Safe 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.

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.”

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.

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.

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. 

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!"

His eye is on the sparrow, but he was tapping my shoulder all morning.

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.

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...

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.

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.