Application Denied

Early Warnings You Cannot Ignore

An article based on the Safety Member Certification training module “Protecting the Vulnerable,” the Church Security Guide article “Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults in the Church,” and the Expert Resources article “Creating a Safe Environment for Vulnerable Congregants: A Guide for Prepared Protectors,” with applications to other training modules and Church Security Guide articles. [1][2][3][4][5][6].

But the Lord said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
* Note: God said David was “a man after mine own heart” (Acts 12:22 see 1 Samuel 13:14).

And the Lord said unto Gideon, “By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go, every man unto his place" (Judges 7:7).
* Note: Gideon had recruited 32,000 men. After applying two tests ordered by the Lord, there were only 300 left who were both courageous and watchful.

Introduction –

In the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, we see that God expects honesty, industriousness, and care for others. There are qualifications for those in leadership. Therefore, when recruiting persons to work in the church and its ministries, we need to evaluate the candidates’ qualifications. This is more than what we see on the surface, but includes indications of character, which was God’s concern in 1 Sam. 16:7.

Filling ministry positions should not be haphazard, but be a thoughtful recruitment and application process. This process serves two purposes: to identify and select those who are qualified, and to identify and bar those who pose dangers to the organization and its persons. Many times, persons working in churches have caused problems that should have been foreseen as likely.

On the Web –

Careful vetting of church staff and volunteers reduces the likelihood of several misdeeds. Here are a few kinds of preventable incidents and one guidance to prevention:

Vehicle Accidents:

Raleigh, North Carolina, Last updated Nov. 3, 2025 – The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles has a page covering requirements for school bus drivers. It begins with,

“You must certify at the time of application that you do not hold more than one driver license and that your license is not suspended, disqualified or revoked.”

Next, certain criminal convictions will disqualify a person from being licensed as a school bus driver. Some will be stated by local school districts, but there are some specified by the state, namely those with a “P” (public protection) or “S” (sex offender) endorsement on their commercial driver licenses.

All school bus drivers must obey the rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers. [7].

* Note: The same requirements could apply to drivers of church buses and passenger vans.

Sexual Abuse:

Ionia County, Michigan, January 14, 2025 – A 53-year-old youth group leader surrendered to authorities. He is charged with sexual abuse of minors. The alleged abuse occurred for more than 20 years in several churches. [8].

Embezzlement:

Fernandina Beach, Florida, April 9, 2025 – A woman was arrested for embezzlement of church funds. She had been the financial secretary for a church. The skimming of money had gone on for almost five years. Two new members of the financial committee reviewed records and detected discrepancies with less in the bank than should have been. Further investigation disclosed that she had used the church’s credit card for personal purchases. More than $570,000 was stolen. [9].

Excessive Force:

Canton, Ohio, February 11, 2020 – A safety and security guard at an elementary school used excessive force on a six-year-old girl. At least six other school employees witnessed him treating her “rough.” The girl told her mother that he threw her against a wall. This caused bruising, redness, and abdominal pain. The guard was fired and faced criminal charges. [10].

* Note: Teachers and Safety Team members should be self-controlled, not inclined to use excessive force.

The Filter –

We can liken the recruitment of volunteers as a net, and the application process as a filter.

In recruitment, we identify potential candidates for jobs in the church; it’s like casting a net. This may be proactive recruitment, asking certain persons to apply, or advertisement recruitment, letting it be known that help is needed and waiting for people to apply. Some people will come to the department leader asking if they had a position to fill.

The filter is vetting those who apply. There are positive factors (qualifications) and negative factors (disqualifications) to consider. As a filter, the application process screens out candidates who do not have the qualifications (such as minimum age, experience, or education), or do have the disqualifications (such as certain criminal records, bad references, untruthfulness, etc.). Some of these factors are general, applying to all applicants, while some are specific to the position being filled.

Vetting has stages: application, interviews, background checks, verification, and references.

Application:

Everyone considered for a position in the church, whether it is pastoral, staff, or volunteer, should fill out an application. Here’s a glance at what is on an application for a Safety Team Member (this is from two years ago):

• Applicant’s identification and contact information: Name, DOB, Address (City, State, Zip), Email Address, Cell Phone, Home Phone.
• Qualifications (check boxes)
• _ I am a member or regular attendee of the Church
• _ I am physically qualified to perform the duties of a Church Safety Volunteer
• _ I understand Church Safety Volunteers are Not Employees of the Church
• _ I have no disqualifying criminal convictions (Policy available upon request)
• References: Name, Relationship, Phone Number, Office Use
• Let’s Get to Know You:
• Do you have any special qualifications or experiences relevant to safety or security?
• What makes you interested in joining the Church Safety Team?
• What other gifts and talents do you have to offer the Church and the Safety Ministry?
• Signature and Date
• Office Use Only: Approval: (Yes or No); Clear Background: (Yes or No); Date, Authority.

Applications can include more, especially

• former employment (including volunteer work),
• level of education (with schools attended),
• previous churches attended,
• firearms training and certification (for armed team members).

Applications for teaching and childcare may ask what experience they have in that field, such as, “Have you taught children or youth in a church or led a children’s or youth activity group?”

An application for driving a church vehicle may ask in what states the applicant has and/or had a driver’s license, and include questions about the driving record (moving violations, suspensions, DUI, etc.).

An application for a financial position may ask about bankruptcies and credit records. Even persons who have never stolen funds before may be tempted if they are financially stressed. Also, if they are to manage funds for the church, they should be responsibly managing household funds. This is an application of Paul’s advice to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:4-5, that a church leader should manage his own household well, else how could he properly manage the church.

Interviews:

The information entered on an application will guide the interviewer in asking questions. Pay attention to how the applicant answers. Body language and tone of voice will be revealing. There may be two interviews, the second one coming after the background and reference checks. Even if you have decided not to accept that person, go ahead with the second interview. This will be a chance to explain why they were not selected.

Background Checks:

Background checks are now expected for most jobs. It is not unreasonable to ask an applicant to sign a release form allowing background checks. The most common is a criminal background check. Other checks are a financial check for accountants and treasurers and a driving record check for church vehicle drivers (especially those driving buses and passenger vans).

Criminal Check;

Not having a background check has let child molesters, embezzlers, and other miscreants work in the church. This is all too common.

Even with background checks, some have slipped through the cracks with aliases. For instance, a woman who had served jail time for embezzlement was hired as the accountant for a church in western New York State. She used her maiden name on the application, but had been convicted under her married name. She stole $465,000. Some applicants with criminal records are from other states, making it vital to include other states in a criminal background check. [11].

An important check is for sex offenders. Each state has its own registry, but there is also an accessible federal database, the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. On it you can check the name of the applicant. Be careful, though. Often there is more than one person with the same name, unless it is very unusual. If you find a registered offender with same name as the applicant and there is a photo with the record, you can see if it is the same person or someone else. As an example, search for John Smith in Ohio, and there are five offenders, two with the same middle name, each with a photo. [12].

Financial Check;

Besides criminal records, a financial check is needed for staff and volunteers with access to the church’s money, both cash and bank and credit accounts. Did the person have a bankruptcy, and if so, how long ago. As mentioned above, personal financial management has a bearing on how church finances will be handled. At the least, we want them to not only be honest, but also be competent.

Driving Record Check;

Those who drive a church bus or passenger van, or even take passengers in a car or SUV, are responsible for their passengers’ safety as well as the safety of other people on the road. The church can also be held responsible, especially if the driver has a bad driving history. That makes a driving record check vital. It is not enough to check the driving record in the church’s state, but also in any other state(s) where the driver had lived. For instance, I’m in Ohio, but have had driving licenses in three other states where I lived.

Verification:

Education and previous employment need to be verified. It can be embarrassing for a church if it turns out that a key leader had fake credentials. There are already too many examples of political, military, and professional persons who did not have the academic records they claimed.

If an applicant claims a diploma, a degree, or a certificate they did not actually receive, that calls their integrity into question. For the church, integrity is extremely vital. In the Bible, that is a key qualification for leaders of all kinds.

Education;

On an application, attending and graduating are distinct questions. One way to distinguish is to ask for schools attended and other training, then ask for diplomas, certificates, and degrees. With school records, be alert for issues of cheating or plagiarism. Flunking out or withdrawing from a college is not an automatic disqualifier. Many have resumed their education and finally succeeded, even with honors.

Employment;

Checking current and prior employment may be another test of integrity. Contacting the employer, you’ll find out if the applicant really worked there in the position(s) claimed on the application. Look for indications of poor work ethic, co-worker relational problems, etc. Some employers will not tell you unless there was documentation – they do not want to be sued for defamation.

References:

Contact previous employers, schools, and churches. On the phone or in person is best, since many will be more likely to say something orally than in writing. Personal references names on the application are not enough, since an applicant may be inclined to only put down those who will be favorable. Here the purpose is to get a feel of the applicant’s character as viewed by others.

Take, for instance, the case in Ionia, MI. The man charged and arrested is alleged to have sexually abused minors for more than 20 years in multiple churches. If the pastor of the church in Ionia had called the pastors of the other churches, one or more of them could have shared concerns. A key issue in the conversation should have been how the applicant related to youth, children, and women in that church, especially if he had been a youth leader there. [8].

In other cases, the applicant had left a position in a previous church because he was no longer trusted. On the other end, the person called should find a way to share his or her concerns about the applicant. On a broader note, leaders in all churches need to be alert to cues that something may not be right.

Personal;

People who personally know the applicant may tell how they see the person. Asking the right questions will open the door for them to share their perspective. Just don’t sound like you’re interrogating them.

Previous Organizations;

There are many organizations in which an applicant may be involved. Some insight into character may come just by knowing which ones they joined. Also, find out what they did in that organization and how well.

Professional;

Only a minority of applicants will have this background – it depends on their line of work. What professional organizations was the applicant a member of? Was the applicant really a member? Was he or she a member in good standing?

Help with Vetting:

I know that all this checking is a lot of work. The good news is that there are people to help you vet applicants. A prime service provider is Protect My Ministry (PMM). It has access to all the criminal and registered sex offender databases, as well as publicly available financial records, such as bankruptcy courts and credit ratings. It can also check driving records. Just a name is not enough. If there is a flag on the name of your applicant, PMM will double check to see if it is the same person or someone else. They can also see whether new information has been posted after the first background check, such as a new arrest or a DUI. PMM is a Sheepdog Church Security affiliate. [13].

Training –

All members of a Church Safety Team should be trained and certified through the Safety Member Certification program. Five of the eight training modules are considered core courses. All eight can be taken as standalone classes for training other persons in the church in specific areas, such as fire prevention and protection of vulnerable persons.

Other than these classes, leaders who select staff and volunteers to serve in the church (for instance, the Children’s Ministries Director) need to be trained in applications and vetting. The Church Safety Director should be able to train them and walk them through the process.

Conclusion –

A good fence is only as effective as the gate. The church’s leaders need to watch the gate to keep bad actors away from children, finances, and church vehicles, to be willing to say, “Application denied.”

References –

1. Kris Moloney, Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-v5-2025].
2. Kris Moloney, “Protecting the Vulnerable V5,” Sheepdog Church Security, 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/Protecting-the-Vulnerable-V5].
3. Kris Moloney, Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, June 9, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide], also 2018 at [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/church-security-guide/].
4. Kris P. Moloney, “Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults in the Church,” Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, June 9, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=protection-of-children-and-vulnerable-adults-in-the-church], also 2018 at [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/child-and-vulnerable-adults].
5. Kris P. Moloney, Expert Resources, The Sheepdog Sentinel, Sheepdog Church Security Academy, January 1, 2023 to March 1, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=expert-resources].
6. Kris P. Moloney, "Creating a Safe Environment for Vulnerable Congregants: A Guide for Prepared Protectors," Expert Resources, The Sheepdog Sentinel, Sheepdog Church Security Academy, May 1, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=creating-a-safe-environment-for-vulnerable-congregants-a-guide-for-prepared-protectors].
7. Staff, “School Bus Requirements,” Department of Motor Vehicles, North Carolina, Last updated Nov. 3, 2025 [https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-licenses/school-bus/Pages/requirements.aspx].
8. The Daily News Staff, “Authorities seek possible victims after arrest of Ionia County church youth group leader,” The Daily News, February 4, 2026 [https://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/authorities-seek-possible-victims-after-arrest-of-ionia-county-church-youth-group-leader/].
9. Caleb Yauger and Francine Frazier, “‘Hurtful and difficult’: Pastor responds after former church employee accused of embezzling over $570K,” WJXT - News4JAX, April 11, 2025 [https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2025/04/11/hurtful-and-difficult-church-pastor-responds-after-former-church-employee-accused-of-embezzling-over-570k/].
10. Suzanne Stratford, “Canton school security guard fired for using excessive force on 6-year-old,” Fox8 – WJW, February 11, 2020 [https://fox8.com/news/canton-school-security-guard-fired-for-using-excessive-force-on-6-year-old/].
11. Dan Herbeck and Jay Tokasz, “Woman accused of stealing $465K from church had served prison time after previous thefts,” The Buffalo News, February 11, 2024 [https://buffalonews.com/news/local/crime-courts/woman-accused-of-stealing-465k-from-church-had-served-prison-time-after-previous-thefts/article_72293dd4-c777-11ee-9bfe-d3bec46f79e7.html].
12. Staff, “Search NSOPW,” Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice [https://www.nsopw.gov/search-public-sex-offender-registries].
13. Sheepdog Affiliate Link, Protect My Ministry, [https://www.protectmyministry.com/sheepdog-signup/].