Addressing the Abuse Crisis in the Church

The very ones who were supposed to represent God turned a blind eye, walked on the other side, and went about their day.

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We are in a season where God is bringing to light things that have been done in darkness. Over the last several years, we have seen exposures of abuse happening within the church and leaders who were living secret lives as sexual predators. We are also seeing the topic of domestic abuse come to the forefront. It is an epidemic that must be addressed at this time.

 

Will We Walk By?

The Parable of the Good Samaritan has insight for us on addressing the abuse crisis in the church. In the story, a traveler was attacked by thieves, stripped, beaten, and left for dead. As if things couldn’t get worse, what happens next is horrific: “Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.” (Luke 10:31-32)

The very ones who were supposed to represent God turned a blind eye, walked on the other side, and went about their day. While this seems unimaginable, it is sadly a good illustration of how the church has often responded to victims of abuse. Sometimes this has been out of ignorance, simply because we have been too naïve to the nature, dynamics, and tactics of abuse. Other times, abuse has been engrained in churches and in the leaders themselves, making it impossible for them to help victims.

For all who name the name of Jesus and follow Him, there is a call to be like the Good Samaritan. He is the one who, at great cost to himself, stood with the victim in order to bring healing and restoration. We likewise are called to be willing to pay the price, get our hands dirty, and take the time and care to stand with victims of abuse. We must become more educated, be willing to take sides and stand with those who have been abused, and take practical steps to bring healing.

 

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Esther Company

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About the Author

Jennifer is passionate about seeing the Bride of Christ come into a greater place of purity and passion for Jesus and fully administrating His rule and reign in the Earth. Her mandate is to raise her children in the Glory of God and to see the Bride of Christ set ablaze. Her mission is to release the purity, truth, and beauty of God and her heartbeat is justice for the oppressed and freedom for the captive. She is also a “thriver” after years of covert narcissistic abuse. Jennifer is the Founder of Esther Company and Kingdom Wealth Creation & Strategic Solutions. Her most treasured role is being a mom to her four amazing children who reside with her in Lancaster County, PA.