EP. 76: Abuse in the Church (with Amanda Benckhuysen)

Church is meant to be a safe place for all people to gather and heal within the community. However, the world is filled with sin that hurts us, even in places that are meant to be safe. Dr. Amanda Benckhuysen joins Elisa Morgan on this episode of God Hears Her to talk about abuse within the church and ways that people can be helped.

This episode may be triggering for some listeners. If you or someone you know is being abused please visit https://www.thehotline.org/ or call 1-800-799-7233.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Amanda Benckhuysen is the author of The Gospel According to Eve and Immigrants, the Bible, and You. She is also a scholar, speaker, teacher, wife, mother, and follower of Jesus. She currently serves as the director of Safe Church Ministry for the Christian Reformed Church in North America after having taught the Old Testament while mentoring seminary students for more than 15 years.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “There are things in the Christian tradition, practice, and cultures that have been such huge stumbling blocks to the gospel, and they shouldn’t be because they’re not actually of God. Abuse is one of them.”
• “A lot of them were coming to seminary in some ways to find healing, but also to channel their brokenness in a way that would redeem it, to allow God to redeem their brokenness so that God could use it to bring healing to others.”
• “Women who were clearly so gifted, so made in God’s image. People of dignity and value and worth.”
• “When trust and loyalty run high, but accountability runs low, it’s like the perfect situation for abuse.”
• “The Department of Justice says one in three women experience sexual abuse at some point in their life. And one in six men. This is a human issue. It affects both women and men.”
• If a child is being abused, most states legally require it to be reported to Child Protective Services. In the case of ministry leaders, it depends on the denomination. Even with confidentiality, some ministry leaders are required to report after letting minors know up front.”
• “If someone reports abuse and it’s responded to with the same sense of rejection or the same sense of being made to feel dismissed, small, or less than [the same response as the abuse], then it’s a trigger. And all the emotions associated with that initial abuse come to the surface again.”
• “Part of what God longs for in Christian community is that it would be a safe place for people to find healing.”
• “If you’ve slipped into abusing, there is hope for you too.”

Links: 

• Safe Church Ministry: https://www.crcna.org/SafeChurch
• Dr. Amanda Benckhuysen’s books: https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-W.-Benckhuysen/e/B085M3DP8T?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000
• Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/ or call 1-800-799-7233
• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/
• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup
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• Elisa’s Instagram: elisamorganauthor
• Eryn’s Instagram: eryneddy