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You are loved and you are not alone.
In the United States, a woman is assaulted or beaten every 9 seconds. There are more than 10 million abuse victims annually, and those are only the ones reported. Domestic Violence hotlines receive 20,800 calls on a typical day. This is clearly a huge crisis in our country, our neighborhoods, our churches and our homes.
Spousal abuse is just as common in the Christian home as anyone else’s. This means that 25% of Christian homes witness some form of abuse.
Denise George, a Christian author, sites a survey in which nearly 6,000 pastors were asked how they would counsel women who came to them for help with domestic violence. Twenty-six percent would counsel them to continue to "submit" to her husband, no matter what. Twenty-five percent told wives the abuse was their own fault—for failing to submit in the first place. Astonishingly, 50 percent said women should be willing to "tolerate some level of violence" because it is better than divorce. Advice like this, will put women in grave danger—and in some cases, can be a death warrant.
The church cannot continue to leave domestic violence issues to be sorted out by secular agencies. The more we talk about domestic violence, the more victims will realize that they are not alone and find the strength to speak out themselves.
What does God say about abuse?
Matthew 9:35-37
And Jesus went throughout all of the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few”
Matthew 10: 1-2
The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits, and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives
The Bible tells us that God is the God of liberation who calls Himself to the oppressed and abused of this world. Jesus is the Savior and the healer of the sinner and of those sinned against. He is the God that heals the sick, poor, marginalized, disenfranchised, and ostracized. Jesus is the great liberator from all oppression, suffering and evil. He is the healer of all our souls.
Domestic violence is much more than just physical. It is an imbalance of power and control. While it does include physical abuse, it is also; sexual, emotional, psychological, verbal, financial, legal and spiritual. These additional forms of abuse may often go unrecognized, which is why victims and abusers are able to continue in patterns of behavior that become destructive and often impair them from seeking help. And also why it goes unaddressed in the church.
In destructive relationships, people’s view of love becomes distorted, and as a result, their view of God and themselves become distorted too. God intended love to be a source of empowerment, hope and healing, not isolation and violence.
This site will offer you the tools and resources to educate and empower yourself, as a victim/survivor of domestic violence to a place of hope, wholeness and healing.
If you are a pastor or working in a church ministry, this page will give you insight and education on how to assist your congregation and women's ministry staff with this very difficult topic that is certainly affecting your church.
I will have a membership option coming soon, which will allow you to participate in a Bible Study and download additional resources to assist you, your church, or both on the Biblical application of offering both hope and healing with domestic abuse survivors and victims.
Stats and interview above taken from this article here