Protecting the Vulnerable: Grooming Awareness and Healthy Boundaries in Ministry

This session equips ministry leaders, volunteers, parents, and youth workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize grooming behaviors, establish healthy relational boundaries, and implement evidence-based safeguards that protect children and those who serve them. Drawing on research and guidance from the FBI, DOJ, NCMEC, and child-abuse prevention frameworks, Matt Espenshade and John Clark have designed the course to integrate biblical principles of stewardship, accountability, and protection of the vulnerable. Emphasis is placed on prevention, discernment, and organizational responsibility within faith-based environments.

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Matt Espenshade

Matt Espenshade is the Executive Pastor at The Journey Church in Lebanon, Tennessee. Before entering full-time ministry, he enjoyed a 24-year career as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). During his career in the FBI, Mr. Espenshade served in various domestic and international leadership positions, including leading the FBI’s Nashville office, where he directed operations throughout middle Tennessee, Legal Attaché in Budapest, Hungary, and Deputy Legal Attaché in Nairobi, Kenya. Mr. Espenshade served as a Military Intelligence officer in the U.S. Army. He has a B.S. from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, and an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Norwich University in Northfield, VT. He is married to Lisa Espenshade, they have four children. Mr. Espenshade is also an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Cumberland University and sits on the board of directors for Blue Sky Global Ministries, Imago Classical Academy, and the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention. 

John Clark

John Clark recently retired after a long and distinguished 42-year career serving honorably in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. John began his career in the public sector serving briefly in the U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Capitol Police and then more extensively he worked for the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) for more than 28 years. John served in many top leadership positions within the USMS. After retirement from the USMS, John began his private sector career as the Director of Security Operations for the Information Systems and Global Solutions business sector of the nation’s largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin Corporation. John finished his lengthy career in the nonprofit sector having retired in April 2022 as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). In his capacity as CEO, John was the chief child safety advocate for NCMEC and as such helped shape public policy and encourage community action to ensure every child has a safe childhood. John has testified before Congress, the European Commission, and EUROPOL as a subject matter expert regarding the global problem of child exploitation. In addition, John was credited with growing the organization to over 400 employees and an annual revenue base of more than 60 million dollars, all of which was focused on finding missing children and stopping child exploitation.

More recently, John and his wife became owners/operators of Harvest of Hope Farm, LLC in Culpeper, Virginia where they grow produce in large quantities, 100% of which is donated to regional food banks. John’s roots as the son of a dairy farmer brought his career life full circle where he now once again enjoys the agrarian lifestyle