Parents, Stop Playing Church Roulette: Demand Accountability Before It’s Too Late

Let’s cut to the chase.

You wouldn’t leave your child with a random stranger at the mall. You wouldn’t drop them off at a daycare with no background checks. You wouldn’t trust a babysitter without references.

So why on earth are you trusting a church without demanding proof that your child is safe?

Blind Faith Shouldn’t Mean Blind Trust

Churches bank on your trust. They count on your assumption that because they talk about God, they must be good.

That’s a deadly assumption.

The truth? Predators love churches. They count on the fact that Christians are too polite, too trusting, too afraid of "stirring the pot" to ask hard questions.

And churches? Some are too naïve. Some are too lazy. And some? They’re complicit.

If your church isn’t actively proving that they are prioritizing your child’s safety, you should be asking why.

The Stark Reality

Consider these alarming statistics:

• Australia: A 2017 report revealed that between 1980 and 2015, 4,444 victims came forward with allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, involving 1,880 alleged perpetrators. https://bravehearts.org.au/research-lobbying/stats-facts/child-sexual-abuse-religous-organisations/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

• United States: The John Jay Report found that between 1950 and 2002, 4,392 Catholic priests were accused of abusing at least 10,667 children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jay_Report?utm_source=chatgpt.com

• Portugal: An independent commission reported in 2023 that at least 4,815 children were sexually abused within the Portuguese Catholic Church since 1950. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Commission_for_the_Study_of_Sexual_Abuse_against_Children_in_the_Portuguese_Catholic_Church?utm_source=chatgpt.com

These numbers are not just statistics; they represent real children whose lives were shattered. And these are only the reported cases. Many more suffer in silence.

Ask the Hard Questions (And Don’t Take Excuses)

Before you give another Sunday, another dollar, another ounce of trust, ask your church leadership:

• Do you run background checks on every staff member and volunteer—without exceptions?

• Do you train your people to recognize grooming behaviors and report them?

• Are there policies in place that prevent any adult from being alone with a child?

• Does your church audit these policies, or are they just words on paper?

• What happens if a report is made? Who handles it?

If they hesitate, get defensive, or dodge the questions—there’s your answer.

It’s Not ‘Un-Christian’ to Demand Accountability

Don’t let them gaslight you. Don’t let them make you feel like the enemy for asking questions.

Churches are not above accountability. If anything, they should be held to the highest standard. If they expect you to trust them with your child’s spiritual well-being, then they should be ready to prove they can protect them physically, too.

And if they refuse? If they get defensive? Walk away.

Because if your church really cared about protecting your child, they would welcome these questions, not resent them.

Stop Tithing to a System That Doesn’t Protect Your Kids

Churches ask you to pour your heart, your finances, and your loyalty into their mission. They tell you to trust them with your soul. But if they’re unwilling to earn your trust when it comes to protecting your children, then they don’t deserve your loyalty.

Your child's safety is not negotiable. Accountability is not an attack. And demanding answers isn't a lack of faith—it's wisdom.

So stop playing church roulette with your family. If your church won’t prioritize child safety, then they don’t deserve your presence, your support, or your trust.

You are the first line of defense. Act like it.