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How Do Church Planters Minister in the Context of Abuse?

By New Churches Team

As you plant a church or see church growth through multiplication, are you prepared to care for individuals who have experienced various forms of abuse?

We continue to learn of more individuals experiencing sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse, and it’s clear that resources are needed to help ministries and leaders care for these individuals with love, support, and in cooperation with civil authorities. Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused seeks to help the church take a significant step forward in its care for those who have been abused.

It answers questions such as:

• Why is it vital for pastors and ministry leaders to understand that caring for the abused and oppressed is a gospel issue?
• Why is it unwise for the church to act as an investigative body in criminal matters?
• What are good pastoral practices for receiving an initial disclosure of physical or sexual abuse?
• What are the key qualities for identifying a counselor who works with sexual abuse victims?
• How do you best cooperate with social workers, law enforcement, and legal counsel in cases of abuse?
• What are the keys to developing a good safety plan with a victim of abuse?
• How does a church respond ethically, legally, and with good shepherding practices when they discover abuse by a church staff member or volunteer?

This free training curriculum of a handbook, an introductory video, and 12 lesson videos brings together leading evangelical trauma counselors, victim advocates, social workers, attorneys, batterer interventionists, and survivors to equip pastors and ministry leaders for the appropriate initial responses to a variety of abuse scenarios in churches, schools, or ministries.

Start this free training and equip your volunteers and ministry leaders at ChurchCares.com.

*Please note the curriculum is not intended to be legal counsel or to provide holistic training for counseling or pastoral care on the issue of abuse but is an accessible tutorial on how to respond with pastoral and ethical excellence. The curriculum gives a theological foundation for the topic, brings understanding on the issues connected to abuse disclosure and reporting, and gives practical wisdom by which leaders can navigate complex situations.