CROSSROADS CHURCH
POLICY FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST A MINOR AND ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT
Crossroads Church is a place for introducing Jesus Christ to people who do not know him. We want Crossroads Church to be a safe place for everyone to learn about Christ and the gospel. In order for Crossroads Church to be a safe place for all to attend, our elders believed it necessary to adopt an official policy regarding those on the registered list of sexual offenders (henceforth referred to as simply “offenders”) who desire to attend our services or join our church.
Purpose of This Policy
In the following statement of conditions, these terms shall have the assigned meanings:
Policies
CROSSROADS CHURCH ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT FOR SEX OFFENDERS
All sexual offenders must commit to the following conditions for fellowship at Crossroads Church. I agree to the following conditions:
elder.
11. I acknowledge and agree that all children and student areas are off limits at all times, even ifmy own children are attending Crossroads Church and are present and participating in Crossroads Church’s children or student’s ministry or activities. In that case, I will not walk my own children back
into Crossroads Church children’s ministry area, but will make other arrangements for them, such as having a children’s ministry leader walk them to and from the children’s ministry area for me. I will not supervise any children’s activities nor enter a designated children’s area. I will not serve in Crossroads Church children’s or youth’s ministries.
12. I will not attend a Crossroads Church small group where children are present, regardless of the location of the small group meeting, without informing the group leaders and adults in the group in advance of my history and offense designation and receiving from them permission for my presence at the small group meeting.
13. I will not visit the home of a Crossroads Church family where children are present, without the parent knowing my history and offense designation and giving permission for my entry into their home.
14. I will promptly leave any area on Crossroads Church property where children are present with the exception of a populated church foyer, auditorium, or area where five or more adults are present.
15. I will not have any physical contact with a child at Crossroads Church, including, without limitation, sitting next to a child other than my own, holding a child on my lap, or being hugged or kissed by a child at Crossroads Church. If a child other than my own approaches me to talk, I will acknowledge him or her and promptly leave the area. I will report this to my supervising elder or escort before leaving Crossroads Church premises.
16. I will only use the bathrooms after my supervising elder or approved escort has entered and found no children in the bathroom. My supervising elder or escort will monitor the door while I use the facility and remain with me until I exit the bathroom
I understand that my supervising elder will retain records of our meetings, which will be available to
the offender’s therapist, CCO, and court at their request.
I understand the above conditions. I submit to these conditions and wish to attend Crossroads Church. I submit to my supervising elder at Crossroads Church. I accept that if I break any of the above conditions, I will no longer be allowed to be present at any Crossroads Church location or activity. Crossroads Church pastors, elders, employees, small group leaders, and Crossroads Church members are released from any legal responsibility or liability for disclosure of the above information to the extent indicated and authorized herein.
POLICY FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST A MINOR AND ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT
Crossroads Church is a place for introducing Jesus Christ to people who do not know him. We want Crossroads Church to be a safe place for everyone to learn about Christ and the gospel. In order for Crossroads Church to be a safe place for all to attend, our elders believed it necessary to adopt an official policy regarding those on the registered list of sexual offenders (henceforth referred to as simply “offenders”) who desire to attend our services or join our church.
Purpose of This Policy
- To protect and ensure the safety of our congregation and their children.
- To protect the offender of being falsely accused of sexual abuse while on the church property by ensuring that the offender will not be placed in a situation or scenario causing temptation to reoffend.
- To allow the opportunity for those individuals who have been convicted of sexual offenses the opportunity to hear the Gospel message and be transformed by the power of Jesus Christ.
In the following statement of conditions, these terms shall have the assigned meanings:
- Service(s): includes any gathered event of Crossroads Church, whether held at a facility owned by Crossroads, a rented campus, or at an offsite location.
- Small group: includes any meeting of a Crossroads Church small group under the authority and leadership of Crossroads Church, whether in a home, at a Crossroads Church location, or other location.
- Activities: includes services, small groups, service events, retreats, conferences, or any other function sponsored by Crossroads Church, regardless of the event location.
- Supervising Elder: the elder of Crossroads Church designated to oversee the fulfillment of this contract with a given offender in fellowship with Crossroads Church.
- Escort: an approved delegate of the supervising elder who signs in and signs out with an offender attending a Crossroads service or activity, and who monitors the offender’s restroom use while onsite.
- Child or children: any person under the age of 18 years old.
Policies
- Any registered offender is expected to self-disclose his or her status as a registered offender (including his/her level designation) to an elder prior to attending any Crossroads Church services or activities. Whether through disclosure or discovery, as soon as the registered status of an offender is realized the protocols of this policy will be expected to be honored or the offender may not attend any Crossroads Services or activities.
- An offender may not attend any Crossroads services or activities, including small groups, until signing the “Attendance Contract for Sexual Offenders.”
- Offenders are prohibited from attending Crossroads Church services and / or activities under any of the following circumstances:
- If any victim of the offender is a member of Crossroads Church or known to regularly attend any Crossroads campus.
- If the offender has a history of not following established contract agreements at other churches.
- If the offender does not agree to the conditions for fellowship at Crossroads Church.
- If the offender does not comply with the conditions for fellowship at Crossroads Church.
- Sexual offenders who are considered to have a moderate to high risk of re-offending by state or local law enforcement officials (e.g. Probation officers, etc) are prohibited from attending Crossroads Church services, small groups, or activities.
- Any individual that has at any time registered as an offender is prohibited from entering into Crossroads Church’s children’s ministry areas or participating as part of Crossroads Church’s children ministry. This prohibition continues to exist regardless of whether the offender status is removed. This prohibition is non-negotiable.
- An offender may not attend any children or youth-oriented services or activities. However, the offender is allowed to attended services and activities where children may be present, such as worship services, and is allowed to be in the church foyer or auditorium, for example, so long as five or more adults are present including their assigned escort.
- At such time as an individual ceases to be a registered offender, a copy of the “Certificate and Order of Discharge,” or a similarly equivalent Court document, must be submitted to the individual’s supervising elder to be included in the offender’s file. At that time, an evaluation will be conducted to determine if and what continuing restrictions will remain in place.
- Attenders and members of Crossroads Church will be informed of this sex offender policy through: (1) announcement/reminders of this policy at congregational meetings as directed by church leadership; (2) annual written notification to the Crossroads Leadership Community and (3) the posting of this policy on the Crossroads Church website to inform congregation members and the general public of our approach to this issue. Should congregation members desire to know about more about specific individuals submitting to this policy, they should contact the Senior Pastor or Lead Elder.
CROSSROADS CHURCH ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT FOR SEX OFFENDERS
All sexual offenders must commit to the following conditions for fellowship at Crossroads Church. I agree to the following conditions:
- I will be assigned a Crossroads Church supervising elder who will evaluate and monitor my access to Crossroads Church services and activities. I will meet regularly with my supervising elder to evaluate and monitor my access to Crossroads Church services and activities.
- I will meet with the court ordered Community Corrections Officer (CCO), or other similar officer, as prescribed.
- I will meet with a certified sex offender treatment therapist, if required by my CCO or supervising elder without complaint.
- I will provide the treatment therapist’s name and phone number and the CCO’s name and phone number to my supervising elder when requested.
- I will get approval by the court ordered CCO, therapist, social worker, and Crossroads Church supervising elder to attend Crossroads Church. A copy of a signed authorization from each of these providers must be provided to your supervising elder.
- I agree to have my picture, name, offense designation, and a copy of this signed contract emailed to all Crossroads Church pastors, elders, and staff before attending a Crossroads Church service or activity.
- I agree to have my picture, name, offense designation, and a copy of this signed contract included in the records of the security teams at all Crossroads Church locations, accessible to all staff and volunteer security workers.
- I will not attend any Crossroads Church services or activities (nor be present on the property of Crossroads Church or off-property gathering location) without my supervising elder or an approved escort. My supervising elder must approve my escort, in his sole and absolute discretion. If my supervising elder or approved escort are not available, I will not attend any Crossroads Church services or activities (nor will I be present on the property of Crossroads Church or off-property gathering location) at any time.
- Immediately upon my arrival at a Crossroads Church service, I will sign in at the Welcome Kiosk area (or other location designated by the supervising elder) with my supervising elder. I will wait there until my supervising elder or escort is able to sign in with me, acknowledging that I am on location. If my supervising elder or escort cannot be located, I will sign out, indicating the time of my departure, and promptly leave Crossroads Church premises.
elder.
11. I acknowledge and agree that all children and student areas are off limits at all times, even ifmy own children are attending Crossroads Church and are present and participating in Crossroads Church’s children or student’s ministry or activities. In that case, I will not walk my own children back
into Crossroads Church children’s ministry area, but will make other arrangements for them, such as having a children’s ministry leader walk them to and from the children’s ministry area for me. I will not supervise any children’s activities nor enter a designated children’s area. I will not serve in Crossroads Church children’s or youth’s ministries.
12. I will not attend a Crossroads Church small group where children are present, regardless of the location of the small group meeting, without informing the group leaders and adults in the group in advance of my history and offense designation and receiving from them permission for my presence at the small group meeting.
13. I will not visit the home of a Crossroads Church family where children are present, without the parent knowing my history and offense designation and giving permission for my entry into their home.
14. I will promptly leave any area on Crossroads Church property where children are present with the exception of a populated church foyer, auditorium, or area where five or more adults are present.
15. I will not have any physical contact with a child at Crossroads Church, including, without limitation, sitting next to a child other than my own, holding a child on my lap, or being hugged or kissed by a child at Crossroads Church. If a child other than my own approaches me to talk, I will acknowledge him or her and promptly leave the area. I will report this to my supervising elder or escort before leaving Crossroads Church premises.
16. I will only use the bathrooms after my supervising elder or approved escort has entered and found no children in the bathroom. My supervising elder or escort will monitor the door while I use the facility and remain with me until I exit the bathroom
I understand that my supervising elder will retain records of our meetings, which will be available to
the offender’s therapist, CCO, and court at their request.
I understand the above conditions. I submit to these conditions and wish to attend Crossroads Church. I submit to my supervising elder at Crossroads Church. I accept that if I break any of the above conditions, I will no longer be allowed to be present at any Crossroads Church location or activity. Crossroads Church pastors, elders, employees, small group leaders, and Crossroads Church members are released from any legal responsibility or liability for disclosure of the above information to the extent indicated and authorized herein.