When CRC Ministers Abuse Part I
Cynthia* never expected that a pool party with church council members and her pastor would leave her humiliated and traumatized decades later.
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Cynthia* never expected that a pool party with church council members and her pastor would leave her humiliated and traumatized decades later.
From North America to Africa, from Europe to Asia, one of the great tragedies facing humanity, a tragedy not often talked about (or certainly not enough), is that of women as victims of violence—even in the church.
Half of the Christian Reformed Church’s 1,100 congregations now have a Child Safety Policy in place. And approximately half of the 47 classes (regional groups of churches) have Safe Church Teams in place.
About 25 years ago reports began to surface about physical, emotional, and sexual abuse perpetrated by members and even leaders in the Christian Reformed Church.
As a teenager Joanne Ravensbergen was abused by her brother-in-law, now a retired CRC pastor. . . the abuse “destroyed my faith,” she said. “I’ve burned my Bibles.”
Consent is a short word, but long on meaning. There is much to know about consent, and there is much to misunderstand about consent.
In some instances, the law places a restriction on consent—not because of age or cognitive ability—but because there is a higher societal value to uphold. This article will look more closely at that issue.
Here are some tips on facility changes for the protection of youth.
Bad news never announces that it is coming. Bam...just like that....it's there. I've been occupying the office of Safe Church Ministry for 15 years.
I mentioned in my first synod blog the anxiety I felt driving to synod and then how it seemed to dissipate with meeting and greeting old friends and colleagues. I felt like the sparrow protected by God's almighty hand. So I'll refer to these synod blogs as the "view from the sparrow's nest".
Synod for me is like a lot of training events. In one respect, synod is a friendly environment to discuss a subject matter that is dear to my heart and therefore easy to talk about. On the other hand, delegates, like conference attendees, often ask pointed questions and challenge the speaker's knowledge or the opinions of others. It is this second respect which draws out the anxiety in me and probably in a few other speakers.
We work over breaks and take a break over meetings. During meal times and break times, we have several conversations .... each one conducted fast and with few words, but ...
The fourth in a series of questions frequently raised in training sessions: I am a man who cares deeply about sexual abuse, but what can one man do to make a difference? Isn't (sexual abuse) primarily a problem women need to learn how to keep themselves safe? Gerry Heyboer writes the following response. The answer to the first question is "A lot!" The answer to the second question is "No!"
Don't get caught thinking that a criminal record check is the only screening you need to do.
His eye is on the sparrow, but he was tapping my shoulder all morning.
You can wait for the Acts of Synod to be published, or you can take a peek at some of the decisions of Synod 2010 that impact the Safe Church Ministry.
Consent is not just permission; consent also implies that we understand the consequences of our actions. Learn more about consent in this blog and in future blogs.
Although it does vary, in most states and provinces, the age of consent is 16. Below age 16, a minor is regarded as unable to give consent; 16 or older and the minor is regarded as able to give consent. That does not mean, however, that everyone who is of age to give consent to sexual acts has given consent ...
What happens when, upon release, a convicted sex offender joins (or re-joins) a congregation? To date, my experience has taught me that there is no single “right” answer and that the process of finding the “best” answer will definitely test the mettle of a congregation and its leadership team...
Imagine your reaction if you heard the news that fire had damaged your church and many people were injured. Now just change the circumstances. What if you found out that several children in your congregation had been sexually abused by a convicted pedophile at church functions and that your church did not have a proper Safe Church Policy?
There is a widespread misconception that the sole task of Safe Church Ministry is to help victims and deal properly with abusers after incidents have been reported. This is only partly true. Safe Church Ministry also works to prevent abuse from happening and to protect pastors, youth leaders and volunteers.
Power removed from love is, as Martin Lurther King, Jr. stated, “reckless and abusive.” Trace back almost any story of abuse – whether in churches, families, institutions, or society – and you will find corrupted power, a deadly force.
Individuals who have experienced emotional abuse often suffer from “a crushed spirit.” The wounds caused by emotional abuse may not be visible to the human eye, but they leave an indelible mark on the human heart.
We slog away in meetings, we write safe church policies, we try to get our ministers to preach on safe church issues and abuse prevention. Some days, we wonder if it is even making a difference. And then we hear a story like that of ...
“The classis safe church team saved my ministerial butt,” was how one British Columbia pastor put it. Within one week of arriving in his new charge, he was informed that an allegation of abuse had been made against the pastor that preceded him.