Dr Jonathan Oloyede, is an ordained Senior Pastor at Glory House, a fast-growing black majority church in East London that regularly attracts around 2000 people to its Sunday services. A medical doctor by profession, Jonathan has a special interest in child protection issues and recently took part in the new CCPAS 'Facing the Unthinkable' training DVD.

Anyone who watches the discussion in which Jonathan participates will be left in no doubt that Glory House Church is totally committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children, not only within its congregation, but also within community projects the church has initiated under Jonathan's leadership. As Community Projects Director he has overseen a Football Academy for local youth as well as a Mentoring/Development project 'Xpect' for inner city youth. He is also a Borough Dean.

Jonathan Oloyede is a gentle, quietly spoken man whose unquestionable strength of character is rooted in an unequivocal certainty of God's calling and working in his life. It is also true to say that in pioneering this God-given vision, he has faced many challenges along the way. His initial, somewhat unexpected, calling to be in the UK was one of those challenges.

In the summer of 1991, Jonathan arrived in the UK for a holiday having just completed medical training, fully intending to return to his native Nigeria to take up a post at a hospital in the north of the country. He was happy to be free from the rigours of several years of intense study and was looking forward to a three-month vacation. However, not long into his vacation, God spoke in such a dramatic way concerning His plan for Jonathan's life, that he dropped what had been his own agenda and started to move in a very different direction. Jonathan says over a decade later that he is still on his three-month holiday!

Black Majority Churches have the fastest growing congregations in the UK. Indeed, official statistics show that by 2000, 51% of church attendance in London was black. Much of the work Jonathan has pioneered has been in developing understanding across cultural and racial divides within the Christian fraternity (as well as local communities) and through effective communication and working partnerships, advancing the message of the gospel.

We have written before about the damage done to much-improved relationships between faith communities and bodies such as the police and Children's Services (formerly Social Services). This setback happened as a result of irresponsible and factitious reporting in the media following a high profile case of ritual abuse. Despite these cases being few and far between, many Black Majority Churches were unfairly tarred with a similar brush and this is one reason why CCPAS chose to highlight the exemplary standards Glory House has adopted in the area of child protection, as an example of good practice in an African church.

Not only has Glory House Church had a working child protection policy in place for some time but also rigorous recruitment procedures that include interviewing prospective workers, carrying out Criminal Records checks and, once in post, providing supervision and support for workers. The reason Glory House takes child protection so seriously is not based on a fear of litigation or a notional adherence to governmental recommendations. It is born out of a robust (and biblical) ethos that values and esteems children and young people, and recognises the contribution they will make as the adults of tomorrow. As Jonathan so rightly says, 'children are the future, they are our jewels'.

In light of the negative publicity already mentioned, Jonathan is at pains to point out that Glory House has never and will never ascribe to abusive practices, though this is not to say children do not need boundaries or discipline in their lives that will enable them to grow into balanced and well adjusted adults.

Jonathan also acknowledges, as he puts it, the birth pangs they have experienced as a church in moving towards getting things right in this area. In placing value on these experiences they have become points of learning that have enabled the church's ethos to be 'lived out' and not just paid lip service to. In Jonathan's view this demonstrates not only a functional commitment to safeguarding children and young people, but also a pragmatic and legal commitment both as a church and a registered charity.

Despite much improvement, Jonathan has observed a lack of commitment to child protection in many mainstream churches. 'They say they have a child protection policy', Jonathan states with a wry smile, 'but it is only in someone's head. They are always going to get round to it'. Jonathan is emphatic, with an eye on the future, that those leaders who procrastinate in this area should take on the responsibility for the introduction of a working child protection policy now, and be in a position to hand it on to the up and coming generations.

In his role as a pastor there are times when Jonathan becomes involved when a child protection concern is raised. Even when it is difficult to draw the line between child protection and a cultural practice, he and his associates always work from the premise that due care for the child comes first. Where there is a conflict between, say, an African tradition and the law, the upholding of the law must always take precedence even if, in that particular culture, it may be considered normal. Speaking hypothetically, Jonathan adds that if there were a cultural practice not considered harmful to children but prohibited under English law, the way to act is never to disregard the law, but campaign for change through dialogue and the democratic/ political process.

Jonathan not only considers it a leadership responsibility to ensure the correct policies at Glory House are in place, but also in their outworking in the day to day life of the church. For example, in the area of praying for children, Glory House insist that permission must be given by both child and parent without coercion, and a child must never be taken to a separate room without the parent or carer being present. The church's ethos in this area is based very much on the example Jesus himself demonstrated in his dealings with children. He was always gentle, welcoming and respectful. The church therefore actively discourages aggressive praying and inappropriate physical contact.

In all that they do, Glory House strives to follow biblical models, not only in esteeming the role of parents and carers but also recognising every child's right to be valued and protected. This and other underlying principles is what makes Glory House church a very safe place for children and young people, who are able to flourish in an environment where the individual is respected and honoured in a way Jonathan and CCPAS believes God intends. We would all do well to sit up and take note of a church that has a proven track record and will no doubt continue to put the safety of children high on their list of priorities.

Click here to return to the Articles menu.