Much progress has been made in Foursquare’s commitment to leading in the way of Jesus with humility, integrity and mercy, and stewarding power to protect, provide for and empower others.
As of Jan. 1, The Foursquare Church now offers a 24-hour hotline and web intake form facilitated by the NAVEX Governance, Risk and Compliance platform. These third-party options are for Foursquare constituents to report incidents of misconduct by a Foursquare minister or at a Foursquare ministry location. This marks the final step of a comprehensive plan to respond and care for anyone who may experience misconduct by a Foursquare minister. This plan was presented in detail to the Foursquare convention body in June 2023.
“I am encouraged by our collective pursuit to foster a culture where trust and integrity form a foundation for how we serve our congregations and communities.” —Randy Remington, Foursquare president
“I am grateful to the team for our progress in cultivating healthy environments throughout our churches and ministry locations,” says Pastor Randy Remington, Foursquare president. “I am encouraged by our collective pursuit to foster a culture where trust and integrity form a foundation for how we serve our congregations and communities.”
An essential component of this plan has been increasing awareness of the channels available to report misconduct and the organization’s process to investigate and adjudicate claims. While the Foursquare website now has a dedicated page and clear menu options to make this information accessible, NAVEX also provides downloadable posters (in multiple languages), which can be put inside churches, schools, camps and other ministry locations. Although not a policy requirement, Foursquare leaders are encouraged to post this information at their ministry locations. These posters and copies of The Handbook for Responding to Clergy Misconduct may be accessed at foursquare.church/translations.
“This option for reporting minister misconduct is a crucial step in our ability to care for all those involved in the process,” explains Randy. “We want to address accusations directly, fairly and swiftly, so that Foursquare leaders can grow and thrive on mission with Jesus. This system makes way for misconduct and conflict to be addressed as lovingly and honestly as possible.”
To stay up to date on communication regarding our journey toward healthy accountability, visit foursquare.org/healthy-leadership.
