Preventing and Responding to Sexual Abuse in the Church
Friday, Nov. 11, Scottsdale, AZ
Safe Church Conference
Friday, Nov. 11, Scottsdale, AZ
Main Sessions Led By Safety Experts
Church Safety Breakouts
Tools & Practical Training
A Conference in Scottsdale, AZ Focused on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Abuse in the Church
Our most critical responsibility as ministry leaders is to reduce the risk of sexual abuse in our congregation. This event will equip you to help your staff members and volunteers understand the sexual abuse crisis in the local church. At this one-day conference, sexual abuse experts and industry leaders will equip ministry leaders to prevent and respond well to sexual abuse.
Did You Know?
More than 50% of those responsible for reporting abuse, don’t.
12%
Only 12% of child sexual abuse is ever reported to the authorities.
12%
12% of churchgoers know someone at the church who has experienced rape
Safe Church Conference Breakouts
Treatment of Sexual Abuse // Developing a Model of Care for Abuse Survivors
Speaker: Dr. Steve Tracy, Phoenix Seminary
Dr. Tracy pastored in three different churches for 15 years before coming on staff full-time at Phoenix Seminary. He and his wife Celestia are the founders of Mending the Soul Ministries, a Christian nonprofit which provides written resources and training on abuse, trauma, and sexuality. Steve and Celestia are also on the staff of Global Training Network, a global mission agency. For More info: https://ps.edu/faculty-staff/steve-tracy/
Mandatory Abuse Reporting
Speaker: Rachel Mitchel, Maricopa County Attorney
Rachel Mitchell is an Arizona native and a veteran prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. For the past thirty years, she’s dedicated her career to protecting families by prosecuting crimes against children, ensuring the integrity of our legal system, and leading teams of prosecutors to hold dangerous criminals accountable. For more info: https://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/462/About-Rachel-Mitchell
Sample Policies & Procedures – Abuse Prevention
Speaker: Janel Epley, Scottsdale Bible Staff
Media Response and Communication Management
Speaker: Lisa. James, Public Relations
Lisa serves on the Industrial Development Authority of the County of Maricopa and works with a number of corporate clients as well as many charitable and community organizations and events. Lisa’s efforts have been instrumental in helping businesses, non-profits, political teams and individuals make valuable connections, effectively build support and achieve their goals. For more info: https://www.gcjpr.com/lisajames
How to Integrate Past Offenders
Speakers: Panel Christ’s Church of the Valley and Maricopa County Adult Probation
Rich Wooten, Security Director, CCV
Jill Dirks, Safety Team Manager, CCV
Beth Hoel, Maricopa County Adult Probation Supervisor Ret
Keynote Speaker
Kimberlee Norris, Attorney at Law
Kimberlee D. Norris is a sexual abuse trial attorney: representing victims of abuse, serving as a consulting expert in abuse cases, and providing crisis management and allegation response counsel to child-serving organizations of all sizes.
In addition to an active law practice, Norris is a co-founder and Director of MinistrySafe and Abuse Prevention Systems, entities dedicated to sexual abuse awareness and prevention.
After representing victims of sexual abuse for over two decades, Ms. Norris and her law partner and husband, Gregory Love, saw recurring, predictable patterns in predatory behaviors. MinistrySafe grew out of their desire to place proactive tools and training into the hands of churches and ministries everywhere.
An acknowledged authority in child sexual abuse issues, Ms. Norris has trained over 2 million ministry staff members and volunteers since 2005.
For more information, see MinistrySafe.com and MinistrySafeInstitute.com.
Schedule
8:00am – 9:00am | Check In & Coffee
9:00am – 10:30am | Main Session 1
10:45am – 12:00pm | Main Session 2
12:00pm – 12:30pm | Lunch
12:30pm – 1:00pm | Liability Protection Panel
1:15pm – 2:15pm | Breakouts
2:45pm – 4:00pm | Main Session 4
The Safe Church Conference is being held at Scottsdale Bible Church, in Scottsdale, AZ.
The Safe Church Conference is hosted by Phoenix Seminary. Phoenix Seminary is a Protestant, evangelical seminary that shapes men and women for ministry with essential foundational tools so that, as pastors, missionaries, or counselors, they can carry out their biblical calling and significantly impact the world through the Church on its mission.
