FEBRUARY 2025 | CONTENTS
ON THE COVER
ANDREW SHOCKEY / RISK MANAGEMENT VP + MICHAEL NESTER / HUMAN SERVICES PRODUCT MANAGER / PHILADELPHIA INSURANCE COMPANIES ( PHLY )
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8 EXPERT ADVICE : Protecting the kids in your care
With a combined 25 years of experience working with Philadelphia Insurance Companies ( PHLY ) and its church clients , Risk Management Vice President Andrew Shockey and Underwriting Human Services Product Manager Michael Nester know background checks . First and foremost , they know that not enough houses of worship are conducting them — and why .
Additionally , among the churches that are doing background checks , Shockey and Nester are familiar with the screening loopholes offenders can use to take advantage of these trustfueled organizations .
But it doesn ’ t have to be this way . Better yet , church leaders don ’ t have to go at it alone to do better .
By RaeAnn Slaybaugh
FEATURE ARTICLE
16 ON THE DOCKET AGAIN : government funding for religious schools
As early as this summer , two Supreme Court rulings could effectively eviscerate The Establishment Clause , which forbids governments from supporting religion or favoring one religion over another , or religion over non-religion — a potentially monumental pivot point for church schools .
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CASE STUDY
12 JEFF WATKINS + WITHOUT WALLS CHURCH : Room to maneuver
Switching to a centralized , on-premises media storage solution delivers real , tangible ministry benefits for every department at Without Walls Church .
By RaeAnn Slaybaugh
DEPARTMENTS
4 FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF 20 CHURCH TRENDS & STATISTICS
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6 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | FEBRUARY 2025