A Word from Bob
I’ve collated today’s post from The Annual Guide to Biblical Counseling Resources: 2021 Edition. This guide provides 259 pages that collate 1,057 biblical counseling resources. Learn more about The Annual Guide here. Purchase a copy at 50% off here.
Today’s post is directly related to my previous post which you can find here: 11 Biblical Counseling Resources on Sexual Abuse: Healing & Hope in Christ.
Hambrick, Brad, Editor. Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused
Is your church prepared to care for individuals who have experienced various forms of abuse? As we continue to learn of more individuals experiencing sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse, it’s clear that resources are needed to help ministries and leaders care for these individuals with love, support, and in cooperation with civil authorities. This handbook seeks to help the church take a significant step forward in its care for those who have been abused.
Holcomb, Justin, and Lindsey Holcomb. God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies
It’s easy to convey the message to children that their bodies or particular parts of their bodies are shameful. This misconception fuels confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy, and often prevents children from recognizing or reporting sexual abuse. God Made All of Me is a simply-told, beautifully-illustrated story to help families talk about these sensitive issues with two-to-eight-year-old children. Because the private parts of our bodies are private, the home is the ideal environment where a child should learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others.
Reju, Deepak. On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church
In On Guard, Deepak Reju examines why child predators target churches. He offers eleven straightforward strategies to protect children from abuse and to help young victims recover if it does happen. While On Guard does provide practical help for building a child protection policy, it provides much more. Full of pastoral wisdom, On Guard recognizes that the church’s response to abuse must be more comprehensively in line with her calling than a simple legal policy or clinical analysis. On Guard moves church staff and leaders beyond fearful awareness to prayerful preparedness with an actionable plan.
Tchividjian, Basyle. Protecting Children from Abuse in the Church: Steps to Prevent and Respond
How do we protect the children in our Christian community from sexual offenders? From his years of experience as a child abuse prosecutor, Boz Tchividjian unpacks the dynamics of a church environment that allows perpetrators to thrive and offers constructive help for educating and training your church to recognize and deal with potential abuse. Using biblical principles and the example of Jesus, he shows you how to cultivate an attitude and environment in your church that provides safety and protection for these young ones.
Tchividjian, Boz, and Shira Berkovits. The Child Safeguarding Policy for Churches and Ministries
This is not an easy book to read—but it’s a vital one to read and follow. Sadly, we live in a day when The Child Safeguarding Policy for Churches and Ministries is absolutely necessary. This handbook is an invaluable resource for Christians seeking to educate themselves and others about child abuse and how they can best protect children under their care. The book covers vitally important topics including warning signs of abuse, how to respond to abuse allegations, care for victims, and legal implications and requirements for churches and Christian ministries. Working through this book will guide churches and Christian ministries in creating and implementing policies to protect children from child abuse.
Veith, Victor. What the Bible Says to Abuse Survivors and Those Who Hurt Them
Pastors and church personnel often struggle to apply intentional and appropriate doses of both biblical grace and stringent accountability to victims and perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Churches can regularly be prone to turn the tables on survivors by applying a heavy dosage of conviction to victims and misguided clemency toward perpetrators. The mishandling of abuse incidents in the church will drive victims away from the community of Christ and further embolden offenders, thus debasing the name of our Savior. Victor Veith offers a deeper understanding of both abuser and victim dynamics so that church leaders can move past ignorance and prevailing myths to tackle this devastating issue with the power of grace and truth afforded by the good news of Jesus. He explains typical dynamics of how and when child sexual abuse is reported, gives an overview of dynamics of child molesters, and describes healing ways to represent Jesus to survivors.
Join the Conversation
What additional biblical counseling resources would you recommend regarding prevention of sexual abuse?
