The PPE Kids blog
Honest writing on prevention, grooming, church accountability and raising safe kids.
The Hidden Battles of Your Youth Pastor: Why Our Leaders Need More Than Our Gratitude
Behind the vibrant, high-energy youth pastor parents see on Sunday, there is often a deeply human story they rarely see, and it matters for child safety.
Key Steps to Manage Risks in Churches: Implementing the 4 Pillars of Protection
For a church to truly be a sanctuary, it must be proactive against the most devastating risk of all. Here is how the 4 Pillars move a church from “it won’t happen here” to “not on our watch.”
Understanding Peer-on-Peer Abuse: A Personal Perspective
This month’s topic is personal for me. I speak about peer-on-peer abuse not only as an Executive Director, curriculum developer, parent and grandparent, but as a survivor.
Online Grooming Doesn’t Start Where You Think It Does
Grooming rarely begins with obvious danger. More often it starts quietly inside familiar spaces: online games, chat features, group servers and voice channels.
Boundary Talks: 3 Conversations Every Parent Should Have
Prevention doesn’t start in a courtroom or a church office. It starts at home. Here are three conversations every parent should have, and how to keep them going.
Christ Is Perfect. Church People… Not Always.
Church signs are everywhere: “Jesus is the answer!” “Come as you are!” But no sign answers the question families are really asking: why should I trust you with my family?
Grooming (Part 4 of 4): Stopping Grooming Before It Starts — Prevention and the Power of Active Bystanders
Grooming thrives in silence, but abuse is preventable. When adults are equipped with knowledge and boldness, they can intervene before a child is ever harmed.
Grooming (Part 3 of 4): The Hidden Scars — Long-Term Damage of Grooming and Abuse
The wounds caused by grooming don’t always show up right away, and their effects can last a lifetime. But healing is possible when survivors are believed, supported and empowered.
Grooming (Part 2 of 4): The 6 Stages of Grooming — How Abusers Manipulate Trust
Grooming is not a single act; it’s a process that unfolds slowly, often right under the noses of caring adults. Knowing the six stages helps us intervene early.
Grooming (Part 1 of 4): Inside the Mind of an Abuser — How They Select and Groom Their Victims
Grooming rarely begins with violence. It starts with a calculated plan. To prevent abuse, we must first understand who abusers are and how they identify their victims.
A Mother’s Intuition: God’s Whisper in a Mother’s Heart
That quiet inner voice that says “something isn’t right” is not fear or overreaction. It’s discernment, and it’s a gift. You don’t need to prove something is wrong before you protect your child.
Is the Key to Church Growth Among Parents Transparency?
No sermon series, slick branding or coffee bar can outweigh a parent’s most pressing question: “Will my child be safe here?” Safety may be the new church growth strategy.
Shattered Assumptions: The Church’s Silence on Child Protection
I assumed our work would be welcomed by churches, pastors and elders. After all, protecting children is one of God’s most tender concerns. Instead, we were met with silence.
Why Is Your Child Always Last? The Church’s Dangerous Gamble with Safety
You make sure your child wears a helmet and buckles up. But every Sunday, you might be unknowingly putting them at risk. When churches resist basic protections, they are making a choice.
Creating Awareness, Not Fear: The PPE Kids Mission
Conversations about child sexual abuse are hard. Some messaging relies on fear. Ours doesn’t. We believe in equipping people with knowledge, not scaring them into action.
The Church Doesn’t Care Enough to Change – And That’s the Problem
You’ve seen the reports. You’ve heard the stories. And still, most churches won’t change. Why? Because it’s easier not to. But the boat is already sinking.
The Church That the World Needs – And That Jesus Deserves
How does the church reclaim its mission, rebuild trust, and become what Jesus actually called it to be? It starts with radical transparency and accountability without excuses.
How the Church Became the Pharisees It Warns Against
Many church leaders love to preach against the Pharisees while walking in their footsteps: obsessed with control, protective of reputation, and resistant to accountability.
The Business of Church – When Ministry Becomes a Machine
Somewhere along the way, the church stopped being a movement and became an institution, and for many churches, that institution started looking a lot like a business.
Transparency Takes Courage – Do You Have It in You?
Transparency is a great first step, but it’s not enough. Churches have been burned before. Here’s how to move from good intentions to real accountability and action.
“Would You Trust You?” A Wake-Up Call for Church Leaders
If you weren’t the pastor of your church, would you trust your church? It’s a bold question, a necessary one, and one most church leaders are too afraid to ask.
Board Members & Elders: Your Church’s Reputation Won’t Save You
Church boards love to talk about vision, growth and impact. But one thing matters more than all of that: child safety. A church without a real protection plan is waiting for a scandal.
The Choice Every Parent Must Make: Stay, Fight, or Walk Away
You ask your church a simple question: what are you doing to protect children? If you don’t get a straight answer, you have your answer. Now you face a choice.
Is Your Church Worth Your Loyalty? The One-Sided Commitment You Can’t Afford to Ignore
Churches ask for your time, your talent and your treasure. But what do they give in return? Not spiritual fulfillment. Something more basic: your family’s safety.
Pastors & Church Leaders: Have You Earned Their Trust?
Church leaders love to talk about loyalty. But what has your church done to earn it? You ask families to bring their children into your care. Where is your commitment to protect them?
Parents, Stop Playing Church Roulette: Demand Accountability Before It’s Too Late
You wouldn’t hire a babysitter who scoffs at your request for references. So why are we trusting churches without demanding proof that our children are safe?
Rebuilding the Walls: Protecting Children in the Church
Nehemiah saw Jerusalem’s walls broken down and mobilized his people to rebuild. Today the church faces a similar crisis, and the safety of children depends on rebuilding the walls.
Churches and Negligent Hiring: A Risk Too Costly to Ignore
Churches are uniquely vulnerable to negligent hiring, with both paid staff and volunteers. Good intentions don’t replace proper screening, and the consequences can be devastating.
Church Assumption Risk #4: “Our Church Is Safe for Our Kids” — Why This Assumption Puts Children at Risk
Many churches believe their focus on biblical values and tight-knit community inherently protects children. That assumption is not only false but dangerous.
Church Assumption Risk #3: “We Know the People in Our Church” — Why This Assumption Is Risky
Familiarity breeds trust, and predators exploit it. Many abusers are not strangers but trusted volunteers, leaders or fellow parents.
Church Assumption Risk #2: “Sexual Predators Are Monsters” — A Dangerous Assumption
Many of us picture a predator as a shadowy outsider. In reality, many are trusted, charming and deeply involved in church life. Stereotypes leave children exposed.
Church Assumption Risk #1: “It Will Never Happen to Us” — Why This Assumption Puts Churches at Risk
It’s easy to believe child abuse is a problem for other communities or other churches. But “it will never happen to us” is one of the most dangerous assumptions a congregation can make.
Managing Risk in Your Church: How PPE Kids Helps Safeguard Your Mission
Risk is part of any organization, but for churches serving children the stakes are higher. Here’s what risk management and risk mitigation mean for a church, and where to start.
Building Confidence Through Safety: How Child Protection Policies Elevate Staff Pride and Professionalism
Strong child protection policies don’t just safeguard children. They tell staff they work in a professional, ethical place, and that builds pride, confidence and trust.
Shocking Truth: Your Background Check May Not Protect Children from Sex Offenders
Many assume a standard background check will catch any red flags. It often won’t, especially for sex offenders. Here’s why, and what a complete screening includes.
The Shocking Decline of Clergy Integrity: How Operational Excellence Can Help Restore Trust
Public trust in pastors has fallen sharply, eroded by scandals and lapses in conduct. There is a path forward: a culture of accountability, transparency and ethical leadership.
Protect Your Church’s Mission: Why Vetting Staff and Volunteers Is Non-Negotiable
Behind every great mission is an unspoken responsibility: making sure the people you entrust with leadership are safe. Skipping that step can put everything you’ve built at risk.
Protect Your Church’s Mission: How Affordable Background Checks Can Save You From Financial Ruin
Failing to vet staff and volunteers exposes your church to legal costs, insurance increases and lasting reputational damage. Background checks are a small investment that protects everything you’ve built.
Why Background Checks Are Essential to Your Church’s Credibility and Organizational Excellence
Churches that invest in thorough vetting aren’t just complying with the law. They are showing staff, volunteers and families that they are a safe, professional organization.
The Silent Danger: Why Children in Single-Mother Homes Are More Vulnerable to Sexual Predators
Children in single-mother households, especially those leaving abusive relationships, face heightened risk. Understanding why is the first step toward protecting them, and supporting their mothers.
How Can Churches Extend Their Service Beyond the Church Walls?
Training doesn’t cast doubt on your faithful staff and volunteers. It equips them to protect children, and to carry that care into community events, outreach and everyday life.
Reflection on Pain and Despair
A survivor shares the voices of shame and hopelessness that followed her from childhood, and the moment she asked God what He really thought of her.
Understanding Grooming
Grooming is a deliberate, gradual process predators use to build trust, normalize inappropriate behavior and ensure silence. Understanding it is the foundation of prevention.
The Courage of Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Breaking the Silence
For male survivors, trauma is often compounded by stigma that discourages men from speaking up. We honor the courage of men who bring their stories into the light.
Beyond Technology: Closing Loopholes in Child Protection Systems
Background checks and registry searches are critical, but they leave gaps: missing photos, aliases and offenders who move. Technology can help close them, if the data is complete.
Fix the National Sex Offender Registry: Stop Giving Predators a License to Harm
There isn’t one national registry. There are 50 state databases with different rules, missing photos and missing details, and predators slip through the cracks between them.
Why Every Organization Serving Children Should Be Filled with Mandated Reporters
Mandated reporter laws vary by state, but the principles don’t. Training every staff member and volunteer builds a culture where abuse is recognized and reported early.
Creating Safer Spaces for Children: The Vital Role of Physical Space Evaluations
Policies and training matter, but so does the building itself. Every organization serving children should evaluate its space to eliminate places where a child could be isolated.
Online Gaming: Is It Safe, or Is It a Portal to Gain Access to Your Child?
In-game chat lets children play with friends, and lets predators masquerade as peers. Here’s what the risks look like, and what parents can do.
Growing Up: Reflections Across Generations
Growing up in the 1970s and 80s felt carefree. Now, as “Papa-Bob,” I look at the world my grandkids are growing up in with both nostalgia and concern.
Why Parents Must Have Difficult Conversations with Their Children About Grooming, Predators, and Body Awareness
These conversations are heavy and uncomfortable, and they are among the most important a parent can have. Here’s why, and how to start.