How Do We Get Started?

Educate Your Community

As a church, you can provide opportunities for children, youth, parents, and all members to learn about sexual exploitation and how to prevent it. A pastor, youth leader, small group leader, or any church member can get this started. From there, developing a small team to partner with Cherish All Children keeps this mission moving forward in your community to work for lasting change.

• My Neighbor is Not for Sale this four-session study guide is designed to help you lead this education in your own church community.
   
• Adult forums, youth and confirmation group presentations are offered by Cherish All Children staff and volunteers. We can adapt to virtual presentations and training to continue this vital work together!


• Safe and Healthy Relationships Youth Guides and the accompanying Leader's Guide provides a four-session series designed for middle school and high school youth groups to support them in gaining lifelong skills in both online and in-person relationships. The Leader's Guide provides detailed instructions for youth leaders, pastors or other church leaders to facilitate these four sessions. Cherish All Children is also available to support you in leading these sessions.

Engage in Action

We invite you to become a long-term partner with Cherish All Children in this work to keep children safe from exploitation and trafficking.

One person can get things started in your church as a Cherish All Children contact, or a group of people can work together as a Cherish All Children Team, engaging your community in ways to raise healthy generations free from sexual exploitation.

• Use our Education and Resources to host a film-discussion event, book club, or other event to engage your community further.
   
• Engage in raising the next generation of healthy boys and young men, ending the demand for sexual exploitation. Check out the resources to get started!
   
• Seek out local education and events such as social media safety training, theater companies performing on this topic, trainings and conferences, races and walks.
   
• Attend Cherish All Children events hosted throughout the year and connect with other churches hosting events and activities.
   
• Volunteer with an anti-trafficking organization or an organization supporting youth experiencing homelessness or other risk factors that may lead to exploitation. Learn more about youth homelessness services.

Pray for Children & Youth

Use our prayer resources to keep the safety of all God’s children at the forefront of your church's ministry. Individuals can pray using our weekly Wednesday e-prayer, groups can pray in Bible study or small groups, the entire church can pray in worship, or some churches pair an adult with one child using our prayer booklets.
 

What Will it Cost Our Church to Partner With Cherish All Children?

All the resources on our website are free to download and use, and church volunteers carry out most aspects of the ministry, often under the guidance of church staff. However, we do need financial resources to support this ministry and will be excellent stewards to use these gifts wisely to protect children and youth.

We invite you to prayerfully consider ways your church community might give to keep children safe from exploitation:

• Support Cherish All Children through your annual budget, as a “Mission of the Month”, or through a special offering during Lent or Sexual Violence Prevention month.
   
• Provide an honorarium when Cherish All Children staff conducts a training or presentation.
   
• Hold a bake sale or other creative and fun event with proceeds going to Cherish All Children.
   
• Participate in our annual fundraising events such as the LSS Benefit for Youth in May or Cherish All Children 5K in June.
   
• Or become a monthly donor to support our work throughout the year!

Let’s Get Started!

Preventing child sexual exploitation requires a multi-faceted effort to raise awareness as well as change attitudes and behaviors. As the Church, we can take seriously our role as protectors of children. Each congregation is unique and we have many resources to help you get started in this important work.

Give us a call at 651.207.3357. We can help you explore ways in which your church can begin this ministry.