June 19, 2017
Snow skiing. Camping. Whitewater rafting. A youth group trip can give students an exciting diversion from their weekly routines, as well as an opportunity to strengthen healthy friendships. Off-site activities may challenge your students to step outside of their comfort zones a bit, but this can bring about a positive result.
Similarly, ministry leaders may find youth event administration challenging, but ultimately rewarding.
Follow these guidelines to maximize the unique benefits of an off-site youth ministry trip and avoid common pitfalls.
Plan Your Trip
Follow these steps:
Choose Transportation
Chartered bus—Make sure your company has a certificate of insurance and modern, well-maintained vehicles. Do not sign an agreement that makes your ministry responsible for injuries that participants sustain while riding the bus. If the bus driver speeds, don’t be afraid to ask him or her to slow down.
Separate vehicles—Place at least two adults in each vehicle to safeguard against allegations of misconduct. Avoid taking seventeen passenger vans and other large vehicles, if possible.
An exciting location and a fun group of people are a sure recipe for spontaneous fun, but always remember to put safety first. Do not allow horseplay to get out of hand. If your group plays a game in an outdoor area or a natural body of water, check the area thoroughly for hazards, beforehand.
For the second year, the Brotherhood Mutual Foundation is offering the Kingdom Advancing Grant to innovative Christian church programs that are transforming local communities through ministry.
Having insurance coverage specifically designed for long-term international missions helps protect your people and organization from the financial impact caused by injuries, lawsuits, property damage, and more.
With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s wise for ministries to evaluate their fire safety plan. Whether your ministry is hosting a holiday party, prepping treats for charity, or running a community kitchen, make sure you’re well-prepared with these tips.
As school is back in session, it’s important to make sure your school is equipped with the correct safety procedures. Thinking about your school’s physical security as a series of layers can help you find gaps in your plan. Transportation and volunteers are just two important aspects of your school safety plan to think about.
Anyone who turns on the news, flips through a magazine, or browses the web can see that American society and culture are experiencing rapid transitions. Some ministries have valid concerns that issues surrounding societal shifts may expose them to negative publicity, governmental scrutiny, or litigation.
Cyber security is increasingly crucial in our technologically advanced world. Scammers use many schemes when attempting to steal your data, but you can outsmart them by understanding their methods.
When conflict occurs in the church, it can threaten the unity of a congregation. Experts say the only way to heal conflict is to acknowledge and address it. But how?
Theft isn’t just an issue for banks and large companies. Sometimes the kind and caring nature of your ministry is exactly what makes you a target. Organizational Optional Theft Coverage helps to assure that, if a thief takes advantage of your institution, what’s lost can be restored.
Earthquakes are starting to rumble the earth again. An earthquake’s impact can range from being a minor annoyance to causing a major disaster. The safety planning you do now can help your ministry protect its people and property.
Most ministry leaders don’t realize there is funding available to non-profit employers including churches, schools, colleges, and camps. This post includes some highlights about the credit and guidance on where to start to see if your ministry is eligible.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially started June 1, and weather experts say this season is likely to produce above-normal activity. Take action to prepare your ministry to withstand a hurricane now, so you’re not scrambling when a watch or warning is posted.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Though child abuse may not be something you could ever imagine happening within your ministry, sexual abuse of a minor is one of the top five reasons churches end up in court, according to Church Law & Tax. Studies also show that a child is much more likely to be sexually abused by a trusted adult than a stranger.
When severe storms strike, they can produce high winds and tornadoes. Damaging winds can wreak havoc on your ministry’s property and to buildings. A high wind event can crash debris through your windows, strip your siding, down trees on your parking lot, peel shingles off your roof, and fling back the flashing.
Thieves are taking advantage of soaring precious metal prices. Take steps to protect your ministry’s vehicles and property.
Preparing for this Christmas season may require additional creativity, due to the uncertainty of what COVID-19 may bring in our local community.
A mid-November deadline in the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) bankruptcy proceedings may have you wondering what the organization’s bankruptcy filing means for your ministry if you ever hosted or chartered Boy Scout Troops.
Organizations that obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding through the CARES Act can have their loans forgiven, turning them into grants. To qualify, each borrower must file a forgiveness application with its PPP lender, proving that it followed the rules. If your church, school, college, or camp meets all the criteria, 100% of its loan can be forgiven.
We’re right in the middle of hurricane season in Georgia and Tropical Storm Laura is strengthening and expected to make landfall next week. These storms bring high winds and flooding that can easily damage your ministry’s property. Take steps to prepare for this and other tropical storm threats.
Learn about the CARES Act and two loans for which ministries may be eligible, since Congress authorized additional funding April 23.