Church small-group ministries likely kicked off the new year by resuming groups formed last fall, launching new ones, or both. Many, if not most, of these groups meet in the homes of church members. Those groups often involve parents who bring their children—and someone typically watches those children while the adults meet for study, prayer, and fellowship.

How is your church ensuring the safety and protection of these children? Church leaders need to wrestle with this question.

To help, attorney Rob Showers offers “five crucial steps” churches should follow to help protect children and also reduce legal liability. His article is available to members of ChurchLawAndTax.com.

As small-groups season gets back into full swing, take time now to assess how your church is doing with this issue.

Also this week:

• Join CPA and senior editorial advisor Michael Batts and me on February 26 for a free webinar addressing unrelated business income for churches.
• Not sure whether to cancel services or events when the forecast calls for snow, ice, and cold? One leader explains how his church decides when bad weather looms.
• Reinforce your church’s outreach efforts with this downloadable resource, Benevolence Fund Basics.

The Lord bless you and keep you,