Risk Management Initiatives

Our Solutions newsletter shares risk management solutions customized for your ministry's risks.
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It is important for leadership of organizations to set up time and resources to address the protection and stewardship of the assets entrusted. The implementation of a safety committee will set the tone that identifying risks and managing them is important to our organizations long-term ministry.

Cyber risks are increasing as we use technology more and more in our organizations, at the local churches and schools, as well as the activities of our employees and volunteers. Our society is beginning to respond to these risks with more regulatory requirements (California Consumer Privacy Act, GDPR, NYDFS) that impose fines. Effectively evaluating our cyber exposre, as well as learning the steps we can take to secure our networks, systems, and data will help to prevent costly losses.

Educating our leadership teams, employees, and volunteers with up-to-date guideliens and practices in a way that will equip them to meet these risks should be a priority.

Pastors continue to be the leaders at our churches. Those areas that the pastor values and understands become the priorities of the church. If our churches are going to be more effective in risk management, we must raise our pastors’ awareness and knowledge in this area. This initiative is focused on providing pastors the knowledge and resources to be prepared to lead their church in risk management. The goal is not to detract from the spiritual role of the pastor, but educate in the following areas:

• Local church big picture issues such as apparent authority of the pastor, contracts and contractors, child protection planning, and physical plant maintenance and insurance.
• Delegating with a system of accountability and follow-through by electing a Safety Officers/Committees that reports to the board. Prioritizing Self-Inspections and follow-up on recommendations as well as life safety and emergency planning.

Conference leadership should spend some time considering reputational risk. Our churches engage in many ministries, some which they are better prepared to execute than others. When we engage in activities with good intentions that we are not equipped to perform safely, we can achieve disastrous results. What is our mission and what activities are outside of our mission and shoule be performed by others, more specialized in that activity? Staying on mission and being prepared for those risks taht are "on mission" will help guard the Church's reputation. Being prepared to respond to crises that occur despite precautions will mitigate the impact to reputation.

Maintaining a safe building and premises is important. It will keep members and visitors safe as they lead out and participate in the ministry. Many slips, trips, and falls have led to large claims. While we as an organization can choose to pay for these claims through our retentions and insurance, it is always better to prevent potential injuries. Also important is to maintain our buildings so they last longer, and are available in good repair for ministry.