With a full-time staff of three, the Anoka, Minnesota-based background-investigation firm has beat out bigger rivals to become the go-to gumshoes for religious groups across the United States. All but a handful of Oxford's 1,000-odd clients are churches or denominational bodies. Glen Johnson, who founded the company 16 years ago, says those are the only clients he seeks.

"I wanted to help them out because I'm a Christian person and I saw the need for this," says Johnson, 48.

Oxford keeps the business prices low -- up to $225 for a "full-service" check -- so churches don't have to pass the plate to keep safe, says Chuck Koterba, the firm's director of client services.

Oxford employees say they have been called by God to keep churches clear of sexual predators, fiduciary finaglers and general ne'er-do-wells. Clients praise the firm for helping them determine how serious a potential employee's infractions are -- either a momentary lapse of judgment or an extended tour through the seedy side of life.

With high-profile and costly cases of clergy abuse and financial mismanagement roiling U.S. churches, background checks have come to be a necessary part of due diligence. Increasingly, insurance companies require them, and people in the pews expect them.

"Unfortunately, in a way, this is a growing business," says Oxford's vice president, Bob Leverentz.

Besides the Episcopal Church, Oxford provides background check programs for the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 58 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America synods, 13 United Methodist regional conferences, six Roman Catholic dioceses, four African Methodist Episcopal Zion districts and about 10 other Christian denominations. Some ask for full criminal and credit reports. Others ask only for reference checks.

Johnson founded Oxford after Minnesota passed a law requiring background checks for people involved in psychological counseling, including clergy. Business started booming in the mid-1990s, when Episcopal dioceses began using Oxford. Each denomination tailors the background checks to its needs and internal rules -- some ask about sexual orientation, for example; others do not.

"Obviously, the Presbyterians talk a little different than the Episcopalians," Johnson said.
When Oxford conducts full-credit and criminal checks, investigators most often "find hits" on traffic violations and financial problems, says Chuck Koterba, director of client services.

"With lots of clergy, their spiritual gift is not financial management," Koterba says, adding that money issues can lead to other problems, such as gambling, spousal abuse and drug use.

Still, despite the media attention surrounding clergy misconduct, serious infractions are rare among the pulpit set, according to Koterba and Johnson.

Company officials say they get no satisfaction in finding the rare red flag -- though they're happy to protect churches.

"To me this job is my ministry," Koterba says. "It's the work God wants me to do."