5 top Christian blog posts of the week—posts on physical abuse, sex in marriage, schizophrenia, special needs children, and more by Jim Newheiser, Kevin Carson, Charles Hodges, Desiring God, and more.
Educating Your Elders About Abuse
What do you do if you are in an abusive relationships, and your church leadership seems to lack experience and discernment when it comes to helping abuse victims? Pastor, educator, and biblical counselor, Jim Newheiser addresses this vital question in Educating Your Elders About Abuse. Here’s his introduction:
“Well-meaning church leaders, in their ignorance, often fail to distinguish between ordinary marital conflict and situations in which one spouse is abusing the other. The abusive spouse, usually the husband, is often able to manipulate inexperienced counselors by deflecting attention from his sin and focusing upon the sin of the mistreated spouse. Over time, as the oppression continues unabated, the mistreated spouse reaches the conclusion that the counseling is ineffective and that her church leaders are not adequately protecting her from the harm being done to her (Prov. 31:8-9). She may begin to consider leaving her husband and her church. When she does, the church may respond with disciplinary pressure. Such complex situations require great
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