This month’s resources feature tools on preventing sexual and child abuse in the church, prayer resources for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, and a family Easter devotional.

Every month, we spotlight five helpful resources for you as you seek to walk closely with the Lord and make disciples. Many of these resources are created by the staff of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) to help meet the ministry needs of pastors and lay leaders across the state.

This month’s resources feature tools to help prevent sexual and child abuse in the church, prayer resources for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and a family Easter devotional.

In addition to the resources featured here, many more can be found at ncbaptist.org/resources. You may also follow @ncbaptist on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where we’ll share other helpful resources throughout the month.

Reducing the Risk of Sexual Misconduct
A series of articles by two Texas newspapers reported on numerous instances of abuse by pastors, staff members, youth pastors, Sunday School teachers, deacons and volunteers in churches across the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). This brochure titled “Reducing the Risk of Sexual Misconduct,” produced by Church Mutual Insurance Company, offers several guidelines that can help your church reduce the risk of sexual misconduct by establishing clear guidelines for ministers and other staff members. Download the brochure and visit the Church Mutual website for other free resources related to preventing abuse in the church.
Visit: churchmutual.com | Follow: @churchmutual

Safety Tips on a Sensitive Subject: Child Sexual Abuse
Causing harm to a minor is an unthinkable crime, but as recent news reports have indicated, abuse often happens in places we consider “safe.” This downloadable brochure, produced by Church Mutual Insurance Company, includes advice on how to prevent abuse and how to address it if it does occur. Church Mutual also has a related video titled, “Preventing Youth and Child Sex Abuse,” as well as other resources about preventing sexual abuse in the church.
Visit: churchmutual.com | Follow: @churchmutual

Protecting our Church and Children: What Church Leaders Must Know
Developed by the Baptist state convention’s Childhood Ministry, this downloadable booklet offers guidance on developing and implementing policies that address leadership, environment, safety, security and hygiene. This resource was developed with North Carolina churches in mind, and the recommendations meet or exceed N.C. childcare regulations.
Visit: ncbaptist.org/childhood | Follow: @ncbaptist

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering: Week of Prayer
Join other Southern Baptist churches in the week of prayer for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions. This year’s offering theme is “On Mission: Sending Hope.” The week of prayer is the first Sunday in March through the second Sunday in March. This year’s dates are March 3-10, but your church can use these dates or another time during the Easter season. The SBC’s North American Mission Board has developed a number of resources to assist you and your church during the prayer emphasis. Resources include a planning guide, prayer guide, promotional videos and more.
Visit: anniearmstrong.com | Follow: @NAMB_SBC

An Easter Devotional for Your Family
This convenient 15-Day Family Easter Focus will help you experience the Easter story together as a family. The reading plan includes 15 days of Bible readings and discussion questions for children of all ages.