing how effective this system is and how often individuals that churches have asked to be vetted have been identified as a risk. It is likely that the cost benefit of these searches to churches are minimal. The DBS says it does not break down its statistics by specific sectors or organizations. Some churches have become almost obsessive over insisting that anyone doing anything in church groups must be DBS checked. The concern seems to be more about showing an awareness of safeguarding than encouraging as many people as possible to help others. Insisting on having a DBS check can be a deterrent to service and we do want many volunteers to help in holiday clubs and the like. Working closely with others in teams is an excellent protection and this is usually what happens in Christian groups.
This reliance on bureaucracy must be the most ineffective way of ensuring good work is being done in church groups. It is not that these are wrong but it is surely a wrong emphasis, surely it is more important to make sure reliable references are asked for. How much more effective it would be to keep reminding people that it is the Lord who sees all we do and that how we behave affects how people see our Lord. The important thing is to ensure that the real purpose of the church is being maintained.
The Bible has so much to say about the need for all Christians to find ways to talk about their Lord and Saviour. This theme has been expanded in my book, ‘The Duty of a Disciple.’ All church leaders should model this longing that others find Christ.
There are many similar problems that a church minister/elder needs to be able to cope with and yet keep the church being effective for Christ. If any of the ministries in the church are not working well, it is ultimately the elders who are responsible. Passivity is not the answer, reliance on rules and regulations is not the answer either. A firm winsome godly leadership that repeatedly reminds people that all we do is seen by the Lord is not only necessary but will be welcomed.
