December 18, 2020
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Welcoming Dr. Amanda Benkhuysen as Director of Safe Church Ministry
Safe Church Ministry is excited to welcome Dr. Amanda Benkhuysen as the new director.
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November 19, 2020
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Support Safe Church Ministry in 2020: God’s Grace in the Midst of a Pandemic
God has blessed Safe Church Ministry, and Safe Church has blessed individuals, congregations, and classes, even during a pandemic. Join in the blessings, support Safe Church Ministry in 2020.
August 30, 2020
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Abuse Awareness Sunday - Sept. 27, 2020
Abuse Awareness Sunday provides an opportunity for churches to bring abuse, which affects so many of us directly or indirectly, into the light.
August 29, 2020
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2020 Update Regarding Abuse of Power Training for Pastors
A 2020 update on the ongoing development of the abuse of power training for pastors in the Christian Reformed Church.
August 19, 2020
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Safe Church During COVID?
I'm wondering how to keep the work of Safe Church (abuse awareness, prevention, and response) going during COVID. Any ideas?
May 6, 2020
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2020 Safe Church Webinar Series
Safe Church is hosting a monthly webinar in order to better connect, collaborate, and coordinate to end abuse. Here's an overview of all the 2020 webinars!
April 25, 2020
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Changes for Safe Church Ministry as Director Plans to Retire
Safe Church leadership will soon change as I plan to retire in November. Yet the work of equipping congregations in abuse awareness, prevention, and response will continue.
March 22, 2020
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Safe Church Teams: A Brief History of Safe Church Ministry
Safe Church seems to have received a lot of attention in recent years, in part due to the #MeToo movement. Many people are surprised to find out that it has a much longer history.
February 11, 2020
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Safe Church January 2020 Webinar Recap
On January 29, Safe Church hosted it's first webinar of the year. This article is a highlight reel of the event.
November 13, 2019
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The Abuse of Power Adoptions from Synod 2019 for Classes to Consider:
These are adoptions from Synod 2019 that pertain to specifically to classes. These adoptions were recommended from the Addressing Abuse of Power Report.
October 9, 2019
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Abuse Awareness Sunday Sermon: Two Years After #MeToo
This sermon explores how we as a church lament our history and move from using power for ourselves to using our power with generosity, the way Jesus modeled and taught us.
September 12, 2019
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Growing Restorative Churches: November 8th & 9th
This two day interactive training will take place in Grand Rapids, MI from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Friday & Saturday, November 8 and 9. Cost: $120 (includes lunch).
August 6, 2019
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A Bittersweet Goodbye
Safe Church says goodbye to Miriam Spies, who has been a valuable partner in our work. She will be pursuing further education.
July 9, 2019
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Abuse Awareness Sunday Is Coming - September 22, 2019
This is more than a “special offering” Sunday. It’s an opportunity to bring an issue out into the light that too often remains hidden.
June 20, 2019
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Synod 2019 Acts on Addressing Abuse of Power in the CRCNA
Adoptions made by Synod 2019 to Address Abuse of Power in the CRCNA - with linked video of how synod adopted each motion.
June 11, 2019
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Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of Safe Church Ministry
In 1994, Synod approved the formation of the abuse prevention ministry. Synod took a brave step because it could not have anticipated all that followed. In truth, no one knew what God had in store for the CRCNA.
May 21, 2019
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Back to the Future! Safe Church at Synod 1994 and 2019
For 25 years, we've been talking about preventing and responding to abuse in our church contexts. Here's a look back and a prayer for the future.
May 14, 2019
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Safe Church Teams: Leading With
This article highlights the practice of leading with, and how it’s the most effective way to create a greater level of abuse awareness, a shared commitment to prevention, and culture ready to respond to abuse with justice and compassion.
May 14, 2019
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Power Over/Power With: A Five-Part Blog Series on Power
This five-part series considers what the Bible says about power and how we might better follow Jesus’ way of self-emptying power (Philippians 2). This series is a partnership between the CRC's Safe Church Ministry and the Office of Social Justice.
April 4, 2019
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这是滥权吗?
要理解滥权，我们必须明白，其核心是权力的运作特点。在滥权处境中，一个人会使用权力去伤害、操纵或控制另外一个人。除了恶劣的性侵和身体侵害之外，情感上的虐待行为，如强迫、恐吓、威胁、鼓励和谴责，都可能带来同等程度的伤害。受害人开始觉得越来越无力，结果就越来越倚靠那个施虐者。当施虐者得到更多权力之后，他们甚至开始有一种失去自我的感受。那就变成一个恶性循环，一个陷阱，让受害者更加陷入困境中。在这种毁坏性的处境当中，是不可能谈什么两厢情愿的。
April 1, 2019
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让教会更为安全的十种方法
我们相信每个人受造都有上帝的形象，每个人都应被有尊严和尊重地对待。关系健康的培育环境对信仰建造最为有利。安全教会事工SFM，是为了装备会众关于对虐待的警觉、避免和回应方面的知识，帮助建造一个社群，使每个人的价值都被尊重，人们可以远离虐待而自由地敬拜和成长。虽然所有事工都有风险，仍然存在一些行动步骤可以减少有害风险并避免虐待。
March 19, 2019
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Safe Church Takes First Steps in Chinese
Safe Church in Chinese? How did this come about? You may have noticed something new (Chinese characters!) if you follow Safe Church on The Network. The following interview will help us understand.
February 20, 2019
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Safe Church at Inspire 2019!
Safe Church is pleased to announce that Inspire 2019 includes four workshops looking at practices to make churches safer and free from abuse for all.
January 29, 2019
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Working in Opposites
Light and dark, evil and good, right and wrong, mercy and justice. These concepts work in opposites. How do we, the church, walk in the tension of the in-between space where we all live?
January 8, 2019
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Safe Church Dreams in 2019
Last fall at our Safe Church conference, key leaders were asked to imagine, dream, and visualize safe church ministry in their own congregation and classis. We wanted to share some of these dreams with you; dream with us in 2019!