Join

Give

Regional Response Committee

Sovereign Grace Churches First Steps In Matters of Sexual Misconduct

This document is intended to serve Sovereign Grace Churches in pastoral situations involving sexual misconduct. This is not a comprehensive guide, but a checklist for the first steps of navigating pastoral situations involving sexual misconduct. It is our recommendation that your local church consider legal counsel in addition to what is listed below. The RCSM remains available to provide counsel or help in determining the need for legal counsel. 

The Book of Church Order (BCO) outlines in greater detail the process that is outlined below. Our encouragement is that you thoroughly review section 17.2 of the BCO for your own review and benefit. This document has taken what the BCO says and laid it out as a first steps checklist to serve your church in pastoral situations involving sexual misconduct. The BCO defines two broad categories and pathways for Sovereign Grace Churches to follow when encountering accusations or allegations of sexual misconduct. These two broad categories are REQUIRED and INVITED. 

  1. Required:
    1. When any of the following occur, you are required to engage the Review Committee for Sexual Misconduct (RCSM) and follow the guideline below:
      1. When an elder or former elder is accused of or criminally charged with sexual misconduct
      2. When a church employee or volunteer working with minors is accused of or criminally charged with sexual misconduct
      3. When an elder or former elder is accused of mishandling a case of sexual misconduct
    2. Step 1: Reporting to appropriate authorities
      1. If the appropriate authority has not been contacted, then contact immediately
      2. Date contacted:__________________________
      3. Case/File #_______________________________
      4. Ask for any special recommendations they would give to you for right now:_______________________________________________________
    3. Step 2: Contact the RCSM
      1. Date Contacted:__________________________
      2. Sent Formal Email to the Chair [RCSM@sovereigngrace.com]:______________________
      3. Ask for any special recommendations they would give to you for right now:_______________________________________________________
    4. Step 3: Contact the Chairman of the Regional Judicial Review Committee
      1. Date Contacted:__________________________
      2. Ask for any special recommendations they would give to you for right now:_______________________________________________________
    5. Step 4: Contact Regional Leader
      1. Date Contacted:__________________________
      2. Ask for any special recommendations they would give to you for right now:_______________________________________________________
    6. Consider: Does this situation require you to notify your insurance agency? If so, inform them in writing and ask for a receipt confirmation.
  1. Invited:
    1. When any of the following occur, a church is invited to engage the RCSM:
      1. When a church member / attender or their child is accused of or criminally charged with sexual misconduct.
      2. When a church member / attender or their child alleges sexual misconduct.
    2. In these categories, it is recommended that the local church contact any member of the RCSM.
    3. Consider: Does this situation require you to notify your insurance agency? If so, inform them in writing and ask for a receipt confirmation.

SGC Pastors – Response Committee For Sexual Misconduct

(Note: Links to additional RCSM resources are at the bottom of this page.)

The Committee’s Role

Every pastor’s joy is to see people thriving spiritually through their knowledge of and relationship with Jesus Christ. Of course, we live in a fallen world. Few things remind us of this more than the grievous reality of sexual abuse. For this reason, the Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct (RCSM) exists. Our burden is to serve pastors as they shepherd those affected by sexual abuse. From ensuring that our churches are prepared to respond when abuse occurs to equipping them to care for those involved, the RCSM exists to serve pastors as they serve the church.

To accomplish these purposes, the RCSM has been given the following responsibilities:

The Pastor’s Responsibility

The following is the responsibility of every Sovereign Grace pastor as noted in our BCO.

When an allegation or suspicion of abuse does occur, you are required to contact the RCSM in the following situations: 

You are invited (but encouraged) to engage the RCSM in the following situations:

The Next Step

Members of the RCSM are always available to help bring clarity and guidance when the tragedy of abuse occurs or is thought to have occurred. You can directly contact one of the members of the committee listed below:

OR simply email the committee by clicking HERE or by following the link below and someone will get back to you immediately. We are grateful for our partnership!

Resources: The Pastor’s Toolbox

Here are some of the resources that the RCSM has to assist you in navigating the difficult waters of sexual misconduct allegations.

First Steps

Read these resources first in the event of an incident of misconduct.

Helpful Resources

Videos

The Response Committee for Sexual Misconduct (RCSM) is producing a series of short videos to help equip you to serve your church and members well if there is an incident of misconduct.

Contact US