Child Safety — Immanuel Church

I. Our Purpose Statement:

At Immanuel Church, we are committed to the emotional, physical, and spiritual safety of all children placed in our care. We want the parents of our children to know that we are taking every reasonable step to keep their kids safe from incidents of misconduct or inappropriate behavior.

We believe it is our responsibility to protect the children in our care. (Acts 20:28, Psalms 82:3-4, Matthew 18:10)
We believe it is our responsibility to protect staff and volunteer workers from being exposed to false accusations of sexual misconduct. To this end, we have screening and supervision policies in place to protect our ministry workers. (1 John 3:18, Ephesians 4:25)
We believe it is our responsibility to protect our ministry. By requiring child protection training, as well as implementing screening and supervision policies. We are modeling good safety procedures to others who look to our ministry as an example of a well-run children’s and youth ministry program. (Matthew 5:16)
We believe that God is the protector of the oppressed, not the oppressor. Therefore, we will make every effort to comfort, love, and seek justice for the oppressed, while at the same time holding the oppressor accountable through appropriate consequences to their actions as outlined in our policy. (Jeremiah 5:25 - 29, Psalms 103:6, Psalm 82:3)

II. Definitions:

For the purposes of this policy:

“Child” or “children” includes all persons under the age of twelve (12) years old.
“Youth” includes children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old.
“Adult” will refer to any person 18 years of age or older.
“Child abuse” is any action, or lack of action, which endangers or harms a child’s physical, psychological or emotional health and development. Child abuse can occur in many different ways and includes:

Physical Abuse - any physical injury to a child which is not accidental such as beating, shaking, burns, and biting.
Emotional Abuse - any activity degrading to the nurturing, loving, secure environment we seek to provide which can lead to the impairment of the child’s psychological development.
Sexual Abuse - any sexual activity between a child and an adult or a child and another child (known as peer to peer abuse). This includes, but is not limited to, activities such as fondling, exhibitionism, intercourse, incest, exposing children to pornography, sending inappropriate photographs and/or digital content to children.
Neglect- depriving a child of their essential needs; such as adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care.

III. Selection of workers:

Immanuel Church aims to hire employees/volunteers to work in children’s ministry that match our church’s unique personality, vision, values, beliefs, and faith statements. Allemployees, and all people who desire to volunteer in our children’s ministry and any of its programs will be screened. This screening may include some or all of the following:

The six month/membership rule: All those interested in serving in children's ministry, must either be a member or have attended for at least six months. This will prevent predators from gaining quick access to potential victims. According to this rule, members in good standing are immediately eligible to work in children's/youth ministry. This ensures that they have been interviewed by the church elders, found to be in agreement with our articles of faith, and are actively pursuing a relationship with the Lord. The six month rule allows for people who are not currently members, but have been regularly attending for at least six months to apply to volunteer in children’s/youth ministry.
An application: All those interested in serving in children’s/youth ministry, must fill out our online or written application. This includes background information, work history, volunteer experience, church attendance/membership history, personal references, personal questions regarding the desire to work in this ministry, and a consent form for a background and social media check. It will also be necessary to make a commitment to abide by these policies and procedures and agree with the articles of faith, so volunteers are agreeing with the core beliefs that our church is founded upon. This application will need to be updated periodically to ensure the accuracy of our files.

Reference checks: Once the application process is complete, we may conduct reference checks including those related to previous work experience, church life, past volunteer service, and personal character references.
A personal interview: Those who are not members will be required to have an interview with the Kidmin Director, and may include a member of the Board of Elders. The interview will be used to answer questions related to the applicant’s character, desire to work in children’s/youth ministry, and to determine if this ministry is the best fit for the applicant’s gifts and talents. If responses in any submitted application warrant, or a response from a previously accepted application changes, the reviewer may require an interview.
Meghan’s Law check: This checks sexual offender registries to ensure that applicants do not have a history of prior sexual abuse.
Additional background checks: We may complete a criminal background check, DMV check, and social media check as part of the screening process. The purpose of these additional checks is to ensure that we have all the information possible about an applicant before they begin working with our children.
Safety Training: We expect all employees and children/youth volunteers to successfully complete the Child Safety (Sexual Abuse Prevention) Training program. This will be completed annually in order to maintain training and keep safety guidelines fresh in the minds of our employees and volunteers.
Acceptance of the Articles of Faith: We require all child and youth volunteers to be in agreement with the Articles of Faith, (see Appendix I ), in order to ensure that those teaching our youth and children subscribe to the same core beliefs that we as a church believe as truth.
Youth helpers: Youth that have a desire to serve as a helper in children’s ministry will need to follow most of the same screening procedures and processes as adults. They will need to fill out a youth helper application, may be required to have an interview with the Kidmin Director in accordance with policy guidelines., and take the necessary safety training. The Kidmin Director will make decisions as to which youth will be allowed to serve as responsible youth helpers. A youth helper is not allowed as a substitute for meeting the two adult rule outlined in section IV. Supervision Guidelines with regards to teaching a children’s/youth class. For child care for special events, a minimum of three screened and trained youth helpers would need to be present with proper adult supervision.

Under no circumstances will a convicted sexual offender be granted any access to children in any form. The elders, the Kidmin Director, and security team will all be made aware of the presence of a convicted sexual offender. In matters hard to discern, the elders will have the final say as to which volunteers may or may not serve the children and youth of Immanuel.

IV. Supervision of Children Guidelines:

The following guidelines should be consistently followed by all church members, employees, and volunteers working with children:

Supervision before and after classes:

Children often arrive at church before classes begin, as well as remain at church after service has ended. The following rules should be followed to ensure the safety of children during these unstructured times:

Immanuel Church volunteers and teaching staff are not responsible for any child until they have been signed into their education hour class (no earlier than 8:45). Until they are signed in, parents are responsible for the safety and whereabouts of their children.
Once a child is signed in, they are under the supervision of Immanuel Church volunteers and staff until they are signed out by a parent or guardian or released to the parent for the worship service.. The parent or guardian who signed the child in, should be the one who signs them out. If this is not possible, the person signing out must be someone listed on the child’s information form. Once signed out, parents are again responsible for the safety and whereabouts of their children.
The basement area, including the fellowship hall, are off limits to children before and after service without the supervision of at least two adults. If children are found in those areas without proper supervision, they will be asked to return to their parents. These areas are not safe places for children to play unless it is supervised.
It is recommended that parents have at least two adults supervising play on the playground. Children should not be on the playground or in the fellowship hall unsupervised or alone.

During Class and Service:

Children should be in their designated classes during the worship service. Children should be signed into the appropriate classroom. If a child is not attending class, then they should be with their parents or guardians in the service. Children should not be allowed to wander throughout the church building during service. If they are found to be in areas where they do not belong, they will be sent back to the appropriate class or to the worship center and parents will be notified of the incident.
For times when education hour classes are unavailable, or children are attending class during the regular service hours only, children should be signed in at the Connection Counter. Parents may choose to have their child sit with them for the worship portion of the service or may request that their child/children sit with the teachers scheduled as volunteers for that week If parents choose to have their children sit with them for worship, Immanuel Church volunteers will not be responsible for that child/children until such time as the parent releases their child/children to the volunteers scheduled as teachers for that week. Once children have been released to the teachers, supervision of those children becomes the responsibility of Immanuel Church volunteers.

Two adult rule:
A minimum of two adults should be in attendance at all times when children are being supervised during our programs and activities. Even if an event is occurring off the church grounds, it is necessary that there be at least two adults supervising. If at any time, due to unforeseen circumstances, there is only one adult during the activity or class session, the doors to the room should be left open and the adult should try to stay within view of the open doorway until the time when two adults are present again. If a teacher finds themselves the sole instructor, they are encouraged to ask a parent to sit in on the class until such time as the co-teacher arrives. When the teaching team is comprised of a married couple, a third person may be asked to sit in on the class as an observer. If this is not possible, the Kidmin Director may drop in the class to check in and observe. An adult should never be alone with only one child for the safety of both the adult and child. See guidelines for mentoring relationships (below) for more information.

Interruptible Interactions: Security team checks may occur during any activity, program, or mentoring time. All ministry related activities are interruptible to ensure the safety of children. This may include security looking in on classrooms, patrolling of hallways and off limit areas to ensure that adults, youth, and children are in the appropriate places, allowing parents to “drop in” and check on their child, and/or the Kidmin Director observing the class, and/or opening the door to check that everything is okay.
Mentoring relationships: It is not condoned by Immanuel Church that an adult ever be alone with a child. However, as relationships develop between volunteers and children, we understand that children may seek out an adult as a spiritual mentor and may want to engage in conversations with said adult. If a child approaches an adult for a mentoring relationship, that adult is required to immediately disclose said relationship to the Child Safety Coordinator and the parent or guardian of the child. This will allow for accountability and protect both the child and mentor. It is important that such meetings and conversations be observable and interruptible. Mentorship meetings should take place in a public area and interactions should be interruptible by members of the security team, the Kidmin Director, and parents. Mentors are encouraged to seek guidance from church leadership.
Diapering Policy: Parents will be asked for permission to change the diapers of infants and toddlers. If permission is given, diapering should occur within view of the other adult in the room at the changing station. Diaper changing should only be completed by a female volunteer. If a female volunteer is unavailable, a parent should be contacted. If a parent wishes to be responsible for diaper changing, they should be contacted immediately via text or call as indicated on the child’s information form.
Toddler’s Bathroom Policy: A parent/guardian will need to accompany toddlers under the age of 4 to and from the bathroom to assist them. For those 4 and over and those who are able to use the bathroom independently, the adult will stand by the bathroom, but will not provide any personal assistance. The child must be generally self sufficient. If needed, assistance for turning the faucet on or off will be provided. If the child requires assistance toileting, a parent/guardian will be called or texted.
Children’s Bathroom Policy: In the downstairs rooms, a bathroom break for students between the Sunday School and worship hours will help reduce interruptions during class time. In the instance that a child needs to use the bathroom at a time other than the scheduled bathroom break, one adult should monitor the bathroom by checking to make sure the bathroom is free from other adults and youth, as well as standing in the hallway outside the bathroom in view of an adult from the classrooms. The other adult should leave the classroom door open and remain in view of the adult in the hallway.
Bystander Intervention: A bystander is someone who witnesses an event, but is not taking part in the event. At Immanuel Church, we encourage all members to practice bystander intervention. This means that if a member witnesses policy violations, grooming or suspicious behavior, or suspects abuse, they should report the incident to the Kidmin Director or a member of the Board of Elders.

IVb. Supervision of Youth Guidelines:

Supervision before and after classes:

Youth often arrive at church before classes begin, as well as remain at church after service has ended. The following rules should be followed to ensure the safety of children during these unstructured times:

Immanuel Church volunteers and teaching staff are not responsible for any youth until they have entered into their education hour class with two teachers present, (no earlier than 8:45). Until such time, parents are responsible for the safety and whereabouts of their youth.
Once a youth is within their education hour class, they are under the supervision of Immanuel Church volunteers and staff until they are brought up or released to the worship center by their teachers. Parents are then again responsible for the safety and whereabouts of their youth.
The basement area, including the fellowship hall, are off limits to youth before and after service without the supervision of at least two adults. If youth are found in those areas without proper supervision, they will be asked to return to their parents. These areas are not safe places for youth to congregate unless it is supervised.

During Class and Service:

During the education hour, youth should be in their designated class. They will be brought to the worship center or released to the worship center at the conclusion of class by their teachers. During the service, youth should be with their parents or seated with their peers or teachers. Youth should not be allowed to wander throughout the church building during service. If for some reason, they feel they need to leave the service, they may sit in the fireside room with parental permission and remain there until they are able to return to their parents in the worship center. If they are found to be in areas where they do not belong, they will be sent back to the worship center and parents will be notified of the incident.

Two adult rule:

A minimum of two adults should be in attendance at all times when youth are being supervised during our programs and activities. Even if an event is occurring off the church grounds, it is necessary that there be at least two adults supervising. If at any time, due to unforeseen circumstances, there is only one adult during the activity or class session, the doors to the room should be left open and the adult should try to stay within view of the open doorway until the time when two adults are present again. If a teacher finds themselves the sole instructor, they are encouraged to ask a parent to sit in on the class until such time as the co-teacher arrives. When the teaching team is comprised of a married couple, a third person may be asked to sit in on the class as an observer. If this is not possible, the Kidmin Director may drop in the class to check in and observe. An adult should never be alone with only one youth for the safety of both the youth and child. See guidelines for mentoring relationships (below) for more information.

Youth Group: At times during youth group meetings, games may take place throughout the church building. It may not be possible to have two adults supervising the youth at all times. To maintain safety measures, supervising adults should use discernment in planning boundaries for the games, off limit areas, and rules that maintain safety and adhere to policy guidelines as much as possible. At no time should an adult be alone with one youth. This would pose a security risk to both the adult and the youth. Any adult transporting youth to and from youth group meetings should also follow the two adult rule during transport, unless they have permission from the parents of the youth they are transporting to drive them alone.
Field Trips: All volunteers and employees that will be chaperoning field trips will need to be screened and trained following the steps in section III. Additionally, any drivers may be asked to give permission for a DMV check to be completed. The two adult rule must be followed for the field trip and transportation to and from the trip. Any adult transporting youth to and from the event should also follow the two adult rule during transport, unless they have permission from the parents of the youth they are transporting to drive them alone. If separate groups will be needed for the event, then each group would need two adult chaperones. All field trip participants would need to have a signed permission slip to attend the event. A permission slip template can be obtained from the Kidmin Director.
Overnight Events: If the event includes an overnight stay, arrangements for separate sleeping areas for youth and adults will need to be made. There should be separate sleeping areas for male and female youth. Adult sleeping areas should be nearby (within hearing distance), but separate from the youth area, unless it is discerned by the adults that direct supervision would be necessary to maintain safety and peace. In those cases, two adults would be needed to supervise the sleeping areas. It is recommended for there to be two male adults overseeing the male sleeping area and two female adults overseeing the female sleep area if possible. These adults should be awake during this time of supervision. Additionally, the field trip form should indicate that an overnight stay will be part of the field trip or event.
Interruptible Interactions: Security team checks may occur during any activity, program, or mentoring time. All ministry related activities are interruptible to ensure the safety of children. This may include security looking in on classrooms, patrolling of hallways and off limit areas to ensure that adults, youth, and children are in the appropriate places, allowing parents to “drop in” and check on their child, and/or the Kidmin Director observing the class, and/or opening the door to check that everything is okay.
Mentoring relationships: It is not condoned by Immanuel Church that an adult ever be alone with a youth. However, as relationships develop between volunteers and youth, we understand that youth may seek out an adult as a spiritual mentor and may want to engage in conversations with said adult. If a youth approaches an adult for a mentoring relationship, that adult is required to immediately disclose said relationship to the Kidmin Director and the parent or guardian of the youth. This will allow for accountability and protect both the youth and mentor. It is important that such meetings and conversations be observable and interruptible. Mentorship meetings should take place in a public area and interactions should be interruptible by members of the security team, the Kidmin Director, and parents. Mentors are encouraged to seek guidance from church leadership.

V. Special Events: At certain times throughout the year special events may occur. These events may be kid-centered events and/or family events. Screening processes for these special events will be at the discretion of the Kidmin Director with guidance from the Board of Elders.

VI. Appropriate Interactions: All interactions between adults and children should follow the supervision guidelines above. These interactions also need to be appropriate. The following are guidelines regarding safe touch, attention given to children, sexual language and media usage.

Safe touch - At times, especially with young children, contact may be necessary for guiding or directing; but all contact must be safe and appropriate. Immanuel Church prohibits the following:

Sexually or physically abusive contact
Touching a child’s thighs, stomach, or genital areas, except the instance of diaper changing with parental permission.
Corporal punishment - the use of physical force to discipline
Lap sitting with the exception of the infant room, (those under 3 years old). Lap sitting should be on the legs only.
Carrying of children 3 years of age or older, or of those who are under 3 but have the ability to move themselves, unless there is a medical emergency.
Tickling
Full frontal hugs and hugs from behind
Touch that is unwanted by the child; unless it is necessary to move a child to safety.

Immanuel Church recognizes the following as healthy ways to show love and attention to its children and youth:

Encouraging words
High Fives
Pats on the shoulder
Side hugs
Having a child sit by your side for a book or activity
Carrying and holding of infants and young toddlers, those under 3 years of age, who need comfort or care.

Giving children extra attention: Immanuel Church is aware that each child is unique; with unique learning, personal, and spiritual needs. Some may require extra attention due to their life circumstances, an unexpected family event, or a learning or physical disability. However, we are also aware that perpetrators of abuse often exploit these needs through using extra and “special” attention as part of their grooming process. The following guidelines are given for providing extra attention:

Staff/volunteers are prohibited from showing favoritism to a child or group of children.
Staff/volunteers should not give gifts to individual children unless the gifts are:

Able to be given to other children at similar times, (for example, graduating seniors, children who helped out at events or volunteered, prizes for games, contests, or challenges.)
From the church as a whole rather than an individual staff member.

In cases where staff/volunteers believe that a child would benefit from extra attention, staff should:

Be able to articulate a clear reason for providing extra attention that focuses on the child’s needs, not the staff member’s needs.
Receive authorization from the Kidmin Director, as well as the parents. In cases where the Kidmin Director feels the need to give extra attention, they should notify a member of the Board of Elders, as well as the parents or guardians.
When possible, extra attention may rotate through various volunteers so that extra attention is not provided solely by one individual.
The situation should be periodically re-evaluated to determine if extra attention is still necessary.

Exposure to Sexual Content:

No person (adult, youth, or child) should be exposing themselves, youth, or children to sexual content in any way. Exposing a child to sexual content warrants immediate reporting. As such, the following are prohibited:

Using or encouraging sexually suggestive language , innuendo, or jokes.
Uploading, downloading, or viewing pornographic material
Viewing or listening to music, video games, and/or movies with sexual themes.

If the ministry leadership or volunteers would like to complete a study, workshop, lecture, or program that helps youth understand age-appropriate questions about their bodies or sexuality, the event must be approved by the ministry leadership, planned in advance and parents notified so they can opt to have their child participate or not. If children or teens raise questions about sexuality, volunteers and staff should answer in an age appropriate way, inform a supervisor, and discern when to refer a child to their parents for answers to those questions.

VII. Violations of this policy: The safety of our children is the responsibility of all church members. We expect all adults to practice bystander intervention when they see policy violations. This will allow us to grow, adapt, and make changes to create an ever safer environment. If any member is aware of violations of this policy, they should:

Report such violations to the Kidmin Director. If the violation does not break legal definitions (see section II), the Kidmin Director will discuss the concern with the violator of the policy and come up with a plan for compliance. A review will take place after a determined time frame.

If the individual has been receptive to correction and demonstrated compliance after the policy violation has been brought to their attention, then no further action is needed.
If violations continue, this will be brought to the attention of the Board of Elders. The individual will be removed from their volunteer position immediately, and a limited access agreement will be made between the church and the violator. This agreement would limit access to working and being around children in the church. For more information on Limited Access Agreements See Appendix 2.
If the individual violates the limited access agreement, the Board of Elders will be informed and the steps of church discipline (as outlined in Article IV of the Constitution) will be pursued.
If the violation fits the legal definition of sexual, emotional, or physical abuse or raises reasonable suspicion of abuse, the steps in Section VII, Responding to Inappropriate Behavior, Suspicions of Abuse and Allegations, should be followed.

VIII. Responding to Inappropriate Behavior, Suspicions of Abuse, and Allegations: All church members, including but not limited to staff and volunteers, who reasonably suspect or have proof of child abuse should follow the steps below to report the behavior(s) or allegation(s):

If applicable, assess the child's/children's surroundings to make sure they are not vulnerable to a form of abuse.
Once the child is safe, then the incident(s) or suspicion(s) should be reported immediately, (within 24 hours), to one of the following: the Kidmin Director, or a member of the Board of Elders. If a person does not feel comfortable reporting alone or is unsure if what they witnessed constitutes abuse, they can discuss the matter with the Kidmin Director who will assist them in reporting such incident(s). If the pastor is suspected of abuse, the person will still report to one of the following: the Kidmin Director or member of the Board of Elders. The abuse of children is not only a sin, but a serious crime. Silence about suspected abuse can bring more harm to the victim and emboldens offenders. Immanuel Church encourages all its members, both mandated reporters, and those who are not, to immediately report suspected abuse. (See Appendix 3 for information on mandated reporters) Members are biblically and constitutionally obligated to report such incidents.
The parents or guardians of the child must be notified immediately by whomever took the report and the Kidmin Director or a member of the Board of Elders.
The insurance company, Brotherhood Mutual, will be notified and an incident report completed.
Ministry leadership will contact Protect my Ministry for assistance if needed.
The appropriate authorities should be notified within 24 hours. (New York State Child Abuse Hotline is 1- 800 - 342 - 3720.)
Calls from the media will be referred to legal counsel to guard against undue exposure of the child to further trauma.

Any person who is found guilty of abusing a child at Immanuel will be removed from membership and prohibited from church attendance so the victim(s) experience no further trauma through continued exposure to their abuser. If Immanuel Church becomes aware that the abuser is attending another church, the elder board will inform said church of the abusers actions.

All allegations are taken seriously. Situations will be handled with respect for people’s privacy and confidentiality. Anyone with knowledge of the incident, should not talk about the issue in public, but go through the appropriate steps as outlined above. Discretion and care must be shown for the well being of the victim.

IX. Abuse Disclosures: Due to the fact that children and adult survivors may be reluctant to disclose abuse, Immanuel Church recognizes that those who do will need the full support of the church. When children disclose, they often do so tentatively or by accident. They may even later recant their statement. It is possible that they may deny the allegations even when there is proof abuse occurred. They may also first test the adult’s reaction by saying the abuse happened to a friend or someone else. Here are some helpful ideas for how to respond:

Stay calm.
Show love and respect for the child or person.
Thank the child or person for telling you and praise their courage.
Reassure the child or person that they are not in trouble and did nothing wrong.
Reassure the child or person that you believe them.
Allow them to talk freely without interrupting. It is good to ask open ended questions such as “what happened next?”
DO NOT PROMISE TO KEEP IT A SECRET.
Make sure the child is safe from the abuser.
Report the abuse in the appropriate manner and document your report following the guidelines in section VII of this policy.
If the disclosure is from an adult survivor, be supportive and listen to their story. It is difficult even as adults to talk about abuse. If they are disclosing this information to you, it is because they trust you. Please keep information confidential and only report following the guidelines in sections VI - VIII of this policy.

X. Survivor Support: The purpose of this policy is to prevent abuse from occurring. Yet we understand that even though we make every effort to prevent it, incidents may occur, as there are always individuals seeking to cause harm for their own selfish purposes. Immanuel Church is committed to showing support for victims even after the investigations are complete. To show support to the victim and their family, the following policies will be in place:

Support person - At least one of the following people, the Kidmin Director or a member of the Board of Elders, will be designated as a “Support Person(s)” and will reach out to the child and the child’s family within twenty-four hours of learning of the abuse to express the church’s support of the child and family. Understanding that abuse can have an ongoing impact, the “Support Person(s)” will seek permission from the child’s family to continue offering support on an ongoing basis. This support may include:

Listening
Offering to accompany the child and their family in filing a police report, meeting with Child Protective Services, attending court hearings and/or trials.
Asking how else the church can provide support.

Support persons should understand the limitations of this role and should not offer professional legal, therapeutic, or other expert advice, but rather focus on being a contributor to the spiritual recovery of the family and support the efforts of the professionals involved in the case. They can also direct families to where they may find counseling support and resources.

They should be careful to avoid causing further harm by avoiding:

Blaming the victim in any way
Probing for intimate details about the incident
Expressing disbelief
Attempting to silence the child or their family
Expressing support of the perpetrator
Urging reconciliation with or forgiveness of the perpetrator

Counseling Support - Immanuel Church leadership will help connect victims with proper counseling, mental health, and spiritual support.
Public Support - Immanuel Church commits to protecting the privacy of all victims of abuse. We also understand that all too often victims of abuse are publicly marginalized while communities and churches rally support to protect abusers. Immanuel Church is committed to supporting the victims and protecting them from public attacks, attempts to diminish what happened to them, and attempts to force public forgiveness and reconciliation with the abuser.
Creating a Culture of Ongoing Support for Victims - Immanuel Church is committed to providing ongoing support, knowing that the impacts of childhood abuse are often felt into adulthood.

X. False Accusations: Immanuel Church takes the reporting of abuse and policy violations seriously. If an investigation determines that an accusation made was unfounded and false, the results of the investigation will be given to the elders so they may discern necessary disciplinary action on a case by case basis.

Appendix 1 ARTICLE X. SUBSCRIPTION TO THE ARTICLES OF FAITH

Prior to nomination or appointment all Pastoral Staff, prospective Elders, members of all Ministry Teams, Nominating Committee members, Sunday School teachers and Youth Leaders must subscribe by signature to the Articles of Faith of Immanuel Baptist Church. The Elders may designate other positions for which the Articles of Faith must be signed.

ARTICLE II, Section 3. Articles of Faith

Word of God

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God; that it was uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit; without error in the original manuscripts; that it is completely trustworthy and true; and that it is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Our Triune God

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in nature and divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. He is the supreme ruler of heaven and earth. (Genesis 1:1-2,26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Job 42:2; Psalm 48:14; John 3:16; Ephesians 1:11)

God the Father

The Father is the first person of the Trinity; invisible and spirit; infinite in holiness, wisdom, power, and love; neither begotten nor proceeding. According to His own counsel, the Father has planned the course of history and ensures that His will is perfectly done. (Psalm 147:5; Matthew 6:9-10; John 1:18; John 14:26-31; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:8,11)

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of God, born of a virgin, and that He is fully God and fully man. He took on human form and is the exact image of the invisible Father. We believe in Jesus’ active obedience to the Father through His sinless life, miracles, and perfect fulfillment of the Law. (Matthew 5:17; Luke 1:35; John 1:1,2,14; John 3:16; John 12:45; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 1:3)

God the Spirit

We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit who came forth from God to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and to regenerate, sanctify, guide, and comfort those who believe in Jesus Christ. He indwells believers and empowers them to carry out the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19-20; John 16:7-11; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18)

Image of God

We believe God creates each individual as male or female from conception. These two unchanging, distinct, and complimentary genders reflect His image on earth. Therefore, because each person bears the image of God, every human life has intrinsic value and dignity. That image was corrupted when mankind sinned and incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal death, which is separation from God. As a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. (Genesis 1:16-17; 1:26-27; 9:6; Psalm 139:13-16; Isaiah 59:1-3; Matthew 25:41)

The Redemptive Work of Christ

We believe in Jesus’ substitutionary atoning death and bodily resurrection. After resurrecting, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father where He reigns as Lord, the one and only all-sufficient Mediator (High Priest) between God and man. We believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become a new creation, having the image of God progressively restored, and are delivered from condemnation to receive eternal life. (John 1:13; Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrew 4:14-15; 7:26;10:12-14)

The Ordinances

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism

We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to publicly symbolize the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection; and to symbolize the believer’s entrance into the body of Christ. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 8:36-39, Romans 6:3-4)

The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper commemorates, together, the new covenant as established in Christ’s precious blood until He comes again. (Matthew 26:17-30, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

The Institution of Church

We believe in the universal church; a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe that the local church consists of a body of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of reconciling the world unto God through the giving of, and discipling in the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

The Institution of Family

We believe that God created marriage for the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive covenant to exist as an enduring symbol of the union between Christ and the church. God designed sexual intimacy to be expressed within the marriage relationship. Children are the fruit of the marriage union, God’s gift to parents, and God’s design to propagate and subdue the earth with His image bearers. (Genesis 2:18-25, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5, Hebrews 13:4, Ephesians 5:25-27, Psalm 127:3-5)

The Institution of Civil Government

We believe that God created the institution of civil government for human good. We also believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each local church is independent and must be free from interference from any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duty free from dictation or patronage of the other. (Romans 13:1; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9,12)

Appendix 2 Limited Access Agreement

Immanuel Church utilizes Limited Access Agreements to clarify safe behavior around children for community members who have:

Engaged in concerning or risky behavior
Violated the policy repeatedly
Committed offenses that are not related to children, (ex. felonies, stealing, drug use, DUI, etc.)

A Limited Access Agreement is a written and agreed upon boundary between an individual and Immanuel Church, wherein we outline specific concerns about an individual’s behavior, detail appropriate behavior toward children, and plan for ongoing accountability for the individual. This may include setting boundaries with regards to being around or near children, as well as appropriate behavior. This agreement will be revisited to assess the individual’s compliance with the agreement. If further violations or concerns come up, further consequences, as outlined in ARTICLE IV of the constitution, will be enforced, and possible criminal charges if the situation warrants it. We at Immanuel Church will provide no safe harbor for criminals or criminal activity or motives.

Appendix 3 Mandated Reporters

What is a mandated reporter?

According to https://www.socialworkdegreeguide.com/faq/what-is-a-mandated-reporter/, a mandated reporter is a person who, because of his or her profession, is legally required to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the relevant authorities. These laws are in place to prevent children from being abused and to end any possible abuse or neglect at the earliest possible stage. Read on to learn more about mandated reporting, including what it entails and who is considered a mandated reporter.

The information for this appendix came from the Summary Guide for Mandated Reporters from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. For more information on mandated reporting, visit https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/publications/Pub1159.pdf.

*** Teaching Sunday School is a voluntary activity and does not fall under New York State’s legal definition of a profession, and therefore does not constitute the definition of a mandated reporter. However, Members of Immanuel Church are biblically and constitutionally mandated reporters. ***